Start at Austurvöllur at Eleven
By mid-morning on 17 June, Austurvöllur is already full. The square in front of the Alþingi building fills with Icelanders in national dress and visitors who have drifted down from Laugavegur, and at 11:00 a.m. the official ceremony begins. The Prime Minister, Kristrún Frostadóttir, lays a wreath at the Jón Sigurðsson monument; the President, Halla Tómasdóttir, delivers the National Day address. The Fjallkona — the "Lady of the Mountains" — speaks to the crowd, and her identity is kept secret until the moment she rises. The Labor Union Brass Band plays. RÚV broadcasts the whole thing live, but standing in the square is the point.
When the ceremony ends, a procession walks from Austurvöllur to the cemetery on Suðurgata, where the City Council president, Björg Magnúsdóttir, lays a wreath at the grave of Jón Sigurðsson and his wife Ingibjörg Einarsdóttir. You are welcome to follow it.
Walk the Parade from Hallgrímskirkja to Hljómskálagarður
At 1:00 p.m. the parade steps off from Hallgrímskirkja and heads for the festival area at Hljómskálagarður. Scouts lead it; costumed "fantastical creatures," circus performers and the Reykjavík Brass Band fill out the line. Position yourself on the hill by the church for the start, or cut down to the lake and catch it arriving.
Spend the Afternoon in Hljómskálagarður
From roughly 1:45 p.m., the park by Tjörnin becomes the city's front room. Everything here is free.
- Scouts run bouncy castles, playground equipment and an obstacle course for children.
- Fencing demonstrations, Hringleikur performances, and arts groups from Hitt Húsið appear through the afternoon.
- The Cruiser Club and Húlladúllan take part; Dans Afrika performs.
- Food trucks line the festival area — this is where you eat lunch.
- Main-stage dance: Leikhópurinn Lotta, Dansskóli Birnu Björns, Dansstúdío World Class, Danslistaskóli JSB and Dans Brynju Péturs.
- Live music into the evening: Páll Óskar, Amabadama, Tónhylur, with VÆB closing.
Branch Out: Klambratún, City Hall and Árbær
The day is spread across the city, and the farther you go from the lake, the quieter it gets.
- Klambratún — performances by Dans Brynju Péturs and Besti vinur minn Súpermann, plus DJs and food trucks.
- Reykjavík City Hall — the Reykjavík Accordion Society holds an accordion dance from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.
- Árbær Open Air Museum — a programme of national costumes, folk dances, the Lady of the Mountain, vintage cars and accordion music, with Dillonshús as the concession and Krambúðin for ice cream.
Know Before You Go
Every event and activity on the day is free. Several central streets close to traffic, so plan to walk or take the bus; the City of Reykjavík publishes a road-closure map and accessibility information alongside the programme. The date is fixed — 17 June, every year — so accommodation in the centre books out well ahead. Check the City of Reykjavík's published programme for 2026 as the day approaches, then build your own route: ceremony in the morning, parade at one, the lake until the music ends.