Icelanders welcomed the New Year with fireworks, as they always do. The residents of Reykjavík watched the spectacle from their balconies and yards, most of them contributing several fireworks to the entirely unorganized, colorful show, adorning the sky, no matter which direction you looked.
Earlier in the evening, families attended the traditional bonfires, which were held in most neighborhoods. Dogs began barking early in the evening in perfect harmony with the early shooting of fireworks by impatient party-goers. Dog-owners got a break from barking between 10:30 pm and 11:30 pm as the whole nation sat and watched Áramótaskaupið on TV―a comic representation of the year’s events.
Luckily, skies were clear at midnight in the capital city, allowing for an optimum fireworks spectacle, but the weather gods had had enough of the noise by 12:15 am, closing the curtain with a dark snow shower, thereby quieting both fireworks and dogs. Party-goers kept celebrating until morning, debating politics and quarreling about the quality of Áramótaskaupið―a traditional bone of contention.
The night passed without serious injury. Police were no busier than on an average weekend.
Iceland Review’s photographer Páll Stefánsson took the above photos by the bonfire in Laugarnes, Reykjavík, as well as downtown.
