DARK MUSIC DAYS

A veritable feast for ears and eyes
during the darkest days of winter

Dark Music Days is Iceland’s foremost contemporary music festival, founded in 1980 by the Icelandic Composers Society. Dark Music Days takes place annually, at the end of January, during the darkest days of the Icelandic winter. The festival is a great opportunity and a perfect excuse for a winter visit to Iceland, to experience its bubbling contemporary music scene and explore Reykjavík and its surroundings.

The festival takes place in Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland, and was appointed one of six official Reykjavík City Festivals for 2026-2028.

Since its opening in 2011, the renowned Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavík City Centre has served as Dark Music Days’ main venue. Events and concerts also take place in other venues, e.g. in another of the city’s landmarks, Hallgrímskirkja, which has collaborated with Dark Music Days for several years.

Travelling to Iceland

Icelandair operates from Europe and the US to Iceland and several foreign airlines offer flights to Iceland from both sides of the Atlantic. Look for flights and accommodation on your preferred travel search engines.

The international airport is located in Keflavík, around 50 km from Reykjavík City Centre. Airport buses and „Strætó“ (the Icelandic public transport) drive according to schedule to and from the terminal building. Bus tickets can be bought on board Icelandair flights or in the arrival hall at the airport.