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Austurgata was, in years gone by, the main shopping street of Hafnarfj\u00f6r\u00f0ur. The street is typical of Hafnarfj\u00f6r\u00f0ur, where the settlement, the lava field and the people form a close-knit whole. Fifteen houses on the street are older than the street itself, and an emphasis has been placed on preserving the street's early 20th-century appearance. The residents of Austurgata are very close-knit, and today they use a modern Facebook residents' page to stay in touch and for events.<\/p>\n
Businesses and institutions are along the street, such as N\u00e1ndin, a grocery shop with an environmental focus, Hlj\u00f3mar, offering music lessons and music therapy, and Hafnarfj\u00f6r\u00f0ur's oldest church, the Fr\u00edkirkjan, which stands on a cliff overlooking the street. There is also the old telephone exchange, which is now a home, and the town's most historically famous Christmas house. With the arrival of the grocery shop at the end of the street by the stream, residents say that the culture and atmosphere of the past is gradually being revived. Many make their way from the streams and to the area around Hlj\u00f3ma on Saturdays.<\/p>\n
The unity and creativity of the residents of East Street has, among other things, led to the East Street Festival, which has become an integral part of the 17th June celebrations, with a street market atmosphere, a sale of arts and crafts, a food stall, and soulful music. Some open their gardens on this day or invite guests to sit in front of their houses. Others go even further in their hospitality at the annual HEIMA festival, where East Street takes centre stage and numerous residents invite passers-by into their living rooms to experience the singing and sounds of well-known musicians in an unusually intimate setting.<\/p>\n