The Galloway Hoard is the richest find of rare and unique Viking-age objects ever made in Britain or Ireland.
The hoard, which will be open to the public at each event, contains a stunning variety of jewellery and other objects buried around AD 900.
It was only discovered in Scotland in 2014.
During the festival, which is part of Adelaide CBD's rich Winter Festival season, the South Australian Museum will host a series of free late-night events through June culminating in the VikingFest at the Museum over the weekend of June 28-29.
Members of the public are invited to attend these special events and added exhibition sessions, starting 5pm on Friday June 6.
That first Friday night event has been appropriately themed Music and Mead, featuring local musicians and a genuine South Australian meadery.
Events will host arts and crafts stalls, artisan workshops, Norse storytelling, rune reading, medieval music and medieval combat demonstrations from the South Australian Museum’s own Viking horde.
For those wanting to know more about life in medieval times, there will be a range of researchers and experts in medieval history, archaeology and artifact conservation.
The Viking Festival itinerary:
Information and tickets for the Treasures of the Viking Age: The Galloway Hoard exhibition, which will be open during all Viking Festival events, are available on the South Australian Museum website.
Quotes attributable to South Australian Museum Acting Director Clare Mockler
There’s an old Viking line from the Saga of the People of Laxardal which says ‘festivals are a time of fortune’, and we at the South Australian Museum do intend to make this festival a time of great fortune.
There will be something for both young and old.
The Vikings certainly have a reputation as great explorers and warriors, but they were also a people of great cultural richness.
You only have to see the Treasures of the Viking Age: The Galloway Hoard exhibition to realise that.
So, don your chainmail, brush your beard or polish your armbands and drop by for a tankard of mead.
You won’t be disappointed.
Quotes attributable to Greg Ratsch, General Manager, Adelaide Economic Development Agency
Winter is a season of opportunity in Adelaide, and the Viking Festival adds a bold, cultural spark to our city’s winter calendar.
The Adelaide Economic Development Agency is proud to support events that bring people into the CBD and North Adelaide, boost local business, and offer experiences you simply can’t get anywhere else.
The Viking Festival is a fantastic example of how cultural institutions and city events can come together to transform cold nights into unforgettable experiences.
It's exactly the kind of activation that helps Adelaide thrive year-round.
