EVENT CALENDAR

TIPS & TRICKS TO SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS

The northern lights are a natural phenomenon and they don’t appear on a fixed schedule. Also, because the lights appear in the thermosphere, above the clouds, they can’t be seen on cloudy nights. A northern lights sighting is never guaranteed, but if you follow these tips and tricks, you can maximise your chances to see them!

WAIT UNTIL DARK The northern lights are not very bright and certainly not bright enough to outshine the sun! You must wait until it’s dark to go out and hunt for the northern lights, but the good news is, during winter in Iceland, you don’t have to wait that long!

(THAT MEANS NO NORTHERN LIGHTS IN SUMMER) Icelandic winters are long and dark but during the summer, the sun hardly sets. This means that during the summer, it never really gets dark enough for the northern lights to appear.

GET OUT OF TOWN As we’ve mentioned, the northern lights aren’t bright enough to overpower other sources of light, so if you want to see them at their best, getting away from the city lights is key! On a good night, you can still see the lights within the city limits but the light pollution from the city will always dull their brightness a little.

CHECK THE AURORA FORECAST If you want to avoid disappointment, check out the aurora forecast published by the Icelandic Meteorological Office. They predict the cloud cover and the level of aurora activity. They’re not infallible but following the forecast is a good rule of thumb. MAKE SURE THE SKY IS CLEAR The lights appear high in the sky, which means that clouds can cover the view of the lights from the ground. It’s best to look for them on a clear, or at least partially clear night, just like the stars.

CONSIDER TAKING A TOUR If you don’t have a car, taking a tour can be a convenient way to get out of the city lights. Most tour companies offer northern lights tours by bus, boat or jeep and if you don’t see any lights you can take the tour again the next night for free.

BRING A CAMERA The northern lights are unforgettable, but you still might want to take some photos as souvenirs of your trip to Iceland. Don’t forget to bring your camera but be aware that taking great photos of the northern lights can be tricky. Ask your guide for help or turn to the next page to find some basic instructions.

WEAR WARM CLOTHES AND BE PATIENT! The northern lights are a natural phenomenon so they’re not dependable. Sometimes they come out early in the evening, clear and bright, but sometimes they don’t appear until the middle of the night or just appear as a blurry fog of lights. Bring a jacket and some mittens and have patience.

HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH THE NORTHERN LIGHTS!

The northern lights are faint and far away, so even if you see them clearly with your own eyes, they probably won’t show up on a photo unless you follow these tips and tricks. A good camera is the best tool to get the photo you want, but if you’ve got a smartphone, it’ll do. Most newer smartphones have an advanced option, allowing you to adjust the settings for your aurora photo shoot.

BRING A TRIPOD A tripod, or something to keep your camera level is essential to get a clear photo of the northern lights. You need a long exposure time to capture as much of the lights as you can and if your camera moves, your photo will be blurry.

SET YOUR APERTURE LOW... The aperture dictates how much of your lens is covered. You want it as open as possible to capture as much of the lights as you can.

…YOUR ISO HIGH The ISO dictates how sensitive the camera is to the light. Usually if you set it too high, the photo will be grainy but in the darkness of night, it’s essential. Start at 800 and adjust it until you find the setting you like. …AND SET A LONG SHUTTER SPEED This controls how long the lens is exposed, taking in light. You need some time to capture the elusive northern lights, so try 10 seconds to begin with and then adjust it to your liking.

EVENT CALENDER

SUMMER

Fisherman’s Day

June 5 Fishermen’s Day, celebrated on the first Sunday of June, reminds us of how important the sea and sailors are to our history, economy, and people. Every ship in Iceland is in harbour and sailors have a day off. It’s a lighthearted occasion with lots of fun for the whole family.

The Colour Run

June 10 Run through 5km of exploding coloured powder, ending your run in a colourful outdoor party. The aim of this event is to bring the Colour Run mania to the world!

Viking Festival in Hafnarfjörður

June 15-19 Viking Village in Hafnarfjörður hosts a solstice festival with Viking clothing, instruments, jewellery, crafts, and of course, food and drink. On the programme are Viking fights, storytelling, archery, and so much more!

National Day

June 17 The National Day of Iceland has been celebrated on June 17 since Iceland’s independence in 1944. The festivities in Reykjavík include colourful parades, street theatre, music, and dancing. Reykjavík Fringe Festival

June 24-July 3 Fringe Festival crosses genres and borders. It’s packed with entertainment that’ll make the audience think about the world differently. Their motto? Playful, adventurous, daring. Be it theatre, stand-up comedy, dance, poetry, burlesque, street performance, installation art, mobile art, or any other form of artistry, Fringe Festival is the place to be.

