Icelanders have a very strong culture of music - as evidenced by the completely disproportionate amount of renowned musicians from here. So fittingly, there seems to be an unending amount of music festivals on the Icelandic calendar, from the established and epic Iceland Airwaves to the new and intimate Saga Fest - from the shortest days of the year at Dark Music Days, to the longest at Secret Solstice Festival.
Here are 10 major festivals to plan your holiday around.
1. Dark Music Days 29. Jan - 01. Feb
Not, as in “dark music”, but as in “music in the dark days” - It’s a music festival during the short days of January when the sun rises at 11 am and sets at 4 pm. The festival was established by the society of Icelandic Composers in 1980 and focuses on providing a safe place for progressive and experimental music.
2. Sónar Iceland 12. - 14 Feb.
Sónar Music Festival originated in Barcelona 1994 with a focus on the newest trends in electronic dance music and a playful avant-garde twist. Since 2002 Sónar has organized more than 50 Festivals in different parts of the world, including Iceland for the past 3 years.
Sónar in Iceland is an intimate affair, as the city is small, and the warm and modern concert venues contrast strongly with the cold, dark winter and eternal nature outside. Sónar Reykjavík takes place in 5 different venues with a combined capacity of 3500 people, so book your ticket now if you want to go.
3. I never went South (Aldrei fór ég Suður) 3. - 5. April
Aldrei fór ég Suður is probably the coolest thing in the world. It takes place in a tiny fishing village, Ísafjörður, in the West Fjords of Iceland. The festival is about the love of music, community and the Icelandic countryside, and is remarkable in that it is free of charge.
The title “I never went South” references a song by punk/folk/pop ledgend Bubbi, which talks about how everyone abandons their little fishing village for the big city in the south, but he never did. It is decidedly “anti”, anti-city, anti-establishment, and as such it takes pride in being small, intimate, cozy, and different - the ‘common man’s music festival!’
4. SAGA FEST 23. - 24. May
