Upcoming Holidays and Festivals in Iceland
- Before planning a trip around a festival, verify the festival dates at the festival's website or with a local tourist information office. For more information about these and other events, visit the official tourism site for Iceland.
- This list includes selected festivals, plus national holidays observed in Iceland. Many sights and banks close down on national holidays — keep this in mind when planning your itinerary. Note that this isn't a complete list; holidays can strike without warning.
- See upcoming holidays and festivals across Europe
2024
January 1: New Year's Day (closures)
January 6: Thirteenth Day of Christmas (Epiphany; bonfires and fireworks)
Mid-January–mid-February: Þorri (midwinter celebration from old Norse calendar)
January 25–28: Dark Music Days, Reykjavík (contemporary music festival)
January 25–28 & February 2–4: Reykjavík International Games
February 1–3: Reykjavík Winter Lights Festival
February 9–10: Art in the Light, Seyðisfjörður
February 12–14: Carnival (Bun Day, a.k.a. Bolludagur, on Monday; Blast Day, a.k.a. Sprengidagur, on Tuesday; parades and costumes on Ash Wednesday, a.k.a. Öskudagur)
March 28–April 1: Easter weekend (Maundy Thursday through Easter Monday; closures)
March 29–30: Aldrei Fór Ég Suður music festival, Ísafjörður, Westfjords
April 23–28: Children's Culture Festival, Reykjavík
April 24–28: DesignMarch, Reykjavík (design festival)
April 25: Sumardagurinn fyrsti (first day of summer on old Norse calendar; parades, sports, closures)
May 1: Labor Day (closures)
May 9: Ascension (closures)
May 19 & 20: Whitsunday and Whit Monday (closures)
June 1–16: Reykjavík Arts Festival
June 2: Fishermen's Day (maritime festivals across Iceland; Reykjavík celebrates the Festival of the Sea all weekend)
June 13–18: Viking Festival, Hafnarfjörður
June 17: Icelandic National Day (parades, theater; closures)
June 17–23: Reykjavík Fringe Festival (eclectic performances)
June 22–24: Arctic Open, Akureyri (golf tournament)
July 1–7: Icelandic horse convention, Reykjavík
July 3–7: Siglufjörður Folk Festival (Icelandic, Scandinavian, and world music)
July 4–7: Goslok Festival, Vestmannaeyjar (commemorates end of 1973 volcanic eruption)
August 1–3: Þjóðhátíð National Festival, Herjólfsdalur, Westman Islands (fireworks, bonfires, singing)
August 2–4 (likely): Innipuúkinn Music Festival, Reykjavík (indie rock)
August 5: Commerce Day, a.k.a. "Shop Workers' Day Off"
August 6–11: Reykjavík Pride
August 24: Culture Night, Reykjavík (free admission to museums, other free events)
August 28–31: Reykjavík Jazz Festival
September: Réttir (sheep roundup across Iceland)
September 26–October 6: Reykjavík International Film Festival
October 9: John Lennon's birthday and lighting of Imagine Peace Tower on Viðey Island, Reykjavík
November 7–9: Iceland Airwaves music festival, Reykjavík
November 30–December 1 & December 7–8 & 14–15 (likely): Christmas market in Heiðmörk woods (near Reykjavík)
Late November–December 23: Christmas Village, Hafnarfjörður
December 1 (likely): Yule Lads Bath, Mývatn Nature Bath (Christmas festival with swimming yule lads)
December 23: St. Þorlákur's Day (Christmas shopping, evening strolling, traditional meals of fermented skate)
December 24: Christmas Eve (businesses close at noon)
December 25–26: Christmas Day and Second Day of Christmas (closures)
December 31: New Year's Eve (bonfires, fireworks, businesses close at noon)