Warming up for Gay Pride!
The Icelandic Drag competition is an annual event where Iceland’s drag royalty strut their stuff and compete for the ultimate prize. This event has been held since 1997 and this year it will hosted in Eldborg in Harpa. The show has always been considered great fun for spectators and friends. Check it out on the 6th of August. Tickets can be purchased online here.
Sizzling Street Food and Cuisine Market
Every Saturday until Reykjavík Cultural Night (the 23rd of August), there will be a street food market called Krás Street Food Market in the Fógetagarður (Bailiff’s Garden). Many of Reykjavík’s finest high end restaurants along with street food vendors will be cooking delightful food for onlookers. Now only do you get the opportunity to taste some of the best food Reykjavík has to offer, you can also relax in one Reykjavík’s most historical spots, which is located on the corner of Kirkjustígur and Aðalstræti, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free.
Innipúkinn festival Left: Ólöf Arnalds. Right: Kristinn Gunnar Blöndal from Justman and Teitur Magnússon from Justman and Ojba Rasta!.Downtown music festival
If sleeping in a tent is not really your thing, Innipúkinn just might be. The title of the music festival is loosely translated as ‘couch potato’, and geared towards people who prefer staying in Reykjavik, i.e. ‘staying in’, rather than wanting to go camping in the potential rain. Innipúkinn Festival is being held for the 13th time this year, and stretches from Friday to Sunday evening (August 1st-3rd) where bands will be playing at Húrra Bar and Gaukurinn Bar.
Retro style Photograph Exhibition
Jóna Þorvaldsdóttir is a photographer who does not utilize digital cameras. Instead, Jóna employs techniques that were popular during the early days of photograph technology. The exhibition begins on Saturday the 1st of August at Gallerí Ófeigur, and it is called Augnablik í tíma (Moments in time). Some of the photographs are from some of Iceland's most majestic nature spots such as Strandir and Gálgahraun, which is located near the president’s domicile at Bessastaðir. There is no entrance fee and opening hours are from 10-16 on Saturdays, and 10-18 on weekdays.
Tours in English at Reykjavík Art Museum – Kjarvalsstaðir
The Reykjavík Art Museum has been offering guided tours in English every week at Kjarvalsstaðir this summer, on Fridays from 1:00 p.m. One exhibition is a retrospective of one of Iceland’s most famous Iceland’s artists, who also appears on the Icelandic 2000 krónur note. The exhibition is called Seasons in Kjarval’s Art, in it his artistic portrayal of Iceland’s nature is examined in view of how Kjarval depicted them during different seasons. The other exhibitions are a selection of Icelandic art from the collections of Reykjavík Art Museum, as well as an exhibition or an exploration of how Reykjavík was perceived by Icelandic artists, from its humble beginnings as a village to its development as a city from 1891 to 1993.
Opening Ceremony of Reykjavík Pride or Gay Pride Festival
The opening ceremony has been going strong for a decade now and this year’s ceremony will be held in Harpa at 9:00 p.m on Thursday the 7th of August. As always talented artists showcase their talents and this year’s ceremony welcomes Willam Belli, who many know for participating in RuPaul’s Drag Race and from the television show Nip and Tuck. There will be a pre-show complimentary Johnnie Ginger drink regards of Johnnie Walker in Harpa’s Eyri at 20:30 p.m. After the shows events, there will queer offers at the bar and lively music into the night. Tickets for the event, or a festival pass, can be purchased from the Pride Service Center or online on Harpa’s website.
Ghosts, Trolls, Elves and Murder
The Reykjavík City Library offers free literary walking tours in downtown Reykjavík every Thursday this summer. The walks commence at 3 p.m. and begin from the library’s main branch at Tryggvagata 15. During the walk, you will be introduced to various haunting grounds from ghost stories in Reykjavík, as well as crime scenes from Icelandic crime fiction. Before the walk starts, it is also possible to catch a screening of Spirits of Iceland: Living With Elves, Trolls and Ghosts, located in the library’s screen room on the 5th floor. It is a 45 minute film and introduction to Icelandic folklore.
