17th June in Hafnarfjörður

• 17 June in Hafnarfjörður

Celebrate Iceland's National Day with us here in Hafnarfjörður. Programme in English.
We offer a varied programme of events around the town.

• 17 June in Hafnarfjörður

Come and celebrate the national holiday with us at
Hafnarfjörður.
Diverse celebrations in different parts
city.

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Come and celebrate the national day with us in Hafnarfjörður. 

A varied programme will be on offer throughout Hafnarfjörður. The National Day begins with a flag-hoisting ceremony at Hamrinn at 8 a.m., hosted by the Hraunbúar Scout Association, and concludes with an evening programme in Thorsplani. This evening programme in the heart of Hafnarfjörður on the National Day itself returns to the 17th June celebrations this year. Young musicians will perform alongside more experienced ones.

A national day party that extends its reach far and wide across the town.

As usual, a varied programme will be on offer in Hafnarfjörður on 17th June, a national day celebration that extends its reach throughout the town. Organised festivities will take place at Thorsplan and Hörðuvellir.  On Strandgatan, there will be stalls and bouncy castles, and young people from the council's creative summer jobs will be out and about in the town to entertain visitors and passers-by. Steaming hot porridge and a sea swim will be on offer at Langeyrarmelar, a national costume gathering will take place at Flensburg, and residents of Austurgata will be hosting a festival in their street. At Víðistaðatún, Viking Festival which is taking place from 15th to 19th June. 

Parade from Flensburg School

This year, the parade will proceed from Flensburg School down Ring Road, along Lækjargata and into Strandgata to Thorsplan. The Hafnarfjörður Pipe Band, the Hraunbúar Scout Group and Vikings will lead the parade.  The parade will affect traffic in the area while it is taking place. 

Flying the flag on 17th June

We encourage residents and businesses in Hafnarfjörður to paint the town in the colours of the flag by flying flags in every possible place. Put up flags or place a flag in the nearest window or flowerpot. Let's all take part! 

8:00 Flags lowered and flag salute at the Rock

The Hraunbúar Scout Group is flying its flag all over town.

9:00-13:00 Sea swimming at Langeyrarmalir

The Urturnar Sea Swimming Club guide the townspeople in sea swimming. The steam billowing and Hafnarfjörður Swimming Pool open.

11:00 National costume gathering in Flensburg

Busy schedule –
National costume and jewellery provides assistance with wearing national costume and encourages
To have the people of Hafnarfjörður wear the national costumes of all countries. Folk costume photoshoot
at Hafnarborg at 14:30.

13:00 Parade from Flensburg School

Walking down Ring Road,
along Lækjargata and onto Strandgata to Thorsplani. Hafnarfjörður Brass Band,
The Hraunbúar and Víkingar Scout Group lead the parade.

Hafnarfjörður Library

• 13:00 The Ice Skating of the Valkyrie of Hafnarfjörður
  The historian and master dressmaker Hildur Rosenkjær, often known as Annríki,
  gives a short talk on the history and meaning of the costume while the Valkyrie
  is preparing for her speech.
• At 2 p.m., Nikkan will of course be on site, and children's author Hrafnhildur Emma Björnsdóttir will read the short story „National Day in Grýla's Lair“.
• 16:00 Intimate concert
  The musicians Rebekka and Ásgeir are holding a cosy concert for those who
  Relax a little after the fantastic programme at Thorsplan in a cosy atmosphere.
  at the library.

13:00-17:00 Sports Hall Strandgata

Hafnarfjörður Badminton Club
There will be an open house where you can try table tennis and badminton.
There will also be an obstacle course for the youngest generation. Then it will be possible to buy
Steaming hot waffles and coffee to fortify the BH team on its way to
European Club Badminton Championship in Poland at the end of the month.

13:30 - 16:30 Celebration at
Thorsplan

The celebrations in the centre of Hafnarfjörður begin with a formal
programme and entertainment at Thorsplan.

• 13:45 The Male Choir
  Doves
• 13:50 Address
  valkyrie
• 14:00 Opening
  Celebration – Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, Mayor
• 14:10 Showing
  from the School of Choreography
• 14:25 The Fork Theatre with a scene from the play The Longest Forever
• 14:50 Viking combat
  – Rimmugýgur
• 15:10 Tónflóð
  – An adventurous musical show from popular cartoons. Enchanting voice acting,
  Colourful costumes and songs that everyone knows. Nostalgia for adults and
  A blast of fun for the kids! Ideal family entertainment.
• At 15:40, Immi the Pineapple and Guffi the Banana from the Fruit Basket tell the story of the fruit basket and sing their favourite songs from the show.
• 4:00 p.m. The Disco
  Princess

Presenters: Social media stars Finnbogi and Melkorka

13:30-16:30 Hörðuvellir

• Carousel
  – a fantastic sixteen-person fairground ride for all ages! Free admission!
• Bouncy castles
• Face painting for the children, with free face painting from 13:30 to 15:30.
• Snow Queen
  and a mountain giant will be travelling around the festival grounds and greeting guests.
• Bladder animal
  while stocks last
• Stalls
  and food vans: Flatbakan and Dons Donuts

