Viking Day in Formby

Saturday, 21st September 2013

In a couple of weeks, the historic town of Formby will be holding a Viking Day, a celebration of its Viking Age history. Hnefatafl will be making an appearance, in the form of a Tafl Tourney. The event will feature sixty stalls with various Viking-related wares and activities.

The Viking Day takes place on Saturday 5th October, between 10am and 4pm, at Our Lady's Gild Hall and Activity Centre on Church Road in Formby. Formerly known as Fornebei, the area has been inhabited for 4,000 years, and its name means "Forni's village". It's just up the road from Liverpool and has a good rail link.

Formby has a hnefatafl club, who have formulated their own rules which are broadly similar to The Viking Game from History Craft. The club, organised by Tony Higginson of Formby Books, meets at the Café D'Art every Wednesday at 7pm, so hnefatafl is already well known in the area. So visitors from out of town beware: the locals have had some practice!

Other interesting activities will include a live band in the afternoon, combat re-enactment, archery, hands-on birds of prey, runes and tarot, longships, an authentic cookery display, talks on Viking history and historical novels by authors, and a range of mediaeval market stalls.

For more information, and to acquaint yourself with the rules of hnefatafl as played at Formby, see the Viking Day's web page: http://formbybooks.com/?page_id=815