The HEIMA festival colours the heart of Hafnarfjörður this evening.
„Everything belongs at Heima,“ says Ólafur Páll Gunnarsson, broadcaster and organiser of the HEIMA music festival, which is being held for the 11th time here in the centre of Hafnarfjörður this evening, Wednesday 22 April – the last day of winter.
The HEIMA festival, right in the heart of the people of Hafnarfjörður.
„Everything belongs at Heima,“ says Ólafur Páll Gunnarsson, a radio presenter and co-organiser of the HEIMA music festival, which is being held for the 11th time here in the centre of Hafnarfjörður this evening, Wednesday 22 April – the last day of winter. The other is Henný María Frímannsdóttir, who is based in Hafnarfjörður. Yes, this gorgeous music festival marks the end of winter and the beginning of summer in the town.
„Sold out and brilliant,„ says Óli Palli, describing how it has been sold out for the last two to three years, but never as quickly as this year. “It's new for us to sell out three months in advance. That means the festival has really established itself."
Óli Palli looks back to the beginning. He, together with Kristinn Sæmundsson, who ran the record shop Hljómalind on Laugavegur and raised the 'cute generation' – and others, started the festival just over a decade ago following a conversation with the Faroese musician Jón Tyril at the Harpa concert hall.
„We met at Iceland Airwaves in 2013 and he told us about a new festival in the Faroe Islands.“ This musician had been in a band with the singer Eivør Pálsdóttir, but her sister Elinborg is performing at Heima tonight.
„Jón described how he wanted a music festival without any hassle. No hassle, toilets or fences, just music and people. He told them about his home festival and he and Kiddi thought, “Wow,' and seized on the idea.
„So we got started. We got some good musicians. Fjallabræður, Bjartmar, Ylja, Vök, Bjössi Thor and others were there at the first festival, but people just weren't buying it. They weren't keen on going home to people they didn't know and listening to music there,“ he says.
„It was quite a struggle and took a few years for people to get it and buy into the concept. Now, people have long since got it all and see the brilliance we saw from the start.“ Óli Palli says the same people keep coming back, people of all ages, but the biggest group is people aged 45-55, and new people are always joining them.
Yes, it's going to be fun this year. The festival is a unique cultural event, where the intimacy between performers and guests is prioritised. Residents of Hafnarfjörður open their homes and turn their living rooms into concert venues, where artists perform in small, intimate spaces throughout the town centre.
Fourteen artists are taking part in this year's festival. They will be playing at various venues around the town. As well as in private homes, there will be music in the Free Church and at the Town Cinema. Also at the Fjörukrá and at ÆGI 220 for the first time. Performers include Mugison, Pétur Ben, Elinborg and Oyama.
Wristbands will be distributed at Ægi from 2 pm. The first HEIMA concerts begin at 7.30 pm in the Fríkirkjan, following the formal opening, and the last will finish at around 11 pm.
„We spend the whole year thinking about what we're going to offer. It's all carefully selected. We think of it as a diverse range of music, and everything has its place. Pop, rock, folk, jazz, and sometimes classical,“ says Óli Palli.
But what does he measure it with? „Well, Elínborg Pálsdóttir at Mjósund 8 and then the Fjörukráin. Yes, the Fjörukráin is a new partner and it will be fun to be there: Sváfnir, Elínborg, Páll Óskar and Benni Hemm Hemm,“ he says.
„We also enjoy offering things that people aren't familiar with, but that we know are brilliant, like ukuleles. Everything at Heima is great, so wherever you go, you're guaranteed a good time.“
Yes, let's enjoy ourselves together and celebrate some lovely entertainment.