Where to go over The Festival Weekend?

There are great many festivals taking place this weekend, the …

There are great many festivals taking place this weekend, the problem is choosing where to go. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Styrmir Kári

Sóley Björk Guðmundsdóttir

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Sóley Björk Guðmundsdóttir

There is one weekend in Iceland that is packed with festivals, it’s called Verslunarmannahelgi. It is the unofficial must-go-and-do-something-fun time of the year. To make the decision on where to go easier, here’s a list of festivals both family friendly and with a more grown-up appeal. Whatever the choice is, just remember to bring warm clothes and pretend the weather is great.

This weekend is the one before the first Monday in August, and the reason is that this very Monday is the annual merchant’s holiday. The day is an official holiday in Iceland, which means this is the biggest travel weekend of the year. So there are pretty much no merchants, shopkeepers or other professions the holiday is dedicated to that can take the day off, someone has to cater to all these tourists.

Let’s start with the music festivals

The best known festival of this weekend is called Þjóðhátíð , and roots back 140 years. It is held in the Westman Islands where thousands of people flock every year. If you want to visit the island for some other reason, this is not the time. And you would be lucky to get a ticket for the ferry anyway.

Þjóðhátíð in the Westman Islands dates back around 140 years.

Þjóðhátíð in the Westman Islands dates back around 140 years. Photo: Iceland Monitor

What happens at this festival is simple, a lot of good music from a great stage in a valley, some of Iceland’s biggest bands performing. A lot of people wearing thick rain suits and woolly jumpers with a drink in hand, singing along and a valley full of tents, where the party can go on all night. The festival technically starts on Friday, though there is a big dance called Húkkaraballið on Thursday, an unofficial part of the festival. For those that don’t have the stamina for four nights of partying, it is quite popular to join the festival only for Sunday evening for the highlight of the festival. Concerts aside, there is a great bonfire and a big sing-a-long lead by some singer on stage, so popular it has sometimes been broadcasted live.

Mýrarbolti is without a doubt the muddiest festival in Iceland.

Mýrarbolti is without a doubt the muddiest festival in Iceland. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Eva Björk Ægisdóttir

Mýrarbolti , or The European Championship in Swamp Soccer takes place in Ísafjörður in the West Fjords, and is not as athletic as it may sound. Sure people form teams, trying to run around kick a ball in mud that is ankle deep, which is indeed amusing to watch. It is also possible to try to bribe the judge to allow numerous things, like more players for your team, lenience towards fractions and so on. Some teams have preparing for months, others are formed on site, this is not at all formal or strictly ornanized, which sometimes is very nice. There are a lot of entertainment in Ísafjörður during this weekend, concerts and parties, a bonfire and all in all lots of people hanging out and having fun.

Innipúkinn is held in two concert venues in Reykjavik, and …

Innipúkinn is held in two concert venues in Reykjavik, and takes over the street between them. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Eggert Jóhannesson

Innipúkinn is designed for those not interested in wandering away from Reykjavik. It is held in two bars known for being among the most active concert venues in town, Húrra and Gaukurinn. The musicians performing are some of the most hip, up-and coming artists in Reykjavik alongside acclaimed musicians.

Norðanpaunk is a punk/rock music festival held in Laugarbakki. Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of the place, it is very small. So small many Icelandic people would have troubles placing it on a map, which gives this festival some of its charm. It helps that some of the best bands of the Icelandic rock scene are performing.

Family focused festivals

The weekend is not all about drinking and dancing, there are great family friendly festivals around the country.

Neistaflug is a festival that aims to please both the …

Neistaflug is a festival that aims to please both the young and the old. Photo: Neistaflug

Neistaflug is Neskaupsstaður town festival. It is perhaps one of the best outdoor festival for the family to attend together as it aims to have something for every member of the family, with a programme suited for kids, another for teenagers and parties and concert in the evenings for those a bit more grown up. The programme is ambitious, there are markets, fishing competition on the pier, a disco in the swimming pool, inflatable castles, outdoor cinema, a bonfire by the beach with marshmallows and hot cocoa, and much more. A place where truly everyone should find something fun to do.

Síldarævintýri á Siglufirði is dedicated to the years when herring …

Síldarævintýri á Siglufirði is dedicated to the years when herring fisheries were the dominating industry in town. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Sigríður Ingvadóttir

Síldarævintýri á Siglufirði – The Herring Festival is a held in one of the prettiest towns of North Iceland. Framed by high mountains the area around Siglufjörður is truly beautiful, the town itself is, well, cute. It is rather small and many of the houses are old (on Icelandic standards). The surrounding mountains also protect the town from the blowing wind, most of the time, which is very nice to be rid of in Iceland.
The festival is one of the older town festival in Iceland. It celebrates the years of the herring, when Siglufjörður was one of the more important towns in the area, a lot bigger than it is now, because of the amount of herring that was easily caught in the sea not far off. The festival combines this heritage of the town with modern day fun for the entire family. There are concert, music, Lazy Town will come for a visit, a magician, fishing competition on the dock, horse riding and much more.

Sálin hans Jóns míns is one of the band performing …

Sálin hans Jóns míns is one of the band performing at Flúðir um Versló. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Árni Sæberg

Flúðir um Versló is a festival that does not really have a name other than the location and the timing. But then again, what more is neccesary?
This is a proper festival with a country feel, one of the allures being a tractor rally. The line-up at the festival is truly spectacular, a great number of brilliant musicians will perform over the weekend. There will also be a lot going on for the younger generation, singing, sweets, lazy Town, singer Alda Dís, a theatre for the kids, a sailing competition and you guessed it, a bonfire.



All in all these are all great festivals, the problem is choosing which one to attend. Perhaps the answer is taking a road trip to see how many festivals can be attended over one weekend?

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