Have you ever had the desire to visit Iceland? Many have. But then comes the question: what should I do when I get there? If you like to have fun festivals and parties then you have come to the right place. Below are 10 of the best in Iceland you can go to when you are visiting.
1. Reykjavik International Games
For two weekends, the last weekend of January and the first weekend of February, Laugardalur hosts the Reykjavik International Games including about 20 individual sports. Between 1500-2000 Icelandic athletes participate every year on top of about 1000 international participants from over 40 different countries! If you are a sports fanatic, this would be the place to hit up in Iceland in the winter.
2. Reykjavik Winter Lights Festival
The Winter Lights Festival is an annual event held in the midwinter. It celebrates winter as well as represents the glowing of light after a long period of darkness during the wintertime in Iceland. The event is a mixture has art, industry, environment, history, sports, and culture. All events are even free of charge!
3. DesignMarch
DesignMarch is Iceland’s annual design festival. It takes place at the end of March, hence the name. The designs range from fashion to furniture, architecture to the environment, food to product design. It includes the best of the locals’ designs as well as designs from people abroad. A part of DesignMarch is DesignTalks which is a day of lectures by internationally acclaimed designers. Many people just attend the event to hear these speakers alone!
4. Iceland Winter Games
The Iceland Winter Games take place in Akureyri, the skiing capital of Iceland. The winter Iceland weather covers the mountains in snow and powder perfect for the games. It held at the end of March and has events from ski- and snowboarding competitions, on jumps carved from the snow like Icelandic volcanoes, National Dog sledding championship among many others. If you like outdoor winter sports then you will love the Iceland Winter Games with exciting competition and spectacular views!
5. Children’s Culture Festival
The Reykjavik Children’s Culture Festival is held at the beginning of April and is dedicated to the children and youth in the area up to the age of 16. There is a wide variety to see from art disciplines through many different mediums and performances. The festival focuses a lot on participation, encouraging the youth to be confident in themselves as artists. There are also theater workshops, circus, storytelling, music, film, dance, puppetry, and just about anything you can think of! If you have young kids, this would be the thing to go to in Iceland!
6. Fossavatn Ski Marathon
The Fossavatn Ski Marathon has been around for almost a century and is still holding strong. Originally it was only a 20 km race. Later on, they added another race of 10 km then 7 km until they added the famous 50 km race. The inauguration of the 50 km race has increased the attention of the event worldwide attracting many superstar cross country skiers from all around the world. If you love to watch some of the world's best athletes compete then this may be an event for you. It is held mid-April if you are interested in watching or even participating in one of the many lengths of tracks.
7. National Holiday of Iceland
June 17 is the National Holiday of Iceland. It was on June 17, 1944, that the Republic of Iceland was formally established becoming independent from the Danes. It is celebrated all over the country with parades, marching bands, and color guard. They have ceremonies that often include poetry read by a woman dressed as Fjallkonan (The mountain women) Iceland’s national dress. The dress represents the Icelandic spirit and nature becoming a symbol for the fight for independence. If you are interested in seeing the Icelandic patriotism, June is the time to go.
8. Festival of the Sea
The Festival of the Sea is an extension of Fisherman’s Day, which is held the first Sunday in June. The festival celebrates Iceland’s long dependence on fishing. It has been celebrated since the ’30s and celebrates all aspects of the sea. It is celebrated all over the country and they have many family-friendly events without cost. They have competitions, sailing, entertainment, food tasting, and much more.
9. The Colour Run
The Color Run is held in June and is nicknamed the Happiest Run in the World. Everyone is covered in colorful chalk from head to toe and fun music is playing throughout. It is not about who can run the 5k the fastest but rather how much fun you can have while feeling comfortable with your pace. It is for people of any age background. The only two rules are, you should wear a white shirt and you will be a color bomb by the finish line.
10. National Festival
The National Festival is held in Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland on the weekend before the first Monday in August. It is an outdoor festival with various events, bonfires, fireworks, concerts, and most popular the Sunday night crowd singing. The first one was held in 1874 and has become a classic annual cultural event sometimes having over 16,000 people in attendance.
If any of these sounds like you would have a blast, be sure to book our Iceland expedition!
Post written by Eric Walton