13:30 - 16:30 East Street Festival

The residents of East Street welcome residents of Hafnarfjörður and the surrounding areas, and as in previous years, there will be plenty of fun and exciting activities on offer. For example:

• The Free Church in Hafnarfjörður – Song and Joy
  The Free Church Choir sings at 2 p.m. on the corner of East Street and Linnet Path, delighting visitors. Afterwards, the Free Church Band invites everyone to dance.
• Kiljuhjals's Book Exchange Market
  Invited by Kolbrún María Másdóttir and Lára Debarúnu Árnadóttir, hosts of the podcast Kiljuhjals, which will launch this summer as part of Creative Summer Jobs in Hafnarfjörður, where they encourage people to read, reuse and share books.
• Creative summer job street artists play well-chosen songs for passers-by.
  Guitarist Magnús Trevenen will be on site with his guitar, along with members of the Óh Sú! string quartet under the direction of violist Úlfur Þórarinsson, together with violinist Sindri Kristinsson, will be roaming East Street with their string instruments, playing beautiful tunes for the guests of the East Street Festival.

2:00 pm The Learning Centre by the Stream

The Hafnarfjörður Brass Band will
playing light, playful summer music.

14:00-15:00 Hafnarfjörður Church

Hafnarfjörður Church is offering a festive programme at an open house where Björn
Thoroddsen, guitarist and artist in residence of Hafnarfjörður, performs Icelandic
pop gems, folk songs and much more in his own unique way. With him
Jón Rafnsson on bass and Guðmundur Sigurðsson on piano and organ. 

11:00-17:00 Víðistaðatún

The Viking Festival in Hafnarfjörður takes place in Víðistaðatún from 15th-19th June and is free to enter. Over 200 Vikings will make their way to Hafnarfjörður from both within and outside the country. The programme is varied and there is plenty going on, including: combat demonstration, craft exhibition, Viking games, wrestling demonstration & instruction, stonemasonry, herbal dyeing, Norse chickens, Viking school for children, various stalls, archery competition, food & drink.

In addition, you will be able to try both archery and axe-throwing for a small fee; all proceeds will go directly to the Viking Festival in Hafnarfjörður. Rimmugýgur welcomes you to the festival, which is both the 25th Viking Festival in Hafnarfjörður and the start of Rimmugýgur's 25th anniversary year.

10:00-14:00 Hafnarfjörður Flatahrauni Boarding Club 

Open house from 10:00-14:00 at the skate park at Flatahrauni 41. You can come and have fun on skateboards, BMX bikes and scooters. Free entry!

11:00-17:00 Hafnarfjörður Museum of Local History, open in all buildings and free admission.

• The Packhouse, 6 Vesturgata, a new themed exhibition about the first Hafnarfjörður collector,
  An exhibition on the history of Hafnarfjörður and a toy exhibition.
• At 14:30 and 15:30, the band TÆR will be playing on the Folk Museum Square. TÆR is an Icelandic band that plays dreamy country-indie-rock and heart-warming tunes.
• Beggubúð, 3b Kirkjuvegur, a retail heritage exhibition in
  in the spirit of the national holiday.
• The Sívertsen House, 6 Vesturgata, the story of Bjarni Sívertsen and his home
  An aristocratic family from the early 19th century.
• Siglufjörður, Kirkjuvegur 10, newly refurbished and renovated as an example of
  A working-class home from the early 20th century.
• Bookless Bungalow, 32 Vesturgata, an exhibition about the Bookless brothers and foreigners.
  The fishing industry in Hafnarfjörður in the first half of the 20th century.
• Strandstígurinn, a new exhibition of selected photographs by Anna Jónsdóttir.

12:00-17:00 Harbour City

A special entertainment programme will be offered throughout
The public is welcome to the current exhibitions.
of the museum, In the Deep of One's Own Consciousness, which sheds light on the artist's career
Gunnar Arnars Gunnarsson (1946-2008), and What's Up, Ave Maria?, where
Sigurður Ámundason shows new and recent works.

• 12:00 Balloon artist
  To kick off the celebrations, balloon artist Jóhannes Hrefnuson Pálsson
  to welcome children, guests and passers-by from midday with balloon figures, snakes
  and other beings, inspired by the imagery of Gunnar Arnar Gunnarsson, in connection with
  at the exhibition 'In the Deep Waters of One's Own Consciousness'.

