It’s no secret that it gets dark in Iceland in winter, but Icelanders don’t let the darkness get them down. The dark winter nights have their own special charm about them. Celebrating the dark winter nights is what the Winter Lights Festival is all about.
The festival offers a range of events, where the many faces of Reykjavík culture are revealed. Art and industry, environment and history, sports and culture come together when all the major museums, the swimming pools, and the Harpa music hall join forces and put on an amazing variety of events, all over the city.
This year, the festival has been postponed by one day due to an orange weather alert for tomorrow (6 February) and will start on Friday instead. The Mayor of Reykjavík, Einar Þorsteinsson, will open the festival on Friday at 18:30 at Ingólfstorg square by switching on the light installation Lightbattle III. There will be over 150 events over the course of the festival, where artists take part to create a unique atmosphere in the city. All the events will have free entrance.
Museum Night, Feb 7
On Museum Night, the museums across the whole capital will open their doors to the public at 6 PM, and remain open till 11 PM. Museum night is not only a chance to visit your favourite museum, free of charge, but most of the museums are also putting on special events and offer their visitors a chance to see, hear, and even taste the museum in a different way.
Special Museums Night buses will transport guests between museums, free of charge.
See the programme at www.vetrarhatid.is
Northern Lights Fun Run, Feb 8
This 4-5 km run through the city centre is not a timed race but an experience where lights, music and beats transform your run into something special. With fun stops scheduled along the way and a music and lights event by the finish line in the Reykjavík Art Museum, the Northern Lights Fun Run is a great way to engage with the city centre in a whole new way.
Swimming Pool Night, Feb 8
There aren’t many things that beat sitting in a geothermal hot tub underneath the stars (even Northern Lights if you’re lucky) and feeling toasty warm. On Swimming Pool Night, Laugardalslaug, the biggest pool of the capital area opens its doors to visitors. Entrance is free of charge from 17-23!
It will be a special evening in the dark, with circus acts, singing on the poolside with a trubadour playing and DJ Fusion Groove elevating the atmosphere.
Light Installations
To celebrate the winter darkness, artists have created light installations in the city centre. This year, the installations are 18 and light up the darkness while creating an interesing walking route from Hallgrímskirkja down Skólavörðustóigur and towards Austurvöllur. The installations will be on from 18:30-22:30 all festival long so be sure to catch them all!
See the programme at www.vetrarhatid.is
This article was originally written by Erik Pomrenke for Winter Lights Festival 2023 but has been updated by Gudmundur F. Magnusson to reflect the Winter Lights Festival in 2025.
