Iceland Summer 2025: Festivals, Midnight Sun & Events You Don’t Want to Miss!

If you’re planning a summer trip to Iceland this year, you’re in for a seriously unforgettable time. From Viking festivals and glittery Pride parades to 24-hour sunshine parties, this season is PACKED with iconic events, quirky town festivals, and hey I'll even add in some local tips to make the most of your stay!

So, let’s dive into all the best happenings and lets take it month by month so I can and help you plan your dream Iceland adventure!

Before We Begin: Two Quick Planning Tips!

✅ Check these websites for event listings before you travel:

• VisitReykjavik.is: Great calendar of cultural events in the city- many of them FREE!
• Tix.is: Iceland’s go-to site for concert, festival, and show tickets!

✅ Expect Pop-Up Town Festivals all Over!

Small festivals bloom all across Iceland’s tiny towns all summer long - even in remote areas! Although they mostly cater to the locals, they can affect accommodation, camping sites and parking availability in that area, so if you plan on venturing out and exploring on your own, look at what's happening in the towns during your stay!

Now let's dive into what to expect here in the summertime, and let's take it month by month!

April: The Season Begins!

Weather: Classic Iceland, 4–8°C (39-46°F), windy and can be rainy. If we are lucky though, we can get a glimpse of spring and this season is notorious for tricking us, weather might be sunny and nice one day and then BAM snow the next one! So expect the unexpected!

Highlights:

• Mid-April: Puffins return to Iceland! 🐧 Concider joining a Classic Puffin Tour from Reykjavík Harbor to spot the cuties, or if you are into adventure, look at the RIB option!
• April 24: Sumardagurinn Fyrsti (First Day of Summer) - A low key holiday where we celebrate with art pop-ups and parades.

Tip: Northern Lights season officially ends by mid April, it's just to bright to see them! But on the upper hand, the days are getting wonderfully long!

May: Spring Vibes + Longer Days

Weather: Now we are talking! Temperatures range from 6–10°C (42-50°F) with longer daylight (up to 20 hours at the end of the month!).

Highlights:

• May 1: Labor Day - Low key holiday, expect some business closures but cafés, bars and restaurants are definitely open!
• May 29: Ascension Day - Some shops might have limited opening hours, but again, cafés, bars and restaurants = open!

Perfect for: Booking day trips like our stunning Golden Circle Tour or the South Coast Adventure Tour to enjoy the lesser crowds and mid weather!

June: Summer Takes Off!

Weather: Mild temperatures 6-15°C (42-59°F), endless daylight (Summer Solstice Season!) and by this time, we are into the official summer, yaaay!

Highlights:

• June 2–8: Reykjavík Fringe Festival - A festival filled with quirky and unexpected performances!
• June 8: Sjómannadagurinn (Fishermen’s Day) - An ode to Icelands fisherman heroes! Harbor celebrations, sea rescues reenactments and games!

• June 8 & 9: Whit Sunday and Whit Monday - Some closures might effect bushiness, but cafés, bars and restaurants will be on and open!
• June 12–17: The Viking Festival in Hafnarfjörður - full Viking village experience.

• June 17: Icelandic Independence Day 🇮🇸 - Iceland got it's independence in 1944 from Denmark and we celebrate each year on June 17th! Parades, concerts, and pure joy all around!

• June 19–21: Arctic Open Golf Tournament - The most magical golf tournament ever! Midnight tee times under the sun.
• June 21: Our exclusive Summer Solstice Yacht Party! Join our team at Wake Up Reykjavík for a legendary Yacht Party ONLY that night!

Tip: BOOK TOURS EARLY! By June we are in into the high season and experiences and accommodations full up quickly! On big holidays like our independence day when the city gets busy, many of the day tours (like our most popular tour, The Reykjavík Food Walk) have limited availability - so again, secure it early!

