National Day Celebrations in Iceland on Saturday
A woman in a national costume on June 17th. Mbl.is/ Eggert Jóhannesson
Iceland's National Day will be celebrated in style this year in Reykjavík, with events focussing around the Lake and extending into adjacent streets, gardens and parks. The programme includes family entertainment, live music, street theatre, dance, a circus, playgrounds for children, booths selling a range of refreshments, sports performances, a vintage car show…. and much, much more.
Iceland became independent from Denmark on June 17th, 1944 and National Day is a day off to celebrate this. This year's National Day falls on a Saturday however.
The Hljómskálagarður park will host a star-studded concert led by the Stuðmenn band, as well as a family entertainment programme. At the City Hall it will be time to put on your dancing shoes, and on Ingólfstorg square there will be a skateboard party. Concerts are scheduled in the Harpa concert hall, while vintage cars will be displayed outside the venue. Iðnó hosts a show and performance by 50+ women actors. Young performers from the Hitt húsið youth centre and Street Theatre will be about and about with a range of fun events. Admission is free to all playground rides and equipment provided by the City for the National Day festivities.
National Day starts on Austurvöllur square with a service in the Cathedral at 10.15, and at 11.15 a programme on the square commence, held by parliament and the Prime Minister’s office. As always on National Day, it is especially appropriate to wear Icelandic national dress: those who attend the Austurvöllur programme in national costume will be offered seats.
National Day continues with the afternoon programme from 13.00 to 17.30. Scouts lead a parade from Hlemmur, departing at 13.00, down Laugavegur and on to the Hljómskálagarður park. Another parade goes from Hagatorg to Hljómskálagarður.Please note that streets around the National Day celebrations site will be closed from 10.00 to 19.00.
See the full National Day programme on 17juni.is.
Reykjavik in the early 1960's on National Day. Photo/ Reykjavik Museum of Photography
