Iceland’s Merchant’s Holiday

Magazine Iceland’s Merchant’s Holiday

On the first Monday of every August, Iceland celebrates Frídagur verslunarmanna, which is also known as Merchants Day. It always falls on a Monday and is therefore a long weekend for all Icelanders, many of whom take to the roads to attend several outdoor festivals that feature live music and, to be honest, a fair amount of partying. 

Merchants Day dates back to 1894 and was originally intended to give sales clerks a day off – an important event as prior to this year, most workers did not get any summer vacation so it marks the end of worker oppression!

If you do find yourself in town during the Merchant’s Weekend, you might want to check out some of the popular events. The most renowned outdoor festivals are the National Festival in Vestmannaeyjar Islands (Westmann Island), the “One With Everything” festival in Akureyri and The Flying Sparks festival in Neskaupsstaður. If you’d rather stay in Reykjavik, there is an annual music festival, called Innipúkinn. Not only are there festivals in Iceland, but this extended weekend also features some sporting events. Two of the largest annual sporting events are the Teenagers’ National Competition, played in Egilsstaðir, and the European Championship in Swamp Soccer in Ísafjörður.  

 From Berjaya Hotels, Iceland’s premiere chain of hotels, with 9 locations around the country. Cheers!

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