Next year, the Iceland Airwaves Music Festival will be held in Akureyri, North Iceland, in addition to Reykjavík, RÚV reports. This was announced yesterday. The plan is to use two or three concert venues in Akureyri for 20-26 events. On top of those, Akureyri will have off venue events at select locations. Grímur Atlason, the festival’s CEO, pointed out that in a way, this will bring Iceland Airwaves home, since the idea for the festival originated in Akureyri.
Grímur stressed the importance of bringing in young bands from the Akureyri area and to make Iceland Airwaves more accessible to people outside the metropolitan area. “It’s important that not foreigners alone visit Iceland Airwaves and also to bring foreigners to the capital of the North. That has long been the plan.” What makes it possible now is that Icelandair and Air Iceland have decided to offer packages and direct flights from Keflavík to Akureyri to foreign guests, who can begin their stay in Akureyri and end it in Reykjavík.
Grímur informed RÚV that in the spring of 1999, the idea was born in Akureyri to invite influential people in the music world to see Icelandic musicians.
This year, about 220 artists appeared at Iceland Airwaves, performing at almost 300 concerts. The number of festival guests was close to 9,000.
Next year will be the 19th time the festival is held. It will take place November 1-5, both in Reykjavík and Akureyri. General ticket sales begin February 1.
