Top 10 Festivals in Iceland

There are plenty of arts festivals in Iceland that focus on a specific genre of art. 

There are also some national celebrations such as Christmas and Independence Day celebrations.

Iceland’s independence day, known as Icelandic National Day, is June 17. Celebrations take place all over the country in different forms.

There are also the less frequent sporting victory celebrations when the city becomes an impromptu street festival.

These are few and far between in Iceland. But a few years ago, Iceland was fortunate to participate in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and beat England in the 2016 Euros before that.

One thing is for sure: you'll never be short of fantastic, fun, and exciting festivals when you're in Iceland!

LungA, a small art festival in Seydisfjordur in East Iceland, has grown every year since it began in 2000.

Only 300 people showed up for the final concert when it started, but now about 4,000 people show up each year. It takes place for a week in the middle of July every year.

This festival includes workshops, market pop-ups, gallery exhibitions, fashion exhibitions, and live music, among other activities that vary from year to year.

This non-profit festival takes place within a tranquil and beautiful fjord that fills with artistic people from all over for this one week.

If you fancy driving as far away from Reykjavik as possible, then you'll end up in Borgarfjordur Eystri.

You can experience world-famous bands in this small village, playing inside an old herring shed. As far as concerts in Iceland go, this is one of the more unique venues.

This Icelandic music festival takes place in late July every year. Only about 900 tickets are sold, so get your tickets early.

Since 2005 artists and bands such as Belle and Sebastian, Emiliana Torrini, Damien Rice, and Of Monsters and Men have played at this small but charming music festival.

The surroundings are breathtaking and if you want to fit in, remember to bring a wool jumper. 

The Reykjavik International Film Festival (RIFF) occurs annually from late September into mid-October.

The festival lasts for 11 days and shows a wide range of dramas and non-fiction films from over 40 countries.

RIFF highlights independent filmmaking from all over the world, emphasizing up-and-coming filmmakers.

If you want to see something new and innovative in film, this is the place to be.

Screenings are held in cinemas in Reykjavik, mainly in the arthouse cinema, Bio Paradis, in the center of Reykjavik. However, some screenings are also popping up in other interesting places, such as swimming pools.

In 2016, the film Frankenstein was screened in the swimming pool Sundholl Reykjavikur, built in 1937, as seen in the video above. (Icelanders love both movies and swimming pools - so it's a great combination!).

7. Food and Fun Festival

If you like food and having fun, you should head to Reykjavik in early March. The Food and Fun Festival occurs annually in late February or early March. 

Renowned chefs from around the world come to Reykjavik to do what they do best, make delicious food using only Icelandic ingredients.

The chefs collaborate with the finest restaurants in the city and make up a menu that the restaurant serves for one week only.

Each restaurant has a set menu for a fixed price.

Throw in a bit of outdoor adventure and Reykjavik's nightlife, and then you genuinely have both food and fun!

6. Aldrei for eg sudur Rock Music Festival

I Never Went South or “Aldrei for eg sudur” is a free rock music festival held every Easter in Isafjordur.

Every artist performing is playing for the fun of it and giving their work for free to those lucky people living or visiting the Westfjords.

The festival originated from the musician Mugison. He got the idea to have a music festival in his hometown for local talents, and since then, the festival has grown in popularity each year.

The festival takes place annually from Good Friday to Easter Sunday.

5. Reykjavik Arts Festival

The Reykjavik Arts Festival takes place every other year in May or June. In 2018 the festival was held from June 1-17. It wasn’t held in 2020 or 2021, so everyone is looking forward to 2022.

A variety of national and international dance, theater, design, and art will be displayed across the city. It's possible to buy tickets to individual events and performances with varying price tags.

This is one of the oldest and most respected art festivals in Europe and has been held since 1970.

4. Culture Night in Reykjavik

Culture Night or “Menningarnott” is an annual one-day festival in Reykjavik, generally held on a Saturday in late August, around Aug. 18-22.

The festival features dance, design, music, art, concerts, games, pop-up shops, and all sorts of interactive activities around town.

Galleries and museums are open, and there’s free entry to everything. The Reykjavik Marathon also takes place on the same day.

Some locals even open up their houses and invite guests to come in and have some home-baked waffles for free. So it's an excellent way to get to know the locals and see someone's home.

If you’re lucky enough to be in Reykjavik for Culture Night, you’ll experience a wild and fun atmosphere like no other, particularly around the streets of Laugavegur.

The evening always ends with a beautiful fireworks display near the Harpa. This display is only surpassed by Iceland’s famous New Year's festivities.

3. Reykjavik Pride

Reykjavik Pride has become one of the largest festivals in Iceland, if not the largest one.

The festival celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and its supporters, friends, and family. The entire center of Reykjavik is taken over by colorful costumes, loud party music, people dancing, and glitter everywhere.