International Organ Summer

June-August Hallgrímskirkja church hosts a series of organ concerts on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, all summer. Various musicians perform various pieces of organ music on the beautiful Klais organ.

Reykjavík Classics

June-August Reykjavík Classics concerts take place at noon every day for the whole summer in the beautiful Eldborg auditorium in the iconic Harpa Concert Hall by the harbour. The concert is specifically designed to meet the demands of those who wish to listen to live performances of classical music, performed by artists of the highest calibre.

Ingólfshátíð Viking Festival

July 13 Every summer, we see part of Reykjavík transformed from modern to mediaeval as the Einherjar Vikings, dressed in full costume and character, invite fellow Vikings from all over the world to celebrate the fascinating cultural heritage of the Vikings!

Street Food Festival

July Street food and food trucks have been growing in popularity in Reykjavík over the past several years. This festival celebrates the diverse and delicious food options that can be found outside of traditional brick-and-mortar restaurants.

Innipúkinn Festival

July 29-31 Innipúkinn is an annual music festival, held in Reykjavík during the August bank holiday weekend. Past artists include Hatari, Cat Power, Blonde Redhead, Mugison, Raveonettes, Hjálmar, Mínus, Dikta, FM Belfast, Ólafur Arnalds, and many more.

Reykjavík Pride

August 2-7 Tens of thousands of people flock to the city centre every year to show solidarity and have fun with the gay community in Reykjavík and celebrate and support human rights for all.

Hidden People Festival

August Dress up like an elf or a fairy at the Hidden People Festival in the heart of Hafnarfjörður in Hellisgerði park. This magical location, complete with pond and mosscovered lava rocks, is said to be home to elves and fairies. The family-friendly festival is a chance for everyone to honour Iceland’s hidden people and to pay homage to the elf king and queen, who usually make an appearance.

Icelandic Chamber Music Festival

August The aim of the festival is for young musicians to participate in chamber music and to get a chance to perform and interact. Located in Kópavogur, concert hall Salurinn serves as the perfect venue for over a hundred musicians and music students from all over the world.

Reykjavík Jazz Festival

August 13-19 The annual Reykjavík Jazz Festival is an increasingly prestigious event on the international jazz scene. It features many acclaimed international jazz players and Icelandic leading jazz musicians.

Reykjavík Culture Night

August 20 Reykjavík Culture Night has become an essential part of cultural life in Iceland with thousands of people enjoying everything from traditional shows and exhibitions to more unusual happenings.

Reykjavík Marathon

August 20 This annual event involves thousands of participants from Iceland and abroad, and includes the marathon proper, half marathon, a 10K run, and a 3K Fun Run.

AUTUMN

Bears on Ice

September 1-4 Organised by volunteers to spice up the local gay scene and introduce gay-friendly Iceland to guests. It is one of Iceland’s three biggest gay events, and in recent years, Iceland’s only men-only event.

Reykjavík International Film Festival – RIFF September 29-October 9 RIFF was founded in 2004 with the aim of enriching and enlivening the local film culture. It has since become an international attraction, showcasing some of the most interesting films produced yearly worldwide. RIFF’s grand prize is the Golden Puffin.

Reykjavík Guitarama

October Several of the world’s greatest guitar players join the host, Björn Thoroddsen, on stage in Háskólabíó to show audiences all the tricks the guitar has to offer.

Extreme Chill Festival

October 6-9 Some of the biggest names in experimental music gather in Reykjavík for this three-day festival. While you are almost guaranteed to experience something innovative and new, the fest has also hosted internationally acclaimed artists like Tangerine Dream, Roger Eno, and Plaid. light emerges. Every year the Imagine Peace Tower stays lit between Lennon’s birthday and the day of his death.

Iceland Airwaves

Nov 2-5 The festival started as a showcase for local DJs but has evolved into an international music festival that presents the hottest new bands from the USA, Europe and Iceland. The festival attracts thousands of international visitors annually to sample the freshest sounds, foreign and domestic.

Icelandic Tattoo EXPO

November Tattoo artists from all over the world gather in Reykjavík for one weekend, showing off their skills in the art of tattooing.

WINTER

Iceland Noir

November 16-19 Iceland Noir is a mystery and crime fiction conference with international guests, filled with workshops, panels and excursions! It takes place at Iðnó.

Reykjavík Dance Festival

November 16-19 A series of events bringing together numerous choreographers and dancers from the Icelandic dance scene. The festival features a diversity of energetic events, all aiming to expand the notion of choreography through innovation and expression with numerous seminars, dinners, workshops, publications, cyberpunk dance sessions, and epic performances.