Every summer, Hafnarfjörður, a port town on the outskirts of Reykjavík, is the scene of vicious battles, lively markets, music, and storytelling at the Viking Festival. Held at Víðistaðatún park on June 13-17, the festival is a tribute to Vikings and pays homage to their way of life.
Rimmugýgur, a Viking reenactment group from Hafnarfjörður, has been organising the festival since 1995. The group is made up of people enthusiastic about Viking culture and who would like to preserve Viking traditions. The name Rimmugýgur is taken from an axe mentioned in Njál’s Saga and translates to Battle Troll. Next to organising the Viking Festival, the group teaches all-year combat trainings for those interested.
The Viking Festival is the largest and oldest event of its kind in Iceland. A market is held where you can buy Viking crafts, cuisine, and goods. The festival programme is packed, with archery, Viking games, battle demonstrations, live music, storytelling, a Viking school for children, and lots more!
Entrance to the festival is free of charge all days. Don’t miss the Viking Festival 2019!
