Iceland’s Summer Festivals: Including the Reykjavik Arts Festival and Secret Solstice
Experience the best of Iceland's summer festivals, recommended by the Icelandic holiday specialist, Baltic Travel Company
Iceland is a fascinating and unique place to visit. While many assume the best time to travel is the winter, with countless snow-based sports and festive events, the midnight sun is a spectacle everybody should see once in a lifetime.
Throughout the summer period, starting in May and lasting until August, the daylight hours are extended, with the sun setting just before midnight as the perfect backdrop for outdoor festivals and celebrations. From the middle until the end of June, the sun shines continually, with bright light 24 hours a day.
The Baltic Travel Company has compiled a checklist of the best Iceland summer festivals to experience during this part of the year – celebrating everything from arts and music to culture, history and Icelandic cuisine.
Icelandic Festivals and Events in June
The National Holiday of Iceland
Each year, the National Holiday of Iceland falls on 17th June, a public holiday where families and communities come together. In Reykjavik, you can watch the colourful parade that begins in Hallgrímskirkja and winds through Skólavörðustígur before reaching Hljómskálagarður, where the event continues for the rest of the day.
Visitors can watch marching bands and a giant troll, with street theatres, food vendors, circus performances and concerts hosted throughout the city and across Iceland.
Summer Solstice Celebrations
Grimsey is a great place to experience the solstice. It is the northernmost island in Iceland that sits above the Arctic Circle and has the longest daylight hours.
Travellers visit by boat and enjoy dancing, performances and local seafood dishes with a diverse mixture of locals and those who attend from far and wide to enjoy a family-friendly atmosphere and a calendar of events.
Many gather along the coast to watch the seabirds, including native puffins or attend the Annual Party (note that the ball is open to over 16s only).
Secret Solstice Festival
A higher-octane way to celebrate the solstice is to attend Secret Solstice, a music and cultural event that runs for three days over the solstice period. Following a year off in 2023, Secret Solstice returns in 2024 and will take place from the 21st to the 23rd of June, close to central Reykjavik.
Performances vary from international artists and bands to local musicians, art exhibitions, movie screenings and theatre shows, with music that ranges from rock to electronic and pop to experimental spread over six stages, each named after Norse mythology.
Located in Laugardalur (Hot Spring Valley), this beautiful park also boasts an open-air thermal bath, hiking trails, the Grasagardur Botanical Garden and the Húsdýragarðurinn Park & Zoo. Event organisers make the very most of the unusual setting and have held raves in glacier caves and ancient lava tunnels for a twist on the typical music festival.
Hafnarfjörður Viking Festival
The Viking festival is organised by a re-enactment group called Rimmugýgur and is one of the largest and oldest festivals and themed markets in Iceland. The event will run from the 13th until the 18th of June 2024 and is a great experience for kids or visitors who are less keen on music events.
Admission is completely free, and the backdrop of Víðistaðatún Park in central Hafnarfjörður is beautiful, with the normally peaceful and quiet green space transformed into a Viking market with tents covering the fields.
Attendees can purchase crafts and artisanal goods such as silver jewellery, leather, kitchenware and swords, watch displays and shows, sample roasted lamb and learn about the Viking heritage of Iceland.
Reykjavik Arts Festival
Scheduled from the 1st until the 16th of June 2024, the Reykjavik Arts Festival is a highlight in the cultural calendar, with creations and art submitted from local and international artists focusing on diversity and inclusion of all art forms and creative expressions.
It was originally designed as a hybrid event to celebrate Nordic cultural and international music and artistry. The festival has hosted performers as diverse as Led Zeppelin and Luciano Pavarotti, with the Eyrarrósinni Award presented every year to recognise cultural projects in rural Iceland.
Visitors can travel around some of the most famous venues and some less conventional performance and exhibition spaces throughout Reykjavik, with a 2024 programme that includes circus, design, dance, music, opera and theatre shows.
Celebrations and Activities in July
The National Icelandic Horse Competition
Landsmót is an annual outdoor sports event celebrating Icelandic horses and talented riders, first held at Thingvellir National Park in 1950. Now, it is a bi-annual festival that recognises everything about Icelandic history and rural life, with locations that change yearly and attract tens of thousands of visitors.
The Gæðingakeppni welcomes riders and their horses to compete – including young riders – showcasing their abilities in equestrian gaits such as trot, walk and gallop. There is also a breeding show where attendees can see spectacular mares and stallions.
A highlight is the contest for the title of Landsmót Tölt Champion, where riders compete to be crowned as the best performers of the Tölt, the respected Icelandic horse gait.
Summer Holiday Events and Festivals in August
Merchant’s Weekend (Verslunarmannahelgi)
Merchant’s Weekend lands on the first weekend in August and is a much-anticipated holiday throughout Iceland. It commemorates and recognises tradespeople and their contribution to culture and society with festivals and events held in towns and cities throughout the country.
The largest event is held in Thjodhatid in the Westman Islands, where the small population quadruples, with a massive bonfire on Friday evening, fireworks on Sunday and where attendees join in to sing classic Icelandic songs.
Most visitors camp in the valley where the main stages and events are held, with white tents set up around the area for musical performances and food stalls serving cakes and smoked puffin.
Finding Your Perfect Icelandic Summer Festival
As we’ve seen, there are thousands of events and festivals throughout the Icelandic summer, ranging from historic reenactments to huge music concerts, outdoor cultural festivals and celebrations of the arts.
For more information about any of the events featured here by the Baltic Travel Company including Iceland city breaks, and help organising your travel and accommodation or recommendations for the festivals best suited to your interests, please get in touch.
Read more about Baltic Travel Company - Festivals and Activities for a Winter Wonderland in the Baltics
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We specialise in crafting unique, tailor-made travel experiences that showcase the diverse wonders of the Europe and the Baltic region. With over 15 years of experience, our dedicated travel experts are committed to providing exceptional service and unparalleled expertise to ensure your Baltic adventure exceeds your expectations. From cultural city breaks to the inspiring northern lights and breathtaking natural landscapes, our carefully curated itineraries highlight the very best of the Nordic Region, Scandinavia, The Baltic Region, Poland, Slovakia and more. Whether you're a solo traveler, couple, or group, embark on a journey of discovery with Baltic Travel Company – your ultimate travel partner in exploring the hidden gems of the Baltics.
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