Festivals in April
Festivals in January
Icelandic Photography Festival
The Icelandic Photography Festival is an exciting
festival with numerous photography exhibitions, artist
talks and lectures, portfolio reviews and a photo-book
evening.
The Reykjavík International Games invites athletes from
all over the world to participate in a variety of different
sporting events and competitions.
rig.is
Assitej Iceland Festival
musiktilraunir.is
assitej.is
Iceland Writers Retreat
Garðabær Jazz Festival
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.
fisl.is/ljosmyndadagar
Reykjavík International Games
Icelandic Music Experiments
Dark Music Days
Hosted by the Society of Icelandic Composers in collaboration with Iceland’s finest performers, the festival
showcases the best contemporary music Iceland has
to offer.
This retreat features small workshops and panels by
renowned authors, focusing on the art and craft of
writing.
icelandwritersretreat.com
darkmusicdays.is
The Reykjavík Cocktail Weekend is held by the Icelandic Bartender Association in cooperation with many
bars and restaurants in Reykjavík. There are several
events such as concerts, live music and offers on
drinks.
bar.is
Winter Lights Festival
The festival celebrates both the winter world and the
growing light after a long period of darkness. The programme is a mixture of art and industry, environment
and history, and sports and culture.
Reykjavík Bar Summit
An annual event where bars and bartenders from
around the world gather to compete in preparing
drinks, service, bar set-up, creativity, atmosphere and
more.
winterlightsfestival.is
reykjavikbarsummit.com
Rainbow Reykjavík
Reykjavík Peace Festival
Rainbow Reykjavík is a small and friendly winter pride
festival offering a mixture of nature, activities, culture,
cuisine, music and nightlife.
rainbowreykjavik.com
Stockfish Film Festival
The festival screens some of the most up-and-coming
art-house films in the world and invites international
filmmakers to discuss the state of filmmaking, the
industry and community.
stockfishfestival.is
Festivals in March
The goal of the festival is to bring choirs from around
the world to sing together in union for peace on earth.
Every voice in the world is asked to join and sing John
Lennon’s song “Love”.
reykjavikpeacefestival.com
Reykjavík Coffee Festival
The Reykjavík Coffee Festival is where baristas
compete in brewing espressos and making traditional
coffee. Visitors enjoy endless free coffee tastings,
interactive workshops and demonstrations from worldclass baristas.
Design March
Design March is Iceland’s most important annual
design festival, covering all fields of design, including
architecture, graphic design, fashion, furniture and
product design.
designmarch.is
Food and Fun
World-renowned chefs collaborate with Reykjavík’s
finest restaurants, competing to create a three-course
meal using exclusively Icelandic ingredients.
German Film Days at Art House Cinema
Reykjavík Folk Festival
The German Film Days are organised by Bíó Paradís in
cooperation with the Goethe-Institut Denmark and the
German Embassy in Iceland.
bioparadis.is
The Reykjavík Folk Festival is a three-day musical feast
celebrating the diversity and breadth of the Icelandic
folk-music scene.
folkfestival.is
Festival of the Sea
This is an event honouring the sea and fisheries in
Iceland, with a diverse programme of events from
Saturday morning until Sunday afternoon.
Secret Solstice
* This festival is celebrated all over Iceland.
An Icelandic music festival showcasing both established artists and exciting up-and-coming talent over
three days in the 24-hour midnight sun of the summer
solstice.
hatidhafsins.is/english
secretsolstice.is
Seaman’s Day in Hafnarfjörður
The International Organ Summer
On this day, life at Hafnarfjörður harbour becomes
more visible for the general public. You will be surrounded by music and fun in a two-day festival honouring the Icelandic seaman.
June-August
Lunchtime organ concerts on Thursdays at noon at
Hallgrímskirkja Church. Various musicians perform
various pieces of organ music.
listvinafelag.is
June-August
The concert is specifically designed to meet the demands of those who wish to listen to live performances
of classical music, performed by artists of the highest
calibre.
Ingólfshátíð – Viking Festival of Reykjavík
harpa.is
facebook.com/552571934771420
Festivals in August
Innipúkinn – Reykjavík Indoor Festival
While many people choose this weekend to leave the
city for out-of-town festivals, Innipúkinn offers music
events for those who choose to stay in the city.
innipukinn.is
The equivalent of a Labour Day weekend dedicated to
Icelandic merchants. Thousands of people leave the
city and attend large outdoor festivals and camp.
verslunarmannahelgin.is
Reykjavík Midsummer Music
Outdoor fun at Grótta Peninsula – Seltjarnarnes
culturenight.is
reykjavikmidsummermusic.com
At the end of April, the inhabitants of Seltjarnarnes celebrate the beginning of summer with a festival for the
whole family on Grótta penisula. This is the only day
of the year where the light-house is open to the public
and you can enjoy the exceptional view from the top.
