VikingFest
Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 June 10am – 5pm

The Vikings are coming!

Gather your horde for the two-day VikingFest festival, 28 and 29 June, featuring a vibrant marketplace brimming with medieval-themed delights. Discover handcrafted costumes, textiles, woodwork, leather goods, longbows, forged items, jewellery and replica weapons all while sipping on locally brewed mead.

Enjoy medieval combat exhibitions, re-enactments and axe throwing, all set to the sights and sounds of medieval music and entertainment. Dress up is encouraged with prizes awarded for the best medieval costume and Viking beard - just leave your plate armour and weapons at home.

The Museum Shop and Café will be open during VikingFest for all your food, drink and gift needs. While you're here, check out the galleries in the Museum and discover all the fascinating items on display. You can also visit the Discovery Centre on Level 1, 10:30am to 2:30pm, and take part in the free LEGO Treasure Hunt around the Museum.

 

About VikingFest

VikingFest is being held to celebrate the Museum's current exhibition, Treasures of the Viking Age: The Galloway Hoard, open until 27 July.

Limited tickets will be available for purchase throughout VikingFest to visit the exhibitions, or you can pre-book your ticket now to secure your spot.

The South Australian Museum will also open late for Music and Mead on Friday 6 June, Wine, Weaving and Leatherworking on Friday 13 June and Galloway Jewellery Jam on Friday 20 June as part of the Winter Festival season.

All VikingFest events are proudly supported by the Adelaide Economic Development Agency and are free to attend. With immersive experiences and unforgettable moments across the city this winter, this is no time to hibernate. Adelaide’s festival season is just warming up. Plan your season of winter adventures at ExperienceAdelaide.com.au/Winter

Read the full media release here with more event information below: Entertainment at VikingFest | Dressing Up for VikingFest | Getting to VikingFest

Please note there will be limited pram parking throughout VikingFest.

 

Mark Vawser, Castleforge Photography

Entertainment at VikingFest

Enjoy medieval combat exhibitions, re-enactments and axe throwing, all set to the sights and sounds of medieval music and entertainment.

Revel in the festivities with the Main Arena on the front lawns and the Tavern on the back lawns.

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Showtimes - Main Arena

10:00am   Welcome to country

10:15am   Eastway Vikings (immersive living history displays)

11:00am   Lucille Murray (Nordic music, songs and stories)

12:00pm   Costume contest (Saturday) or Beard competition (Sunday)

01:00pm   One-on-one combat: New Varangian Guard – Magnaura (immersive living history displays)

02:00pm   Fire display: Inferno (fun and fiery performance)

03:00pm   Lyrebird Consort (five-piece ensemble featuring Medieval music)

04:00pm   One-on-one combat: New Varangian Guard – Magnaura (immersive living history displays)

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Showtimes - Tavern

10:15am    Siobhan Owen (harpist and vocalist)

12:00pm   Lyrebird Consort (five-piece ensemble featuring Medieval music)

01:00pm   Lucille Murray (Nordic music, songs and stories)

03:00pm   Siobhan Owen (harpist and vocalist)

04:00pm   Lyrebird Consort (five-piece ensemble featuring Medieval music)

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Other entertainment - Back lawns

Lumberjacks Mobile Axe Throwing (safe axe throwing for all levels)

Kendall Forge (traditional blacksmithing)

 

Science Talks at VikingFest

Join us in the Pacific Cultures Gallery on the Mezzanine level of the South Australian Museum to hear from South Australian archaeologists and historians on topics like historical conservation and stories about the Viking Age.

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Saturday 28 June

11:00am   Conserving past objects for future generations with Sophie Parker

01:30pm   Viking Ship Burials in Scotland and the Isle of Man during the Middle Ages with Daniel Claggett

 

Sunday 29 June

11:00am   Storing stories: The management of historical collections for museums with Alice Beale

01:30pm   High crosses as a response to Viking invasion in Ireland with Kate Lawrence

 

Mark Vawser, Castleforge Photography

Dressing Up for VikingFest

Polish your chainmail, fluff your furs and string your beard beads, dress up is highly encouraged for VikingFest - just leave your plate armour and weapons at home!

We will be running competitions during the festival with prizes awarded for the best medieval costume on Saturday and best Viking beard on Sunday, 12pm both days. Competitions will be held in the Main Arena on the front lawns of the Museum. Listen out for PA announcements about the competitions during the day to enter.

If you don't have medieval items in your wardrobe but would like to get into the spirit of the festival, stalls in the marketplace will be selling clothing items and accessories so you can add a Viking touch to your outfit.

 

Mark Vawser, Castleforge Photography

Getting to VikingFest

Medieval exhibitions and market stalls will be held on the lawn in front of the South Australian Museum on North Terrace, with more entertainment and the tavern, along with a delicious spit roast, open to the public in the square behind the Museum.

 

Free City Connector Bus

Take advantage of free City Connector bus, offering a hop-on and hop-off bus service in the city and North Adelaide linking popular city attractions, shopping, dining and key destinations.

Bus routes 98A and 98C loop around the CBD and North Adelaide every day. Each service runs every 30 minutes on Saturdays and Sundays.

For timetables, route details and real-time information, visit Adelaide Metro.

 

UPark

Don't waste time searching for a car park – park at UPark. With multiple locations across the city, enjoy a hassle-free experience no matter which direction you're coming from. UPark is proudly owned and operated by the City of Adelaide, so each time you park your car at UPark, you help local events to thrive.

Book your parking

When you book your parking online with UPark, you guarantee yourself a car park close to your destination. That means no driving around the city, wasting time trying to find somewhere to park. Pre-book and secure your spot at upark.com.au

 

Tile image credit: Mark Vawser, Castleforge Photography