THE full programme for the 33rd Jorvik Viking Festival has been revealed, with the return of much-loved favourites and new events for this year.

The festival takes place from February 20 to 26, and coming just over a month before the long-awaited reopening of the Jorvik Viking Centre, it will act as a preview for the refurbished museum.

Marketing manager Phil Whiting said: “For the last three years, the Jorvik Viking Festival has grown and now draws even larger audiences from across the world, so with Jorvik Viking Centre’s re-opening set for April, we want to make sure that this year’s event is an epic prequel to the story we will tell in the re-imagined Jorvik.”

He added: “Eric Bloodaxe’s face has featured in the Festival logo for over 30 years, and as his time in York was just before the new timeline for the Viking city recreation we’ll be revealing in April, this seems the perfect time for a new generation to learn about the famous King.”

For the first time this year the popular finale will move from the city centre to Rawcliffe Country Park, where organisers say there is more room for the spectacular recreation of the Battle of Stainmore – where Eric Bloodaxe made his unsuccessful last stand.

It takes place on Saturday, February 25, and will see hundreds of warriors taking to the field of combat to determine the fate of the Kingdom of Jorvik.

The night before, a celebratory dinner will be hosted at the Merchant Adventurer’s Hall, where Bloodaxe will try to win over the local Viking chieftains before he faces his enemy on the battlefield.

Mr Whiting added: “The Viking feast is always a sell-out event, but we needed to ensure that any venue capable of holding a larger number of diners and Vikings was sufficiently impressive to reflect the event – and the Merchant Adventurer’s Hall ticks all the boxes.

“Diners this year will enjoy the usual table-slamming dramatics along with Norse-inspired live music from Einar Selvik as they tuck into a Viking-inspired menu.”

Alongside the paid-for events, there will be a host of free activities including the annual Strongest Viking Competition in the Coppergate Centre, the March to Coppergate from Dean’s Park, and the Best Beard Competition. A free encampment will be set up all week in Coppergate and the Festival Hub will be located in Parliament Street, with a teaser exhibition about the new JORVIK Viking Centre, plus hands-on craft activities. The garden of DIG in St Saviourgate will play host to this year’s Viking Steading, with a wide range of animals to see. The full programme is available at www.jorvikvikingfestival.co.uk