This is the Reykjavík and the capital area section of Best of Iceland This Week, the only Icelandic guide of its kind. New every week.
Warming up for Gay Pride!
The Icelandic Drag competition is an annual event where Iceland’s drag royalty strut their stuff and compete for the ultimate prize. This event has been held since 1997 and this year it will hosted in Eldborg in Harpa. The show has always been considered great fun for spectators and friends. Check it out on the 6th of August. Tickets can be purchased online here.
Sizzling Street Food and Cuisine Market
Every Saturday until Reykjavík Cultural Night (the 23rd of August), there will be a street food market called Krás Street Food Market in the Fógetagarður (Bailiff’s Garden). Many of Reykjavík’s finest high end restaurants along with street food vendors will be cooking delightful food for onlookers. Now only do you get the opportunity to taste some of the best food Reykjavík has to offer, you can also relax in one Reykjavík’s most historical spots, which is located on the corner of Kirkjustígur and Aðalstræti, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free.
Innipúkinn festival Left: Ólöf Arnalds. Right: Kristinn Gunnar Blöndal from Justman and Teitur Magnússon from Justman and Ojba Rasta!.Downtown music festival
If sleeping in a tent is not really your thing, Innipúkinn just might be. The title of the music festival is loosely translated as ‘couch potato’, and geared towards people who prefer staying in Reykjavik, i.e. ‘staying in’, rather than wanting to go camping in the potential rain. Innipúkinn Festival is being held for the 13th time this year, and stretches from Friday to Sunday evening (August 1st-3rd) where bands will be playing at Húrra Bar and Gaukurinn Bar.
Retro style Photograph Exhibition
Jóna Þorvaldsdóttir is a photographer who does not utilize digital cameras. Instead, Jóna employs techniques that were popular during the early days of photograph technology. The exhibition begins on Saturday the 1st of August at Gallerí Ófeigur, and it is called Augnablik í tíma (Moments in time). Some of the photographs are from some of Iceland's most majestic nature spots such as Strandir and Gálgahraun, which is located near the president’s domicile at Bessastaðir. There is no entrance fee and opening hours are from 10-16 on Saturdays, and 10-18 on weekdays.
Tours in English at Reykjavík Art Museum – Kjarvalsstaðir
The Reykjavík Art Museum has been offering guided tours in English every week at Kjarvalsstaðir this summer, on Fridays from 1:00 p.m. One exhibition is a retrospective of one of Iceland’s most famous Iceland’s artists, who also appears on the Icelandic 2000 krónur note. The exhibition is called Seasons in Kjarval’s Art, in it his artistic portrayal of Iceland’s nature is examined in view of how Kjarval depicted them during different seasons. The other exhibitions are a selection of Icelandic art from the collections of Reykjavík Art Museum, as well as an exhibition or an exploration of how Reykjavík was perceived by Icelandic artists, from its humble beginnings as a village to its development as a city from 1891 to 1993.
Opening Ceremony of Reykjavík Pride or Gay Pride Festival
The opening ceremony has been going strong for a decade now and this year’s ceremony will be held in Harpa at 9:00 p.m on Thursday the 7th of August. As always talented artists showcase their talents and this year’s ceremony welcomes Willam Belli, who many know for participating in RuPaul’s Drag Race and from the television show Nip and Tuck. There will be a pre-show complimentary Johnnie Ginger drink regards of Johnnie Walker in Harpa’s Eyri at 20:30 p.m. After the shows events, there will queer offers at the bar and lively music into the night. Tickets for the event, or a festival pass, can be purchased from the Pride Service Center or online on Harpa’s website.
Ghosts, Trolls, Elves and Murder
The Reykjavík City Library offers free literary walking tours in downtown Reykjavík every Thursday this summer. The walks commence at 3 p.m. and begin from the library’s main branch at Tryggvagata 15. During the walk, you will be introduced to various haunting grounds from ghost stories in Reykjavík, as well as crime scenes from Icelandic crime fiction. Before the walk starts, it is also possible to catch a screening of Spirits of Iceland: Living With Elves, Trolls and Ghosts, located in the library’s screen room on the 5th floor. It is a 45 minute film and introduction to Icelandic folklore.
