Best time to go to Iceland

Winter Lights Festival 2024

An amazing event that, besides the Northern Lights, brightens up the Icelandic sky

Dates: February 1–4, 2024

Winter Lights Festival
Lights seen from Skólavörðustígur Street, Reykjavik, Iceland
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The event, taking place every year in Reykjavik, is a real refreshment during the long winter nights. This festival lasts for three days and its main objective is to create amazing light installations on separate buildings, in various public places, including museums, concert halls, and even swimming pools. Eventually, Reykjavik becomes so beautiful that crowds of tourists can't help but walk around the city for hours with their mouths open.​

The program of the Winter Lights Festival is a mixture of entertainment and art. It's also an educational experience that incorporates industry, environment, history, and sports. Major museums and thermal pools of Reykjavík, as well as the Reykjavík Ski Resort, participate in the festival with their own fun events. However, the main highlights of the festival are beautiful light installations that brighten the night in the city.

Light Trail

The Winter Lights Walking Path is a special attraction of the festival that features six light installations in the city center: Hallgrímskirkja - Passage eftir Nocturnal, Tiny Massive - Harpa Concert Hall, Museum of the Moon - Harpa Concert Hall, Second Litany - Reykjavík Art Museum – Hafnarhús, ALDA - Reykjavík City Hall and De-LuX - National Gallery of Iceland. The light trail operates daily from 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm.

Museum Night (February 4, 2024)

One of the most popular events of the Winter Lights Festival include Museum Night, when museums across the city open their doors and entertain visitors with dance and theater performances, lectures, live music, films, and readings. Museums welcome visitors from 6 pm to 11 pm.

Pool Night (February 4, 2024)

No less popular is Pool Night, which takes place at the city's exceptional thermal pools. Fun activities, music, and pool illuminations make this experience especially memorable. The swimming pools are open to the public from 5 pm to 10 pm.

Ticket prices

You must be wondering what the price of all these delights is. Here comes the best part: all of the festival's events are free! So don't even linger, but book a room right now and assure yourself an unforgettable Arctic weekend.

Find hotels and airbnbs near Winter Lights Festival (Map)

Last updated: by Eleonora Provozin