MAIN Travel Tourist Attractions Iceland Holidays & Festivals

Festivals in Iceland are a great excuse for the natives to get together and celebrate outdoors in the warmer weather or indoors during the colder months. As guests, visitors to Iceland are welcome to join in and enjoy the music, food and fun.

Local festivities may be centered around a holiday or a regional theme. For instance, Sailor's Day 'Sjomannadagurinn', in June is a coastal celebration. Local Viking festivals celebrate the traditions and history of the country and often provide reenactments of famous battles.

In Iceland, you'll find that the festivities are on a smaller scale than you may be used to. Don't worry about crowds of tourists spoiling the fun.

A special time in Iceland is the Christmas or Yule season. It is a festival of lights in big cities and small villages. Since December 21 is the longest night of the year, which in Iceland means a very, very long night, the Yule lights shine brightly through the dark hours. Feasting and celebrations are nonstop during this time of year. Don't be surprised if you get invited to someone's home to join in the season's celebrations!

April 24th is the celebration for the beginning of summer in Iceland. The tourist board explains, "Iceland gets a two-month jump on the rest of the world by officially celebrating summer on April 24th - a national holiday. The beginning of summer is a joyous occasion after a long, dark winter. Colorful parades and entertainment fill the streets as locals celebrate the season of the never-setting sun."

The arts are alive and well in Iceland which means plenty of music, art and film festivals to entertain visitors. The hot bed of culture is Reykjavik, but you'll find festive gatherings everywhere you travel...

Festivity in a Distinctive Setting - A month by month guide of the annual feasts and festivals that you'll want to know about before planning your trip or to catch if you've already decided and booked the dates you want for your trip to Iceland.

Festivals in Iceland - This site keeps an updated listing of the film, music, jazz and other festivals coming up in Iceland. They offer a breakdown of festivals in Iceland by city and region to coordinate your travel plans with local events.

Jo's Icelandic Recipes Feasts and Celebrations - Menus for special holidays together with how they are celebrated in Iceland today. Jólahlaðborð Christmas buffets, Þorláksmessa Thorlak the holy's feast day, Þorrablót and more are described with traditional menus and recipes handy to help you plan your celebrations.

Icelandic Holidays and Feasts - A complete list of the official holidays and brief explanations of others such as Þorrablót, Bolludagur or "Bun Day", First Day of Summer, Sjómannadagur or Seamen's Day, Verslunarmannahelgi or Labor Day Weekend and others.

Events & Festivals in Iceland - Listings of what's on include the Reykjavik Marathon, music festivals and many others each with a paragraph or two to let you know more about the event.