Reykjavík Culture Night
Each year thousands of residents and visitors share in
a delightful day of fun, food and festivities, all topped
off with a sensational evening of music and fireworks.
The festival’s goal has been to bring some of the best
musicians of the world together in Reykjavík to play
great music from past and present under the Arctic
midnight sun.
mlh.is
The festival invites fellow Vikings, in full costume and
character, from all over the world to enjoy a weekend
of wonderful festivities and to celebrate the fascinating
cultural heritage of the Vikings.
National Festival Weekend
thecolorrun.is
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 in their own
homes.
facebook.com/bjartirdagar
Reykjavík Classic Concerts
Come and run with us through five kilometres of
exploding coloured powder. The aim of this event is to
bring Color Running mania to the world!
At Home Music Festival – Hafnarfjörður
A cultural festival based on the active participation of
the whole society in Hafnarfjörður. Music, art, design,
crafts, games, nature, culture and relics all play a vital
role.
listvinafelag.is
Color Run
barnamenningarhatid.is
Reykjavík Dance Festival
Midsummer Night Walk – Seltjarnarnes
Reykjavík Dance Festival is a staging of new approaches to dance and choreography, created with choreographers from Iceland and abroad.
A midsummer night walk, featuring campfire, songs
and refreshments. The walk takes place on the peninsula of the municipality of Seltjarnarnes.
reykjavikdancefestival.com
Reykjavík Pride
Festivals in May
Reykjavík Horse Festival
The Reykjavík Horse Festival is held in various places in
Greater Reykjavík and focuses chiefly on the Icelandic
horse and its unique features.
lhhestar.is
This colourful event brings tens of thousands of people
into the city centre to show solidarity and have fun with
the LGBT community in Reykjavík.
Art without Borders
The aim of this festival is to celebrate diversity and
participation of people with disabilities. The festival
crosses over mixed media of art, music and theatre.
Celebrations take place all over Iceland. The programme includes family-oriented entertainment,
concerts, outdoor play sets, variety shows and street
happenings.
Gróska, Midsummer Day Festival – Garðabær
listin.is
This festival is a local association of visual arts,
exhibiting visual art outdoors, along with musical performances and all sorts of happenings take place on
the beautiful footpath along the seaside in Garðabær
municipality.
artgalleryiceland.com/pages/about-us
raflost.is
Reykjavík Classic Concerts
Multicultural Day
Reykjavík Art Festival is an annual multidisciplinary
festival with a special focus on new commissions and
the creative intersection of the arts.
en.listahatid.is
A celebration and sharing of culturally diverse traditions, parade, dance, food, performances, exhibitions,
concerts and information. The idea is to bring together
participants from various groups. Representatives
from the city’s different cultural communities unite in a
parade flying the flags from their respective countries.
reykjavik.is/fjolmenningardagur-multicultural-day
Reykjavík Jazz Festival
visitreykjavik.is
RAFLOST is a festival of electronic arts and media
in Reykjavík. It brings together artists from various
art forms to explore art technology in today’s maker
culture.
Reykjavík Art Festival
hinsegindagar.is
Icelandic National Day
RAFLOST – Festival of Electronic Arts
The festival gives young and promising blues artists the
chance to perform with legends from both sides of the
Atlantic in some of the most unique jam sessions in the
northern hemisphere.
blues.is
fanfest.eveonline.com
This festival is one of the largest festivals held by the
City of Reykjavík, with around 150 free events for
children. The festival places emphasis on participation,
focusing particularly on the child as an artist.
Reykjavík Blues Festival
foodandfun.is
First Day of Summer
This Fanfest brings together players in a massive celebration of the online game EVE Online for three days
in Reykjavík.
Bright Days – Hafnarfjörður
June-August
Lunchtime organ concerts on Thursdays at noon at
Hallgrímskirkja Church. Various musicians perform
various pieces of organ music.
gardabaer.is
Eve Online Fanfest
Children’s Cultural Festival
The International Organ Summer – Hallgrímskirkja Church
A small annual jazz festival with some of Iceland’s leading jazz musicians together with young local musicians.
