Main Events and Holidays in Reykjavík and Iceland

Main Events and Holidays in Reykjavík and Iceland

JANUARY

January 1, New Year’s Day – A day to relax after the festivities of New Year’s Eve. Almost everything is closed.

Dark Music Days Hosted by the Society of Icelandic Composers in collaboration with Iceland’s finest performers.

FEBRUARY

Þorrablót – Food & drink festivities held in the old winter month of “Þorri”. People gather to sing songs, drink and eat traditional Icelandic food.

Winter Lights Festival – An annual 3-day event that brightens up the dark hours.

MARCH

Food & Fun Festival – Annual week-long festival featuring well-known foreign chefs visiting Iceland to compete with their counterparts.

Reykjavík Fashion Festival – The newest from Icelandic designers, introducing developments and opportunities in the Icelandic fashion industry. RFF collaborates with DesignMarch, where the best of the local creative scene is introduced, ranging from fashion to architecture to graphic design.

Reykjavík Blues Festival – A unique jam session with blues artists from Iceland and North America.

APRIL

Easter – Holy Thursday marks the start of the Easter holidays for Icelanders, who enjoy a 5-day weekend where businesses, banks, government institutions and most shops are closed.

Port Area. Photo by Elena

First Day of Summer – The first Thursday after April 18, a public holiday. Celebrated with parades all around the country.

Children’s Cultural Festival – One of the largest festivals held by the City of Reykjavík. The festival places emphasis on participation, focusing particularly on the child as an artist.

Icelandic Music Experiments – This festival has been the main musical outlet for new bands in Iceland since 1982 and a milestone event for many promising new bands in Iceland.

At Home Music Festival – A music festival held in private homes centrally located in Hafnarfjörður. Guests stroll from house to house to enjoy live music and meet up with locals at their own homes.

MAY

May 1, Labour Day – A public holiday in Iceland that is celebrated by an annual parade in the city centre.

Reykjavík Art Festival – An annual 3-week festival promoting Icelandic, Scandinavian and international culture. A variety of exhibitions, concerts, theatre, dance and opera performances.

Art without Borders – The aim of the festival is to celebrate diversity and participation of people with disabilities. The festival crosses over mixed media of art, music and theatre.

JUNE

1st weekend, Seamen´s Day – Annual event based on an old Icelandic tradition to honour those who make their living from the sea.

The International Organ Summer – June – August. Lunchtime organ concerts on Thursdays at noon at Hallgrímskirkja Church. Various musicians perform various pieces of organ music.

Viking Festival – A week long festival, held in and around the Viking Village in Hafnarfjörður. Swordfighting, craftsmen at work, magic, music and real Vikings.

June 17, National Day – This is the day Icelanders celebrate independence. Parades and festivities for people of all ages all around the country.

The Color Run – Come and run with us through five kilometers of exploding coloured powder. The aim of this event is to bring Color Running mania to the world! Secret Solstice – An Icelandic music festival showcasing both established artists and exciting up-and- coming talent.

JULY

1st weekend – Second largest travel weekend in the country. Travelers enjoy camping in the Icelandic countryside or visiting summer houses.

AUGUST

1st weekend, Bank Holiday – A holiday commemorating the traditional shopkeeper’s summer break. Celebrated wildly by those young at heart with music and camping festivals all around the country.

2nd weekend, Reykjavík Pride – Thousands of people gather in a large, international parade to march through the streets of the city. Includes an outdoor concert with Icelandic and international artists, along with dances and other activities. The parade was originally invented to fight for gay people’s rights.

3rd weekend, Reykjavík Marathon – Thousands of people of all ages from all over the world take part and run through the streets of the city.

3rd weekend, Reykjavík Cultural Night The celebration takes place in the city centre with the participation of many artists, cultural institutions, shops and cafés. The evening ends with a big firework display down by the harbour.

Í TÚNINU HEIMA Festival – A family festival close to Reykjavik, in the beautiful town of Mosfellsbær. Offering great handcraft in the famous Álafoss Factory. At night, famous Icelandic musicians will perform.

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER

Reykjavík Film Festival – Icelandic and international films are screened with emphasis on artistic films.

Reykjavík Jazz Festival – Nationally and internationally recognised artists play in different venues across the city.

NOVEMBER

Iceland Airwaves – A five day music festival bringing bands from all over the world to Reykjavík to play in small venues all around the capital.

DECEMBER

December 1, Independence Day – On this day in 1918, Iceland was officially declared an independent nation.

December 21, Winter Solstice – The shortest day of the year. The sun rises at 11:22, grazes the horizon and sets at 15:30.

December 23, Þorláksmessa – This day pays tribute to one of the few indigenous saints of Iceland, St. Þorlákur. Christmas preparations reach high point and shops are open until 11 PM.

December 24, Christmas Eve – At 6 PM the church bells toll to mark the beginning of Christmas. Many people go to church and a Christmas mass is broadcast live on radio. After having Christmas dinner, Icelanders sit down to open their presents. December 25, Christmas Day – A public holiday reserved by many Icelanders for the purpose of visiting family and friends and sitting down to meals of festive fare.

December 31, New Year’s Eve – Icelanders say goodbye to the old year with an enormous fireworks display which illuminates the sky around midnight.