July: Festival Season in Full Swing

Weather: Warmest month (still mild by most standards haha!) with temperatures around 7-14°C (43°F to 57°F) and light nearly all night!

Highlights:

• July 1–4: Goslok Festival, Vestmannaeyjar - A time where locals celebrates the end of the 1973 volcanic eruption that impacted the small island.
• July 4–7: Irish Days, Akranes - Celebrate the fact that some Irishmen settled up here during our settlement! Green everything and redhead competitions!

• July 5–9: Siglufjörður Folk Festival - The stunning town comes alive with authentic Icelandic folk music and festivities!
• July 7–13: Icelandic Horse Convention, Reykjavík - Riding competitions and adorable horses everywhere.
• July 11–12: Kótilettan Festival, Selfoss - An epic BBQ festival by day and concerts at night! Super fun time close to the Golden Circle area!
• July 26: Bræðslan Music Fest - A super remote festival in an old fish factory.

Tip: If you are looking ad booking adventure day tours like South Coast Tours and Snæfellsnes Peninsula Tours secure those ticket early - they sell out fast in July!

August: Summer Party Month!

Weather: Expect temperatures around 8-14°C (47-57°F), mild conditions, some rain and the days and nights start to get equal again!

Highlights:

• August 1–4: Commerce Weekend (Verslunarmannahelgi) - Iceland’s biggest party weekend! 🇮🇸 Everyone gets the day off that Monday so it's a long weekend and Icelanders pack their bag and go camping! Festivities ALL over Iceland! Some major ones are:

• Þjóðhátíð Festival, Vestmannaeyjar: A legendary party for Icelanders, bonfires, fireworks, and 15,000 Icelanders singing their hearts out!
• Innipúkinn Festival, Reykjavík: Chill, indie music vibe in the city centre!
• Ein með Öllu, Akureyri: A family festival hosted in the North! Activities, events and concerts!
• Neistaflug, Neskaupstaður: A family music festival hosted in the East!

• August 5–10: Reykjavík Pride - A colorful celebration for all! The week will be filled with events peaking in the parade on Saturday filled with glitter and rainbow joy!

• August 15-18: Blooming Days (Blómstrandi Dagar), Hveragerði: The geothermal town celebrates being in bloom with a town festival! This also includes the iconic Ice Cream day that gives us crazy flavors like fermented shark ice cream for one day only!
• August 23: Culture Night (Menningarnótt) - The biggest day in Reykjavík! During the day we have the Reykjavík Marathon and as we progress into he evening the city is buzzing with concerts, street shows, food truck and peaking with a fireworks display. On that day over 100,000+ people make their way downtown!

• August 27–30: Reykjavík Jazz Festival - Laid back and smooth sounds around the city!

Tip: Puffins leave mid-August! Also, Northern Lights begin to make a comeback. Book your Northern Lights Tour on your first night for free rebooking options and to maximize your chances of seeing them!

September: End of Summer, Start of Northern Lights

Weather: Back to pretty typical Iceland temperatures around 8–11°C (46-51°F), the nights start to get darker again which gives us back the Auroras! Usually pretty mild month with average wind and rain!

Highlights:

• Early–Mid September: Réttir - The tradition of sheep herding had been with us Icelanders for centuries, and this festival is all about work and keeping up with the ancient Icelandic tradition! Briff.ut the farmers also know how to have fun!

• September 25–October 5: Reykjavík International Film Festival (RIFF) - A time for global indie cinema galore!

Tip: Pack layers, a light down jacket, hat, and gloves and just in case waterproof everything are your best friends now! This is still a busy season since we have many cruise ships still docking in Iceland, so booking with a notice - also important in September!

Ready to experience Summer in Iceland!?

So, which event are you most excited for? Check out all our tours, foodie fun, and epic summer experiences right here 👉 On our Wake Up Reykjavík site!

Drop us a line at info@wakeupreykjavik.com if you want any assistance with any bookings, we would love to hear from you!

See you in the midnight sun! 🌞