* This festival is celebrated all over Iceland.
Reykjavík Cocktail Weekend
Festivals in July
Assitej Iceland Festival is a four-day programme which
includes a mix of theatre and dance performances,
workshops and smaller events for children of all ages.
The First Day of Summer is a national day which celebrates the beginning of summer, with local celebrations
all over the capital area.
Festivals in February
Festivals in June
Viking Festival – Hafnarfjörður
The Viking Festival in Hafnarfjörður is the oldest and
largest event of its kind in Iceland. Hafnarfjörður has
been a playground for Vikings demonstrating through
the years most aspects of the Viking culture.
fjorukrain.is
June-August
The concert is specifically designed to meet the demands of those who wish to listen to live performances
of classical music, performed by artists of the highest
calibre.
harpa.is
This festival presents the full spectrum of styles that
jazz has to offer, featuring Icelandic jazz artists as well
as international groups and cross-border collaborations.
reykjavikjazz.is
Reykjavík Bacon Festival
On this tasty day, fans of bacon are invited to follow
their noses to the Bacon Festival and sample a wide
variety of bacon and bacon-inspired treats.
Í túninu heima – Town Festival in Mosfellsbær
The town festival in Mosfellsbær municipality offers
outdoor markets, sports events, music performances
and food.
reykjavikbeikonfestival.is
Nature Run in Mosfellsbær
The nature in the surroundings of Mosfellsbær is wide
and untouched and runners can choose from four distances: 12km with one mountain involved, 19km with
three mountains, 34km with five mountains, and finally
37km with seven mountains.
Reykjavík Marathon
The race consists of six different distances, enabling
people of all age groups and fitness levels to find a
suitable run for them. Register early, the entry fee will
increase as it comes closer to the race.
marathon.is
Festivals in September
It’s all happening in Reykjavík City the world’s most northerly capital!
Bears on Ice
The Reykjavík City region is a hotbed of
activity all year round with a remarkable number of annual festivals and seasonal events
attracting countless festivalgoers and media
attention from around the world.
For more information on festivals or venues
in Reykjavík check visitreykjavik.is
Design: Jósep Gíslason
Be it art, music, theatre or sport, there’s
always a hip or wholesome event happening
in town!
bearsonice.org
© 2016 visitreykjavik.is
Apart from the city’s superb official events,
such as the Winter Lights Festival and Culture Night, there’s also a diversity of critically
acclaimed art festivals, film festivals, design
events, fabulous fan-fests and music festivals, celebrating everything from the arrival
of summer, to the city’s wealth of fascinating
culture.
Organised by volunteers to spice up the local gay
scene and introduce gay-friendly Iceland to our guests.
It is one of Iceland’s three biggest gay events and in
recent years Iceland’s only men-only event.
Choose a
card that suits
your stay:
24, 48 or
72 hours
reykjavikdancefestival.com
icelandictattooexpo.com
tango.is
People’s Meeting
People’s Meeting is a forum where politicians, organizations and the public meet to discuss and debate current
political and democratic issues.
fundurfolksins.is
Nordic Music Days
The festival showcases excellent contemporary music
performances by Nordic composers, performed by
leading ensembles and soloists from the Nordic region.
nordicmusicdays.org
riff.is
Illumination of the Imagine Peace Tower
on Viðey Island
Every year Yoko Ono invites guests on a complimentary
ferry trip to the island to take part in a beautiful illumination ceremony on John Lennon’s Birthday.
visitreykjavik.is
Reykjavík
city
museum
Reykjavík
art
museum
WE’LL TAKE
YOU THERE!
The festival offers a great selection of anime films for
children of all ages, as well as Japanese games and
cards. Entry is free and films are screened in Japanese
with English subtitles.
bioparadis.is
AND IN OUR BROCHURES!
Free WiFi
Reykjavík Comedy Festival
Reykjavík Comedy Festival is an international stand-up
comedy festival hosted in Harpa Music Hall and Conference Centre.