The main day is Saturday when festivities start with a large parade in the city center and end with parties all night long. This celebration is free to attend.

It doesn’t matter whether you're gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, straight, asexual, female, male, young, or old. Everyone can attend Reykjavik Pride.

The former mayor even showed up in drag every year, and the current president usually gives a speech to the colorful crowd.

The festival always takes place on the second weekend in August.

2. Iceland Airwaves Music Festival

Icelandair throws a giant music festival every year in Reykjavik called Iceland Airwaves.

The festival promotes emerging and established national bands and musicians and features international performers.

The festival takes place in November every year, and they start announcing the line-up in February. Artists have included Bjork, Asgeir, PJ Harvey, and Fleet Foxes.

The festival takes place in various venues around Reykjavik, and in 2017 it even took place in Akureyri in North Iceland as well for the first time.

A ticket to the entire four-day Iceland Airwaves Music Festival 2022 costs about 137 USD.

1. Secret Solstice Music Festival

The Secret Solstice festival is a relatively new event in the Reykjavik music festival scene – the first festival was only held in 2014.

However, this yearly festival has quickly established itself with big headliners such as Radiohead, Of Monsters And Men, Deftones, Wu-Tang Clan, Die Antwoord, the Foo Fighters, and The Prodigy, just to name a few.

The summer solstice happens around June 21 each year when Iceland is greeted with the beautiful midnight sun. Before 2014 there was a massive gap in Iceland’s summer festivals calendar; this one solved it.

Secret Solstice always has one secret headliner (hence the name). But some outrageous marketing has also helped secure its place as one of Iceland's best and most popular festivals.

Some marketing slogans have included Fancy attending the world's first party inside a glacier? How about partying inside a volcano with a private concert? Or on a boat?

The main stages are in one area within the Laugardalur recreational area of Reykjavik, next to Reykjavik's largest swimming pool. It's possible to camp right by the festival, but it's unnecessary.

Secret Solstice VIP tickets with extravagant extras are available for a hefty price.

However, a general festival pass only costs around 191 USD for four days of partying in the world’s northernmost capital under the midnight sun.

There are multiple weekly events in Reykjavik that are worth checking out.

Jazz lovers have a lot to choose from, the stand-up and improv comedy scene is booming, as well as the cabaret and drag scene. Plus, there’s literature, poetry, and classical performances.

And if you want to do something more active, such as yoga or give tango or swing dancing a try, then regular beginner classes are available for free.

This list should give you an idea of what's going on in Reykjavik.

Sunday Events in Reykjavik

• Sunday Yoga at Loft Hostel - from noon to 1 p.m. Bring a mat and show up early. Free entry.
• Bio Paradis - classic cult movie screening under the name of Black Sundays (Svartir sunnudagar)

Monday Events in Reykjavik 

• Gaukurinn - English stand-up comedy Starts at 9 p.m. Free entry.
• Hurra - Live Jazz Starts at 9 p.m. Free entry.
• Stofan Cafe - “Board Game Monday” from 8 p.m. Hosted at Hlemmur Matholl from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Play board games in a cozy atmosphere. Free entry.
• Pablo Discobar - Salsa, bachata or kizomba dance night. These nights frequently happen on Mondays but occasionally on Thursdays. Best to check their event site to check for times and location. From 7:30 p.m. Free entry.

Tuesday Events in Reykjavik

• Tango dancing - held at Hlemmur Square. From 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Free entry.
• Domkirkjan church - Bach concert by olafur Eliasson. From 8:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Free entry.

Wednesday Events in Reykjavik 

• Peterson suite - live jazz between 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Happy hour(s) from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Lindy hop dance evenings also. Free entry.
• Tjarnarbio - weekly theatre shows by Improv Iceland in English. Only shown in June and July.

Thursday Events in Reykjavik

• Check back later for new Thursday events.

Friday Events in Reykjavik

• Tango Milonga - at Kramhusid. Free entry practice from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m, and milonga from 10 p.m. to midnight. Entry fee: about 8 USD to the milonga, but free for people younger than 30.
• Bio Paradis - Friday party screenings at 8 p.m. Classic fun films with offers at the bar. About 14 USD to enter.

Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays are the busiest days of the week, but the schedule is too varied to have the same events each week.

It's recommended to look up what's on at Harpa Concert Hall - where you can find multiple festivals, international performers, ballet productions, Iceland's Symphony Orchestra, stand-up comedy, and much, much more.

Reykjavik's main theaters are Thjodleikhusid (National Theatre) and Borgarleikhusid (City Theatre).

However, you're more likely to find performances in English at the independent theaters of Tjarnarbio and IdNo.

Gaukurinn is the home to the Icelandic drag scene Drag-Sugur, with weekly or bi-weekly performances.