RECOMMENDED: Reykjavik Folk Festival 2026 / 2026.03.19. - 2026.03.21. 🎻 🥁 🪗 🇮🇸

Reykjavík Folk Festival returns for the second year in a row, March 19–21, 2026. The festival is organized on an international model that places joy of playing at the forefront and features acoustic instruments in the spotlight. The first festival was held with this guiding idea in 2010. The founder, concept originator, main designer and first director of Reykjavík Folk Festival was Ólafur Þórðarson, a beloved musician from Ríó Tríó and other bands, and a supporter of many musicians.

Folk music has sometimes been defined as music or musical influence tracing its origins to ordinary people, musical heritage passed from person to person, generation to generation. More often than not this comes from friends or family gathering, singing and playing by ear. It might therefore be more accurate to speak of popular (folk) music.

The main program of Reykjavík Folk Festival takes place at Iðnó on Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21.

The opening night and festival inauguration will be held at Tónlistarmiðstöð and Ægir 101 on Thursday, March 19, along with additional side events at Reykjavík City Hall and Iðnó on the other days.
 

Ægir 101 — free admission
20:00–23:00 — Reykjavík Trad Sessions

Friday, March 20

Reykjavík City Hall — free admission
16:00 — MÍT Showcase student concert
17:00 — Open concerts

Iðnó —
19:00 — doors open
20:00 — Svavar Knútur
21:00 — Umbra Ensemble
22:00 — Ode to Icelandic folk music (artists of the evening together with Snorri Helgason and Brek)

Saturday, March 21

Iðnó — free admission
15:00 — Children’s and family program, Siggi & Ingibjörg

Iðnó —
19:00 — doors open
20:00 — Soffía Björg & Fríða Dís
21:00 — Árstíðir
22:00 — Una Torfa