FREE RIDE
TO REYKJAVÍK'S LARGEST
SHOPPING CENTRE
The Christmas Village in Hafnarfjörður
The whole downtown area of Hafnarfjörður becomes a
big Christmas Village during Advent.
e
Onlin
10%ooking &
B ount
Discee Pick
Fr Up
visithafnarfjordur.is
Cycle Music and Art Festival – Kópavogur
The festival is a new platform for exploring and exhibiting the meeting point of creative worlds, and producing
and presenting works that reach outside the traditional
boundaries of discipline, craft and process.
cycle.is
The Ghost Town – Hafnarfjörður
The municipality of Hafnarfjörður turns into an eerie
‘ghost town’ in celebration of Halloween.
mlh.is
Riding the Icelandic horse is the
most authentic travel experience
you can get. Day tours for beginners
– experienced riders.
s:
u
n
i
o
J
Advent Festival
Our Christmas season with displays of enchanting
Northern Lights, thirteen Santa Clauses (Yule Lads),
Christmas markets, and culture-inspired events and
activities.
visitreykjavik.is
ishestarriding
harpa.is
CERTIFIED
TRAVEL SERVICE
R
O
BSÍ Bus Terminal • 101 Reykjavík •
visitreykjavik.is
For decades the lighting of the Oslo Christmas Tree has
marked the beginning of our Christmas preparations
and has become an important tradition for Icelanders.
myrin.is
More tours available on
our website www.re.is
visitreykjavik.is
icelandairwaves.is
The festival includes readings, workshops, seminars
and art exhibitions for both adults and children. All
events are free of charge.
Japanese Film Days – Art House Cinema
VIÐURKENND
FERÐAÞJÓNUSTA
Lighting of the Oslo Christmas Tree
The festival is regarded as the biggest celebration of
music in Iceland and boasts an unrivalled line-up of
established and up-and-coming artists.
Moorland International Children’s and
Youth Literature Festival
EXPERIENCE A GREAT DAY WITH US!
Choose a
card that suits
your stay:
24, 48 or 72
hours
Iceland Airwaves
Festivals in December
facebook.com/reykjavikguitarama
ALL THE MOST EXCITING
PLACES IN ICELAND
thermal
pools
#reykjavikloves
#reykjavikloves
A major independent film event designed to enrich
local cinema culture with international ground-breaking
films, and to present Icelandic filmmaking to a larger
audience.
Several of the world’s greatest guitar players join host
Björn Thoroddsen on stage in Háskólabíó to show
audiences all the tricks the guitar has to offer.
UMHVERFISFLOKKUN
festivals
Reykjavík International Film Festival (RIFF)
Reykjavík Guitarama – Háskólabíó
GOLD-CLASS
ENVIRONMENTAL
REYKJAVÍK
LOVES
This festival is the heartbeat for dancing and choreographic practices in Iceland. Offering ticketed shows,
street dance parties, workshops, afternoon walks and a
late night pop-up bar.
bioparadis.is
The Reykjavík Tango Club was founded by a few tango
enthusiasts wanting to promote Argentine tango in
Iceland. The festival offers dance workshops with some
of the best tango dancers in the world.
72
72
Reykjavík Dance Festival
Films are screened in the original Russian with English
subtitles. A selection of award-winning films mixed with
current Russian cinema.
This is a gathering with great tattoo artists from all
over the world, showing off their best skills in the art of
tattooing.
48
48
Festivals in November
Tango on Ice
Icelandic Tattoo EXPO
24
24
Russian Film Days – Art House Cinema
Festivals in October
www.ishestar.is
+354 555 7000
+354 580 5400 • [email protected] • www.re.is
N A T U R E I S O N LY
A FEW STEPS
A W AY F R O M T H E
CITY CENTER!
GREENLAND
AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE
Let's fly
BOOK YO
UR
DAY TOUR
AIRICELA ON
ND.IS
FREE SHUTTLE BUS
Departures from the Tourist Information
Centre, Aðalstræti 2, and Harpa.
To Kringlan
From Kringlan
Monday – Saturday
On the half hour
Every hour
11:30 am–4:30 pm
10 am – 5 pm
Sundays
ICELAND & GREENLAND
TOURS
2:30, 3:30, 4:30
pm
1, 2, 3, 4 pm
KRINGLAN.IS
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Call us on +354 519 5000
or visit www.elding.is
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ÍSAFJÖRÐUR
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ILULISSAT
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ITTOQQORTOORMIIT
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NUUK
AKUREYRI
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from Reykjavík and Akureyri
REYKJAVÍK
KEFLAVÍK
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Flights to 11 different
destinations in Iceland
from Reykjavik airport.
TÓRSHAVN
CLASSIC WHALE WATCHING
EXPRESS WHALE WATCHING
For details check out
isavia.is/reykjavikdestinations