The town of Akureyri in Northeast Iceland, of approximately 18.000 residents, has plenty of festivities to offer to visitors and locals celebrating Iceland’s National Day, June 17.
The celebration begins at 12:45 in Akureyri’s Botanical Garden (Lystigarður) where the town’s brass band will perform to attendees. The Akureyri Church Choir will also perform.
A sunny day in Akureyri. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.
Kristján Már Guðmundsson, a student of Giljaskóli, a local elementary school, will read a poem, and as usual Mayor Eiríkur Björn Björgvinsson will address the audience. Rev. Hildur Eir Bolladóttir will preach.
The opening event comes to an end at 13:30 pm, at which time a parade will march to the City Hall where a family-oriented program is scheduled to takes place from 2 pm to 4:30 pm.
Valdís Eiríksdóttir, this year’s fjallkonan or ‘the mountain woman,’ will give a speech. It is considered to be an honor to be selected for the role. Another young woman, a recent junior college graduate, Alda Karen Ólafsdóttir, will deliver a speech as well.
Among performers and entertainers are two theater groups, the Lotta Theater Group and the Saga Theater Group. Lilli Klifurmús (Junior the Climbing Mouse) will make an appearance. He is a character from the popular Norwegian children’s play Klatremus og de andre dyrene i Hakkebakkeskogen by Thorbjørn Egner. The title loosely translates as ‘The Animals of Hill Forest.’
Pop star Páll Óskar will perform as well as students of the music school Söngskóli Maríu.
Other activities include sailing excursions with Húni II from Pollurinn, the Akureyri harbor, an automobile exhibition at the Boginn sports hall held by the Akureyri Automobile Society and a funfair organized by the local scout movement in the town center. The scout movement is responsible for the organization of all events.
At 8 pm, the evening program commences at Ráðhústorg square where scouts will host the evening entertainment.
Performers are musicians Kalli, Jónsi of the band Í Svörtum Fötum, former Eurovision contestant Regína Ósk, Ína Valgerður and the band Hvannadalsbræður.
The Dance Society Vefarinn will perform, after which members of the accordion society will perform during a dance to which all are welcome.
Graduates from one of the town’s junior colleges, Menntaskólinn á Akureyri, will march to Ráðhústorg just before midnight.
For further information on the program and the town of Akureyri go to visitakureyri.is.
JB
