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What to do
Reykjavík festivals
A surprising number of festivals for a city of 130,000, and most of them are in the street, free and for everyone. Which week of the year you land in decides how you’ll find the city.
- Festivals
- 13
- Busiest
- Summer
- Most of them
- Free
All year round
- 01 January 1 festival
- 02 February 1 festival
- 03 March 1 festival
- 04 April 1 festival
- 05 May None yet
- 06 June 2 festivals
- 07 July None yet
- 08 August 3 festivals
- 09 September None yet
- 10 October None yet
- 11 November 3 festivals
- 12 December 1 festival
January
Winter-
28–31 January 2027
Dark Music Days
Myrkir músíkdagar
A contemporary music festival in the darkest weeks of the year. The programme centres on living Icelandic composers; many works are performed here for the first time.
February
Winter-
4–7 February 2027
Winter Lights Festival
Vetrarhátíð
A festival of light against the February darkness: more than 150 events spread across the six municipalities of the capital area, a light walk, Museum Night and Pool Night.
March
Spring-
Spring 2026
DesignMarch
HönnunarMars
A festival that fits design and architecture into four days. Exhibitions spread into shops, studios and empty buildings, and the whole city becomes a temporary design fair.
April
Spring-
20–26 April
Children’s Culture Festival
Barnamenningarhátíð
For a whole week the city opens up to children: schools, nurseries, cultural centres and art schools all put on events. Every art form is there, and most events are free.
June
Summer-
June 2028 (every two years)
Reykjavík Arts Festival
Listahátíð í Reykjavík
A large interdisciplinary arts festival with an eye for the new. Alongside concert halls it uses unusual venues and spills beyond the city limits.
-
17 June
National Day
Þjóðhátíðardagurinn
The day the republic was declared. A parade starting at Hallgrímskirkja, street theatre, concerts, circus, food trucks and a classic car show at Hljómskálagarður and Klambratún.
August
Summer-
22 August 2026 (Saturday)
Culture Night
Menningarnótt
The city’s birthday and the peak of summer. Events fill the centre from morning to night; many homes open their doors and offer coffee and waffles, and the night ends with fireworks.
-
25–30 August 2026
Reykjavík Jazz Festival
Jazzhátíð Reykjavíkur
The international festival that keeps the local jazz scene going. The programme puts Icelandic musicians and names from abroad on the same stages.
-
4–9 August
Reykjavík Pride
Hinsegin dagar
The most colourful week of the year. Saturday’s parade is one of the city’s biggest events (a large share of the population is out on the streets), but there are concerts, talks and exhibitions all week.
November
Autumn-
November · three days
Iceland Airwaves
The country’s biggest music festival, and the three days a year when the city gives itself entirely to music. Stages are scattered across small venues: bars, bookshops, churches, a pool.
-
11–14 November 2026
Iceland Noir
A crime fiction festival. Given Iceland’s tradition of crime novels it’s a fitting gathering: writers, translators and readers in the same halls for four days.
-
10–15 November 2026
Reykjavík Dance Festival
The main platform for Icelandic contemporary dance. Inclusion and social responsibility sit at the heart of the programme; some performances are open to participation.
December
Winter-
Throughout Advent · December
Christmas City
Jólaborgin
In December the city fills with lights: the Yule Cat appears on Lækjartorg, the Oslo Tree is lit on the first Sunday of Advent, Austurvöllur is decorated and the Christmas market opens.