Events and Celebrations in 2003
Festivity in a Distinctive Setting
Whatever time of year you’re in Iceland, there’ll be something going on that will take your fancy. Sometimes it’s a familiar festivity in a distinctive Icelandic setting, and sometimes it’s a charming local custom that will grab your imagination. Then there are regular cultural and leisure events, indoors and outside, to keep you entertained and busy for the whole of your stay.
Check out these regular features on the Icelandic calendar:
January—May
Cultural season. Music, art and theatre scene gets back into full
swing with programmes for all interest groups.
Jan. 24th—Feb. 23rd
Midwinter feast (Þorrablót). An ancient Viking tradition
– feasting on “delicacies” such as boiled sheep
head and rotten shark meat as well as more edible goodies. Be brave
just once a year.
February
Festival of Lights in Reykjavík. Dedicated to the theme of
light and energy, an exciting public festival centred around Laugardalur
Park.
February 26—March 2
Food & Fun. An annual food festival featuring well-known, visiting
chefs competing right along with Iceland´s finest culinary
masters. The festival is also a chance for restaurants to strut
their stuff. A delight for the taste buds.
March 1
Beer Day. Beer was only legalized in Iceland in 1989 and people
celebrate the big day in suitable style on the anniversary every
year.
March 3—5
Bursting time. Fill up before Lent, with all the cream buns you
can eat on “Bun Monday” and oversized helpings of salted
meat and mushy peas on “Bursting Tuesday.” Then on Ash
Wednesday, watch the children dressed up in the streets, singing
and playing pranks.
Easter
One of the peaks of the musical year, with diverse concert programmes.
Plus chocolate eggs of huge proportions, smoked lamb and a time
for families to relax together. The skiing season peaks.
April—September
Trout fishing season in lakes and rivers around the country.
April 24
First Day of Summer. Icelanders still welcome the end of winter
and start of summer – a national holiday – with colourful
parades and entertainment in the streets.
May—September
Whale watching season. With thousands of whales just off its shores,
Iceland offers more chances of sightings than just about anywhere
else in the world.
May
Bird time. Puffins, Arctic terns and rarer migrant birds zoom in
from the south, bringing summer with them.
May
Miss Iceland beauty contest. One look at Miss Iceland and you’ll
definitely miss Iceland when you leave!
June—August
Marathon time. Fresh air and scenery that’ll take your breath
away, including: Mývatn Midnight Sun Marathon (north Iceland,
June 21); Highland Marathon (55 km of uninhabited landscapes between
Landmannalaugar and Þórsmörk nature reserves,
south highlands); and Reykjavík International Marathon (several
distances around the city, August 16).
June—September
Salmon fishing season. Clean air and rivers make Iceland one of
the best places in the world for anglers. Make sure to book your
rods well in advance.
June—September
Festival time. Communities all around the country stage fun celebrations
on local themes.
Early June
Festival of the Sea. Based on the old Icelandic tradition of Seamen´s
Day, the festival runs the first weekend of June and honours those
that make their living from the sea. However, the festival has been
modernised of late. It now includes numerous cultural activities,
parades, arts and crafts activities for kids, food fairs, sailing
competitions and new residents of Iceland are given the opportunity
to share their unique cultures.
June 1
Seamen’s Day. First Sunday in June, with fun and games at
every harbour in this country of fishermen and seafarers.
June 17
National Day. Icelanders take to the streets to celebrate independence
(since 1944). Colourful ceremonies followed by parades, street theatre,
sideshows and outdoor dancing in the midnight sun, all over the
country.
June 21
Summer solstice. Gatherings to celebrate the magic of the midnight
sun on the longest day of the year.
June 25—28
Arctic Open International Golf Tournament. In Akureyri just south
of the Arctic Circle, tee off at midnight in bright sunshine and
play through the night in a marvellous natural setting. Other open
midnight-sun-tournaments are also held in Reykjavík and the
Westman Islands (see www.golf.is).
July 25—27
Reykholt Music Festival. “Classical music in a classic environment”
in the beautiful church at the west Iceland site where saga writer
Snorri Sturluson lived.
August 1—4
Bank Holiday weekend. On the first weekend in August, almost everyone
goes off to camp at festivals around the country – everything
from family events to wild rock festivals.
August
Flight of the Puffling. A sight not to be missed in Vestmannaeyjar
off the south coast, when millions of baby puffins leave their nests
and take to wing for the first time.
August 9—11
Gay pride. Gays and lesbians come out in force and style to parade
and party in Reykjavík.
August 16
Reykjavík Cultural Night. To mark Reykjavík’s
anniversary on August 16, bookstores and museums stay open into
the closest Saturday night and artistic events are staged in the
streets and at cafés, bars, and restaurants all over the
capital, culminating in a massive fireworks display.
September—December
Cultural season. Concerts, opera, ballet, drama, visual arts –
you name it, it’ll be on the season’s agenda somewhere
in Reykjavík.
September
Culture festival time. Every year Reykjavík hosts a Jazz
Festival and Film Festival – both of them international events
with plenty of celebrated guests. Actually, September is not the
only time for jazz and film lovers, since Egilsstaðir in the
East stages an annual international jazz festival in August too,
and there’s a festival of short films in Reykjavík
every spring.
September
Sheep round-up. Colourful and lively time with plenty of song and
merriment all around the countryside. Held at pens where farmers
herd in the sheep they have rounded up from summer grazing in the
wilds.
Christmas
Icelanders go in for Christmas in a big way, with 13 separate Santa
Clauses who play pranks and sing in the beautifully lit streets.
Check out the delicious Christmas buffets and traditional festive
season delicacies such as smoked lamb, ptarmigan and reindeer.
December 31
New Year’s Eve goes off with a bang with the biggest firework
display you’ll probably ever see, everyone takes part. There are
public bonfires and the merrymaking lasts right through to the following
year.