• 14:00 Curator's Talk
  There will be a curator's talk with Aldís Arnardóttir, Director.
  Harbour City, about the overview exhibition In the Deep Waters of Our Own Consciousness at 2 pm, where
  It will tell of the life and work of Gunnar Arnar Gunnarsson, but at the exhibition one can
  See works spanning the artist's career of nearly four decades.
• 12:00-17:00 National costume exhibition
  As in previous years, Annríki will hold a special national costume show in the Pharmacy on
  the ground floor of the museum, where men's and women's traditional costumes from throughout
  the period and seeks to shed light on their development, in addition to which a
  an emphasis on knitted garments of the 18th and 19th centuries, and the exhibitions have enjoyed great
  popularity every year.
• 14:30 Folklore costume photoshoot at Hafnarborg

Everyone is welcome – admission is free, as always.
days of the year.

11:00-13:00 17th June – Get Together Family Festival

Independence Day will be celebrated by baking Icelandic pancakes at our Get Together centre in the Harbour of Hope – Hafnarfjarðarkirkja (entrance from Suðurgata).
Pop in for a coffee and pancakes. There will also be flags and treats for the children. Everyone is welcome!
Get Together is a supportive platform for refugees and asylum seekers staying in Hafnarfjörður. The project is run by volunteers, in partnership with the churches of Hafnarfjörður and the Hafnarborg Cultural Centre.

14:00-16:00 Blue Light Ride of the Capital Region Fire and Rescue Service

To mark the occasion, the Capital Region Fire and Rescue Service will be driving through several streets in the municipality with blue lights and the Icelandic flag from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Unfortunately, it is not possible to schedule this precisely, as the fire service is on duty as usual. Let's give them a warm welcome; it's a great opportunity to get out and celebrate.

2 pm and 3 pm The band Enter name in Hellisgerði

Enter name is a one-year-old band from Hafnarfjörður. It is made up of five fifteen-year-old boys who have a burning passion for music and fit together like a good film. They are part of the Hafnarfjörður arts collective, which is responsible for showcasing their arts and crafts all over Hafnarfjörður this summer.

Outdoor area of Hjarta Hafnarfjarðar at Bæjarbíó

• 13:00-17:00 Motorcycle Day with the Harley Davidson Club.

Come and see the motorbikes and meet the owners who are showing off their bikes.

• 19:00-23:00 Rock 'n' roll entertainment

The DJ plays all the best rock songs
Eyþór Ingi and Davíð Sigurgeirsson at 21:00
Rúnar Þór and the band finish with some proper rock in the marquee until 11 p.m.

Hrafnista/Sólvangur

The Choir On Light Notes
Holds a concert at Hrafnista and Sólvangur 

Promenade, street and square

• Brought up
  under children on horseback from the Sörli Riding Club at the end of Austurgata
  from 2 p.m.
• Athletics Department
  FH is offering a athletics track on the old Co-operative site.
• Bouncy castles
  all over the festival grounds
• Reykjavík Street Food food trucks at Thorsplan: Tasty, Grill of Thrones and Hungry Viking
• Unexpected
  Events of the Hafnarfjörður Summer School Arts Group

19:00-22:00 Music party at Thorsplan

An evening programme in the heart of Hafnarfjörður on the national day itself returns to the 17th June celebrations. Young musicians will perform alongside more experienced ones.

• 7:00 pm Young people
  Artists warm up
• 20:00 Guðrún Árný
• 8:20 pm, Klara
  Elias
• 20:40 Bears
• 21:00 Brilliant
• 21:30 Friðrik Dór

Reykjavík Street Food food trucks at Thorsplan: Tasty, Grill of Thrones, Hungry Viking, Flatbakan and Dons Donuts
Presenter: Actress Birna Rún Eiríksdóttir

20:30-23:00 THEY take Pallett!The band ÞAU are holding a national day concert at Pallett in Hafnarfjörður. There, ÞAU will play songs from their album “ÞAU taka Vestfirði', which is now available on all major streaming platforms. The performance features original songs set to poems by Westfjordic poets. THAU are Rakel Björk Björnsdóttir, singer and actress, and Garðar Borgþórsson, musician. FREE ENTRY!

Transport and road closures

The town centre will be closed to car traffic during the celebrations:

• Strand Street at Lækjargata
• Linnets Path at Fjardargata and 23 Hverfisgata
• East Road from Linnets Lane
• Mjósund by East Street
• Lakeside Path from Arnarhraun to Lækjarskóli
• Disabled parking at 1 Linnetsstíg

Residents are encouraged to park legally near the town centre, walk or take the bus to the event venue. We point to the numerous car parks at the marina, Lækjarskóli, Tækniskólinn, Flensborg, the sports hall on Strandgata and Víðistaðaskóli.

Let's leave the dogs at home

It should be noted that dogs are more comfortable at home than in crowds.

Please note that dogs are not permitted at event venues.

National Day Committee

Brynjar Þór Gestsson
Tinna Hallbergsdóttir
Steinn Jóhannsson

Executive Committee

Geir Bjarnason
Tinna Dahl Christiansen
Stella Björg Kristinsdóttir
Margret Gauja Magnúsdóttir
Jón Grétar Þórsson
Brynja Birgisdóttir

The programme is subject to change without notice, and events may be added or postponed.