Let the music (festivals) guide you
There are a number of music festivals in Iceland, as different as they are numerous. Styrmir Kári
There are many things to consider when choosing the timing of a trip to Iceland. Why not let your taste in music play a part too?
Icelanders, like people from many other nations, love their music festivals. This love has grown over the last ten years or so, with the number of music festival rising fast.
Music festivals are held all year long in Iceland, though most of them take place over the summer. They are as different as they are numerous, but the general atmosphere and theme of the festivals usually takes inspiration from the season.
Dark Music Days
Dark Music Days is a festival of contemporary and new music which takes place during the darkest period of the Icelandic winter, at the end of January. The aim of the festival is to brighten up the mood of the audience and the participants in the winter darkness.
Sónar is a festival of electronic and avant-garde music. It takes place in Harpa Concert and Conference hall in mid-February, turning this esteemed building that houses the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra and the Icelandic Opera into a giant night club.
Sónar lights up the music-lovers heart in the dim Icelandic winter. Styrmir Kári
Aldrei fór ég suður
Aldrei fór ég suður is a rock festival that takes place at Easter in Ísafjörður, a town in the West Fjords. The name of the festival literally means ‘I have never been south’, referencing that great music can be found outside the capital (Reykjavik = south). This festival is very popular and deeply rooted in the local society. Keep in mind though that the Icelandic winter has not necessarily released its grip by Easter – check the weather forecast if you are planning on sleeping in a tent.
Aldrei fór ég suður is a rock festival which is deeply rooted in the local society Ernir Eyjólfsson
Secret Solstice is a relatively new festival and it started out with a bang. This is one of the largest music festivals in Iceland and it takes place in the heart of Reykjavik on the weekend closest to the summer solstice, which in Iceland means 24 hours of sunlight. This festival is hip, featuring an abundance of popular artists, both foreign and local. Performing this years are bands such as Radiohead, Deaftones, Of Monsters and Men, Die Antwoord and more.
Secret Solstice is held in Laugardalurinn, one of the greenest places in Reykjavik. Styrmir Kári
Sumarmölin , Drangey Festival and Bræðslan
Sumarmölin at Drangsnes (second weekend in June), Drangey Festival in Skagafjörður (last weekend in June) and Bræðslan in Borgarfjörður Eystri (last weekend in July) are all similar festivals. You will need a wool sweater and a tent to truly experience these festivals.
These festivals are not too ‘fuzzy’. They celebrate the music in the context of the beauty of Icelandic nature and summer nights (or lack of them). Music is only the half of these festivals, the other half is enjoying the scenery, the people around you and generally having fun.
The Drangey Festival location not only offers a grand view, but a natural geothermal pool as well. Björn Jóhann Björnsson
ATP is a festival that has been held all over the world. The aim of the festival is to set itself apart from the bigger, more commercial festivals by being more intimate and fan-friendly. In Iceland , it is held on the first weekend in July in the former NATO base at Ásbrú, between Keflavik Airport and the Blue Lagoon. Performing this year are bands like John Carpenter, Goblin, Tortoise and more.
The Folk Music Festival is held in July in Siglufjörður, one of the prettiest places in North Iceland. The festival has a very relaxed atmosphere. The main focus is on Icelandic and Scandinavian folk music, though it also features world music and folk dances. In addition to music, the festival offers a variety of lectures and workshops on music, old handcraft and more.
The Folk Music Festival takes place in Siglufjörður. A small old town that matches the festival perfectly, with old houses and rich history. Halldór Þormar Halldórsson
LungA is a hip art festival held in Seyðisfjörður, east Iceland, and takes place in July. It i s a festival that celebrates creativity, art, collaboration and culture through a week of workshops, lectures and other activities, culminating in a weekend of celebration, exhibitions and concerts.
LungA is a hip art festival, held in perhaps the hippest small town in Iceland. Pétur Kristjánsson
Eistnaflug started out as a small metal festival in 2005, and has over the years evolved into a four - day event wheremetal, hardcore, punk, rock, and indie bands share the stage. It is held on the first weekend in July in Neskaupsstaður in East Iceland, just about as far from Reykjavik you can get. The population of the town doubles during the festival, which doesn’t seem to bother the locals as it is known as one of the most peaceful music festivals in the country.
Þjóðhátíð í Eyjum is one of Iceland’s oldest festivals, held in the Westman Islands and always ends on the first Monday in August. It is a four-day event which over 10,000 people attend, most of them staying in tents.
At Þjóðhátíð, wool sweaters and sturdy rain suits suddenly become fashonable.
The festival has a number of concerts featuring Icelandic bands, the most popular events are a bonfire and a sing-along concert, often broadcasted on radio. This festival is basically one big outdoor party which almost every Icelander has attended at some point in their life. The normal attire is a wool sweater, a rain suit and some form of alcohol in hand.
Gæran Music Festival takes place in a storage house of a woolskin tannery factory, which is emptied of lamb skin rugs (‘gæra’ in Icelandic) to make way for a concert stage and a group of people having fun and listening to music. This festival does not stick to a genre, but prefers to have the mix of musicians as varied as possible. Last year the king of pop and glitter Páll Óskar performed, as well as death metal band Dimma and reggae band Amabadama.
Gæran Music Festival is offers a clash of genres. Performing last year were everything from local pop legend from the 80' to the biggest rap band in Iceland.
Iceland Airwaves is one of the biggest and oldest music festivals in Iceland. It takes place in November, so leave the tent behind. The festival features some of the best music Iceland has to offer, as well as some foreign musicians. It is very popular, so tickets sell out fast. But even if you don’t have a festival pass, Reykjavik lights up during the festival. The atmosphere in the city gets very lively and there are off-venue concerts all over the city.
Iceland Airwaves very popular, each year a number of people travel to Iceland to attend the festival. Styrmir Kári
To make the choice even more difficult, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Icelandic music festivals. In addition, almost every town in Iceland has its own town festivals, some of them very big with a loads of concerts every night. To see the entire list, click here.
