VIKINGS VALHALLA THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON

Thanks to Warner Bros Discovery Home Entertainment for providing ageekdaddy.com with the featured product for promotional consideration 

Have you seen the historical action series VIKINGS VALHALLA on Netflix? If not, you can add the complete first season of this hit show to your home entertainment video library to binge as it is now available on Blu-ray and DVD. Get all 8 episodes from the first season of VIKINGS VALHALLA at Amazon.com on your choice of Blu-ray or DVD. The tv series originally debuted on February 25, 2022 and its third and final season began streaming this summer.

VIKINGS VALHALLA chronicles the heroic adventures of some of the most famous Vikings who ever lived -- the legendary explorer Leif Eriksson, his fiery and headstrong sister Freydis Eriksdotter, and the ambitious Nordic prince Harald Sigurdsson. As tensions between the Vikings and English royals reach a bloody breaking point and as the Vikings themselves clash over their conflicting Christian and pagan beliefs, these three Vikings begin an epic journey that will take them across oceans and through battlefields, from Kattegat to England and beyond, as they fight for survival and glory.

VIKINGS VALHALLA stars Sam Corlett as Leif Eriksson, Frida Gustavsson as Freydis Eriksdotter, Leo Suter as Harald Sigurdsson, and Bradley Freegard as King Canute. The show is rated TV-Mature by Netflix. Catch the adventure from the beginning with all 8 gripping episodes of the first season of VIKINGS VALHALLA on Blu-ray or DVD. 

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2024 MICHIGAN RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL

Vikings invade Detroit as these Nordic warriors converge on the medieval Village of Hollygrove in suburban Oakland County for this year's Michigan Renaissance Festival over the Labor Day weekend. On Saturday August 31, Sunday September 1 and Monday September 2. Watch brave warriors clash in wild Whisker Wars, be dazzled by the Tattoo Competition, check out a Viking encampment and of course you won't want to miss out on my favorite part of this annual event, the day's jousts. It’s a weekend where history meets heart-pounding fun!

Can't make it to the Renaissance Festival this weekend for the Viking Invasion? There is still time to engage in the merriment with four more themed weekends of fun:  Wonders of the World (Sept 7 - 8), Shamrocks and Shenanigans (Sept 14 - 15), Harvest Huzzah (Sept 21 - 22) and Sweet Endings (Sept 28 - 29). Click here to check out the entertainment options scheduled for each weekend's festivities. 

Tickets

Tickets per day, per person are $23.95 for adults (13+) and $13.95 for children when purchased online or $26.95 / $16.95 when purchased onsite. There is also a Senior Discount for onsite ticket purchases (65+) of $24.95. You can also purchase tickets in advance of attending the show at Kroger, Mendards and Walgreens for the adult/children online price ($3 off the gate price).

Parking

Please note there is a $15 per day / per vehicle parking pass required to park at the Michigan Renaissance Festival. Payment can be made in advance online or via QR code that is present upon arrival. With the event's parking system, you'll need to enter your license plate number to obtain a parking voucher. Online parking vouchers are available for purchase until Friday night at 11 PM each week. After that, online sales close. If you don’t purchase a voucher online in time, you can buy one on-site on the day of your visit by scanning a QR code upon arrival.

How to Get to The Festival 

Northbound: Follow I-75 S to Holly Rd in Grand Blanc Township. Take exit 108 from I-75 S, Take E Baldwin Rd and Dixie Hwy to the grounds. 

Southbound: Follow I-75 N to Dixie Hwy in Springfield Township. Take exit 93 from I-75 N, Follow Dixie Hwy to the grounds.

Hours for the event are 9am - 7pm / Rain or Shine. Treat your group to an unparalleled outing filled with adventure and excitement. Traverse the winding paths of a meticulously reconstructed 16th century village, explore over 80 artisanal shoppes showcasing one-of-a-kind crafts and delectable food options, partake in skillful games and take part in an assortment of human-powered rides. Be regaled by the countless costumed characters who entertain with daily performances. For more information, visit michrenfest.com

DVD GIVEAWAY: Dragons - Defenders of Berk Part 2

 UPDATE: Congratulations Pamela S. from Michigan won the DVD giveaway.

My kids are really excited to go see the upcoming feature film How To Train Your Dragon 2 at the movie theater this summer.  While waiting for the DreamWorks' movie to hit theaters on June 13th we've recently been watching the 2013 Annie Award winner for Best Animated Television Production for Children, DRAGONS: DEFENDERS OF BERK which features adventures of the films' primary characters, young Vikings and the trained dragons they ride, that take place in a time period set between the original movie and its upcoming sequel.  DreamWorks Animation and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment recently released on May 27th the second half of the episodes for its DRAGONS: DEFENDERS OF BERK television series season on DVD and has generously provided a copy for one of my blog readers to win.  Watching this animated series is a great way to build up family enthusiasm and familiarity with the characters before going to see the upcoming movie this summer.

