Vista Viking Festival 2024 in California

The Vista Viking Festival is a highly anticipated annual event held at the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum in Vista, California, each September. At the heart of the festival are live music performances and thrilling Viking combat demonstrations, bringing the spirit of the Norse warriors to life. Reenactors in Viking Villages provide a vivid historical experience, showcasing battles and daily life in early Viking encampments. Visitors can immerse themselves in the era's culture through activities like blacksmithing, bread baking, fiber arts, and fine metalworking demonstrations, offering a hands-on glimpse into Viking craftsmanship.

Events & Activities

One of the main attractions of the festival is the thrilling Viking combat demonstrations, showcasing axe and sword skills that transport attendees back in time. For those eager to test their own Viking prowess, expert instructors lead activities such as archery, axe, and spear throwing (every day at 5 pm), horn blowing, log tossing, and the unique Fish Fling challenge. Two stages feature live performances by both international and local bands, including Highland Way, Blindfolk Monks, and Silk Button Butchers, providing a soundtrack of traditional and contemporary music throughout the day.

Witness the fierce battles of DRAFN warriors on the Competition Field, where their fighting prowess is on full display. Adding to the excitement this year is the International Highland Games Federation Stone Lifting Competition, taking place Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 2 pm. This event promises to be a highlight, drawing competitors and spectators alike to celebrate strength and tradition at the Vista Viking Festival.

Cultural Attractions

Demonstrations will be ongoing in the Heritage Hall, featuring artisans showcasing Rosemaling art, fiber arts, genealogy, and insights into the WWII 99th Battalion and The House of Norway. One of the festival's highlights is the living Viking Encampments spread across the grounds. Guilds such as Celtic Norse, The Red Hand, Drafn, The Vesterfolk, The Wolves of Odin, House Vineland, and The Wolf & The Serpent bring Viking Village to life with authentic daily activities like blacksmithing, fabric arts, and fine metalworking.

Kids Village

For young visitors, there's a dedicated Kid Zone where little Vikings can unleash their creativity by painting their shields and swords. The Kid Zone also features crafts, music lessons, face painting, games, and the engaging Rune Quest Scavenger Hunt game, ensuring a day of fun and learning tailored for children.

Viking Marketplace

Vista Viking Festival boasts a vibrant Viking Marketplace with dozens of vendors offering unique goods like period clothing, drinking horns, authentic swords, knives, helms, shields, jewelry, and more. Food vendors have Swedish meatballs, Norwegian cookies, sausages, Fresh Lefsa, and Krumkake. In addition, local micro and craft brewers offer a range of beverages.

Tickets & Open Hours

The Vista Viking Festival offers a thrilling day-long experience with admission prices as follows: Adult tickets (ages 18 and over) are $27, Youth tickets (ages 13-17) are $10, Child tickets (ages 6-12) are $5, and children five and under enter for free. Parking is $5, with a shuttle available at Vista High School. The festival runs from 10 am to 8 pm on Saturday and from 10 am to 6 pm on Sunday, providing ample time to enjoy a variety of Viking-themed activities, entertainment, and cultural exhibits.