Since 1987, Calum Grains from Whiteness in the west of Shetland has been involved in Up Helly Aa.
This year will be his most special, however, as he has been chosen to become the huge fire festival’s latest Guizer Jarl.
It is a monumental moment for Calum, who was first a part of his school’s squad almost four decades ago.
And he takes on the role three years after he was originally meant to do so – only to have the honour pushed back due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Joining Calum, who is the chief executive of Lerwick Port Authority, will be his 19-year-old daughter Colleen, son Ian, 16, his two brothers, four nieces and three nephews.
Calum’s squad, known as the “Whiteness and Weisdale Squad” – comprising many locals from the surrounding areas and family members – will lead the festival as the Jarl Squad for the first time this year.
“The gang are fairly excited about it,” he said.
“It is a real one-off for them.
The squad’s guizers have decades of shared history, with this year’s Jarl and his brothers participating in the 2011 squad led by their cousin Guizer Jarl John Hunter, who portrayed Johan Sanderrevet of Valsgarde.
Calum was a member of senior Jarl squads in 2009 – led by Stephen Mouat – and in 2016 when Mark Evans was Jarl.
He has actively participated in every festival he could attend, missing only “a few” while serving in the merchant navy after leaving school.
Up Helly Aa enthusiasm since childhood
His enthusiasm for Up Helly Aa began when he was a child – perhaps unsurprising given his family’s long involvement in the festival, which is the biggest of its kind in Europe.
He was elected to the Up Helly Aa committee in October 2008 – along with last year’s Jarl Richard Moar and his successor for 2026 Lyndon Nicolson – and was the event’s treasurer.
Although his tenure as Jarl will soon be over, he will still be involved in a role known as a “marshall” for the next 18 months.
His memories, meanwhile, will last a lifetime.
Calum said: “Since I’ve been part of this committee, I’ve really enjoyed myself and made some lifelong friends.
“I hope that even after I’m finished here, we will continue being friends.
“It is part of what makes Up Helly Aa special.”
Were combining his Jarl duties with his role at Lerwick Port Authority not enough, Calum is also involved in his family’s businesses, which include crofting.
An avid enthusiast of travelling, boats, music, football and cars, he also enjoys exploring closer to home by hiking Shetland’s hills and coastline.
After his stint as Guizer Jarl, Calum looks forward to dedicating more time to these hobbies.
His daughter Colleen, who will be standing alongside her father during the festival, said she is “so excited” about it.
Last year was the first in the event’s more than 150-year history that women were allowed to take part in the Jarl squad.
Daughter’s Jarl to support him ‘through the whole day’
“I’m so excited that I’m allowed to stand with him and support him through the whole day, instead of watching from the sidelines,” Colleen said.
Along with other family members, she has been involved in making the suits for the participants.
Her dad Calum promises they will be “quite unique”.
Conversation