For a chance to win a DVD of DRAGONS: DEFENDERS OF BERK PART 2 email an answer to the following question to TheGeekDaddy [at] yahoo [dot] com: What is an Annie Award?  Entries must be received by Friday, June 6, 2014 before 11:59pm EST.  One randomly selected email will win the DVD of Dreamworks Dragons: Defenders of Berk Part 2. Entrants must reside in United States or Canada and must be over 21 years old. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment shall provide fulfillment on delivery of the prize and you waive any liability towards this blog and its owner regarding such delivery or any other matter relating to this offer by your participation in this giveaway contest.

DRAGONS: DEFENDERS OF BERK PART 2 follows Hiccup and his fearless friends as they embark on new adventures and battle to protect their island home in 10 episodes of the televised animated series.  These young Vikings and the dragons they ride must put their skills to the test to defeat dangerous and surprising new enemies.  This animated television series features many of the original voice talent from the How To Train Your Dragon feature films including Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.

Bonus features on the DVD include the DRAGON TRACKER which features an in-depth look at dragons Skrill, Baby Thunderdrums and Speed Stinger, plus a special sneak peek at Snaptrapper who will be seen in the upcoming How To Train Your Dragon 2.  The DVD also has a featurette with visual effects supervisor David Jones who explains the history behind the new dragon Snaptrapper.  Plus there is a dragon mash-up music video called "Here Comes the Fire." For those fans who purchase the DVD another bonus is that it provides a code to get a digital download via UltraViolet and Movie Money ($7.50 value) to redeem for a ticket to How To Train Your Dragon 2 when the film opens in theaters in June.

Remember for a chance to win a free DRAGONS: DEFENDERS OF BERK PART 2 DVD email your entries before the end of the day Friday, June 6, 2014.

CONTEST RULES/DISCLAIMER:  By participating in this contest, entrants acknowledge the Giveaway Prize will be provided by Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and A GEEK DADDY BLOG is  not liable for the prize to the randomly selected winner.  By submitting an entry to win this prize, winner grants the right to have his or her name published to identify them as the winner of this contest.   I did not receive financial compensation for hosting this contest or writing about the movie, but as a member of the FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT INSIDERS bloggers team I do receive a complimentary DVD review copy of the movies that I post about and host contests for on this blog, including DRAGONS: DEFENDERS OF BERK PART 2.  The opinions expressed in FOX HOME INSIDERS blog reviews are my own and I am not obligated to write a positive review.

VIKINGS RAID CABLE TV HOPING FOR A SECOND SEASON OF HIGH RATINGS FOR THE HISTORY CHANNEL

The History Channel's VIKINGS are back for a second season of of brawling and pillaging.  Season 2 starts Thursday, February 27th and the show that raided other networks viewers during its first season by gaining an average viewership of 5 million U.S. households per episode is hoping to build on its popularity in 2014.  VIKINGS airs at 10pm EST.

I hadn't started watching the show when it first aired because I thought it was going to be a documentary on the Vikings, but caught an episode while flipping channels one night and became hooked on the show.  It is more drama than documentary with action scenes and plots that are reminiscent of Games of Thrones but without the fantasy elements of the HBO series.  

VIKINGS while not entirely historically accurate is inspired by true tales of the raiding, trading and exploring of medieval Scandinavian Norsemen.  The show is based on the exploits of a legendary Viking chieftain Ragnar Lothbrok and his family.  In Season 1, Ragnar builds a new longship that can travel further across the sea than any Viking ship beforehand.  He uses this ship to raid unexplored North East England returning to Scandinavia with enough loot and influence to overturn his local village ruler and take charge himself.  As the new village leader, Ragnar pledges his loyalty to the Norse King and is sent as an emissary negotiate a solution to a land dispute with a neighboring kingdom.

Season 2 begins with negotiations in the land dispute faltering leading to war, disease ravaging the village Ragnor left behind where his wife and children are residing, and a princess seducing the Viking chieftan becoming pregnant with his child. So what will befall Ragnar Lothbrok, his crew and his family?  I don't know, we'll all have to tune in this season on the History Channel to find out.

While you are waiting for Season 2 to begin, check out this FREE comic book by Zenescope on Comixology: www.comixology.com/Vikings . The saga of the History Channel's VIKINGS begins with this thrilling prequel to Season 1.  Join Ragnar and Rollo as they bravely fight for their father in his final battle.  This battle plants the seeds for the brothers' epic rivalry and introduces a fierce shieldmaiden destined to change their lives forever.  You can also currently watch all of Season 1's episode on the Vikings section of the History Channel website if you need to catch up with the show before watching the Season 2 premiere. I encourage you to check out Season 2 of the Vikings...that's what I'll be watching Thursday night after I've put the kids to bed for the night.