Iceland National Day

History of the holiday: Iceland's path to independence

Iceland was under the influence of the Scandinavian crowns for centuries, and the path to its own statehood was long and gradual. Since the 13th century, the island had been under Norwegian rule, and at the end of the 14th century, along with Norway, it came under the influence of the Danish crown. After the dynastic union of Denmark and Norway in 1380, and later the Kalmar Union, Iceland was effectively ruled from Copenhagen.

The most difficult period of dependence was in the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1602, Denmark introduced a strict trade monopoly: Icelanders were prohibited from trading with anyone other than designated Danish merchants. This severely limited the island's economic opportunities and led to prolonged impoverishment of the population. In 1662, the absolute power of the Danish king was introduced in Iceland, which finally consolidated centralised control from the metropolis.

The situation began to change in the 19th century. After the collapse of the Danish-Norwegian state in 1814, Norway became part of Sweden, but Iceland, along with Greenland and the Faroe Islands, remained under the direct sovereignty of Denmark. It was during this period that a powerful national liberation movement formed in Iceland. Its symbol and intellectual leader was Jón Sigurðsson, a scholar, publicist and politician who persistently defended the Icelanders' right to self-government, language and cultural autonomy.

Why was 17 June chosen? Because it is the birthday of Jón Sigurðsson (1811–1879). He was born on 17 June 1811 in Hrafnseyri in the Westfjords, studied and lived in Copenhagen, but devoted his entire life to the struggle for Icelandic self-government. Jón Sigurðsson died in 1879, 39 years before Iceland gained its status as a sovereign state.

The date had strong emotional significance even before 1944: mass celebrations of Sigurðsson's birthday were recorded in Reykjavík as early as 1907, with speeches in Austurvöllur Square and crowds of several thousand people (a huge number for the city at that time).

On 1 December 1918, the Danish-Icelandic Act of Union was signed, recognising Iceland as a fully sovereign state — the Kingdom of Iceland — in personal union with Denmark. The model was similar to Canada's current relationship with the British monarchy: Iceland had its own government, but Denmark remained responsible for foreign policy, defence and part of the judicial system.

In 1920, Iceland established its own Supreme Court and opened an embassy in Copenhagen. The first ambassador was Sveinn Björnsson, who later became Iceland's first president.

After Nazi Germany occupied Denmark in 1940, Iceland effectively took control of foreign affairs. This accelerated the process of complete independence.

On 17 June 1944, following the results of a nationwide referendum, Iceland declared itself a republic:

• 98.4% of voters supported the transition;
• only 377 people voted to preserve the union;
• turnout was around 98% and reached 100% in two districts.

Iceland's National Day is both the official date of the beginning of modern statehood and a day that has long been celebrated in society as a sign of respect for the person who embodied the desire to be oneself on one's own land.

Celebrations on 17 June in Iceland

Iceland National Day is celebrated outdoors, and it is this street format that makes it so attractive to travellers. Although Icelandic Independence Day has deep political roots, today it resembles a large family festival open to everyone. Reykjavík is the epicentre of the events, but the festive mood spreads throughout the country — from the capital's agglomeration to the smallest fishing villages.

Main ceremony

The central part of the celebration takes place in the heart of the capital — on Austurvöllur Square, right next to the Althingi Parliament building. This is the official ‘meeting point’ where the most important state rituals take place:

• The Prime Minister and other officials address the community;
• A solemn wreath-laying ceremony takes place at the monument to Jón Sigurðsson;
• A large-scale march begins, traditionally led by scout troops. This is deeply symbolic for Iceland, as the country does not have its own army, so it is the scouts who symbolise national pride during the march.

Festival Reykjavík

Immediately after the official speeches are over, the city instantly switches into party mode. Events spill out onto the streets, and travellers need only follow the sound of music to move from one location to another.

Street theatre, acrobatic performances, fragrant food stalls and music echoing from every corner — this is a typical scenario for Iceland's National Day. On this day, Reykjavík becomes completely pedestrianised, giving a feeling of freedom and unity that cannot be experienced at any other time of the year.

National traditions on Iceland's Independence Day

The National Day of Iceland has developed special traditions that give the holiday its unique character:

• Fjallkonan (Lady of the Mountain) is a female allegory of Iceland, known as the Lady of the Mountains. Every year, a selected woman in traditional dress recites a poem at the main ceremony, personifying the spirit and nature of the island;

  

• Jokes about rain: there is a belief that it always rains on 17 June. This is a reference to the downpour during the first celebration in 1944. Today, bad weather is seen as part of the collective memory and a reason for friendly jokes;

• National costumes — in particular faldbúningur, peysuföt, and sometimes also scout uniforms. Many Icelanders wear family heirlooms — embroidered dresses and handmade silver jewellery — which looks very cinematic;

• Musical accompaniment: parades in each district are accompanied by brass bands, often with scouts;

• City dances/music evenings: for example, in Reykjavík, individual musical events such as accordion concerts and dances at City Hall are described;

• Family entertainment in parks: children's activities, mini-fairs, games, sometimes vintage cars;
• Mandatory ice cream: even in cool weather, Icelanders adhere to the ritual and line up for ice cream, making the day very ‘delicious’ in the literal sense.

What to do and see on Iceland National Day

If you are a tourist and want to ‘catch’ the holiday spirit without a complicated plan, here is a simple way to experience the day:

• Start in the centre. In Reykjavík, it is best to go to the ceremony area at Austurvöllur — even if you don't stand there the whole time, the atmosphere there is very indicative of what Iceland National Day means to Icelanders;

  

• Next — the park and the stage. After the official part, many events spread across the city: concerts, street theatre performances, children's locations, food courts. In different years, the city programme includes activities in parks such as Hljómskálagarður and Klambratún — perfect for families. In 2026, it will most likely be the same;
• An alternative to the centre: the suburbs of the capital region. If you want something less crowded, celebrations are not only held in the centre of Reykjavík: events are also announced in Seltjarnarnes, Kópavogur, Garðabær, Hafnarfjörður, Mosfellsbær, and others;

• Museum option. For beautiful photos and cultural context, the Árbær Open Air Museum is ideal: there, the emphasis is on costumes, folk dances, and festive programmes;

• If you are not in the capital, the celebrations are also very lively in smaller towns (parades, speeches, ‘Fjallkonan’, fair atmosphere) — for example, Vík published a typical programme with a parade and family activities in 2026.

The celebration of Iceland National Day is an amazing spectacle, where respect for one's own history organically transforms into sincere joy of living here and now. It is a day when Icelanders open their hearts, showing the whole world how much they love their free, harsh and incredibly beautiful land. Even if the Icelandic sky greets you with cool rain, the warmth of people's smiles and the festive rhythm of Reykjavík will make this day one of the warmest memories of your trip.

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