Bjornstad Logo The Vikings of Bjornstad

The Bjornstad Alþing (Althing)
The Vikings of Bjornstad have held our first Alþing.

We've held many kinds of events in the past and have been invited to many more. But we felt that we should hold a Viking era event known as an Alþing to enable us to do engage in some activities we hadn't been able to do before, especially when other event organizers had set the agenda.

Here are a few of the features of our event, held in Petaluma, California on 8 June 2025.
  • Full Viking kit, of course
  • Viking tents and other gear to improve the look of our Alþing for our photographs
  • Invitations to other Viking reenactor groups - to make it a real Alþing
  • Games, like Hunkerhauser, Kubb and Hnefatafl
  • Music and singing
  • Combat practice and training
  • Archery with blunt arrows
  • Arts and crafts sharing
  • Group and individual photos - and a little video - of the group in full Viking gear - in some nice scenery
  • Spelling it Alþing as much as possible and Althing when circumstances - and systems - made it necessary
  • And...some Shameless Bragging. We rarely get a chance to get to know much about each other during our events, since we're always talking about Viking culture, gear and history. We took a little time to pass along things we were each proud of in our past that we might have never felt comfortable bragging about. There's always something! :-) And it's a very Viking thing to do!
Some background:
  • The institution for justice in Scandinavia in the Viking Age (AD 800–1050) and Middle Ages (AD 1050–1600) was the thing, a ‘multi-functional venue for discussion and determination of any matter of communal concern’ (Vogt and Esmark 2013, 152).
  • The Althing was founded during the Viking era as a general assembly for the whole country…where laws were announced, disputes were settled, and political discussions took place. (Wikipedia)
  • Some have argued that there was once a close link between legal assemblies, the so-called things (Old Norse þing) … as well as different forms of games and markets … where games such as horse racing and fights took place (Skar 1909, 204).
  • The thing was important for claims to power by elite groups, and helped transmit ideas that power was legitimate and approved by the ancestors. At the same time, it created collective memories and strengthened social cohesion. (Sanmark 2017, 82–116).
  • This functioned at different hierarchical and geographical levels. The evidence for games/activities such as horse fights and horse races is particularly strong in Viking and medieval times in Norway, Sweden and Iceland and became widespread in northern England through Norse expansion in the Viking Age (Loftsgarden, Ramstad, and Stylegar 2017).


Photos by Ed Berland, Jack Garrett, and Will Lopez

Derek and Jack set up gear for the day.
Will has his gear organized.

Our encampment just needs Vikings.
The Alþing includes lots of different activities.

Will warms up his 25 pound hammer.
It's harder to throw than it looks...

And it's on its way.
Another hammer gets launched...

Bob tries a higher arc.
But it's still just as heavy...

Cian demonstrates spear throwing.
Sarah, Yoko and Sandra prefer some Viking music.

Sandra and Yoko take a break from lunch.
James and family try out the Viking tug of war game called Hunkerhauser...

Will as Ulfr Sigvorson, a farmer and trapper.
Cian as Ivar Trételgja, a woodworker

Ed takes several photos per person.
PJ is enjoying the photography w-a-a-a-y too much.

Bob is pretty relaxed.
Jack as the Jarl and navigator, Ottar Leiðarstjarna.

Derek is enjoying this, too.
But all it takes is a helmet to get serious.

Nothing like a food break.
We take family photos, too

Yoko as Anjij, the Inuit harpooner.
Let's not take this too seriously.

Sandra as the musician Alfrúndís.
Henrik as the Warchief, coincidentally named Henrik. Hmmmmm.

Sarah as the sailmaker and Völva, Kristin Thuridsdóttir
Bob and Sarah. Vikings aren't always making war.
   

  © For information contact Jack Garrett at info@vikingsofbjornstad.com