Nearly 30 girls to take part in Junior Up Helly Aa procession
NEARLY 30 girls will be taking part in this year’s Junior Up Helly Aa in what will be a historic moment for the Lerwick festival.
An update provided by the committee on Monday confirmed there will be 108 participants in the 2023 junior procession – 81 boys and 27 girls.
Reflecting changes for the 2023 senior Up Helly Aa, this year the junior squads are open to all – not just males.
The junior procession takes place on the same day as the main senior event – Tuesday 31 January. Lighting up for the junior event is due to start at 5.30pm that day.
Registration for this year’s junior event – which has been held since the 1950s – was open to young people across Shetland in P7, S1 and S2.
Anecdotally there are also reports of some women taking part in squads for the main Up Helly Aa next week.
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