Public holidays in Iceland


Public holidays in Iceland are established by the act of the Icelandic parliament. The public holidays are the religious holidays of the Church of Iceland and the First Day of Summer, May Day, the Icelandic National Day. In addition, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are holidays from 1 PM.
There are also twelve official flag days in Iceland, some of which are not public holidays. On a flag day all government buildings fly the flag. Although citizens are not obliged to do it, most people do, if they have a flagpole.

Other days that are celebrated

In addition to the public holidays, other special days are celebrated in Iceland, some of which are official flagdays as well.
DateEnglish nameLocal nameLiteral meaningRemarks
6 JanuaryEpiphanyÞrettándinnThe Thirteenth
MoveableHusband's DayBóndadagurFriday between 19 and 25 January
MoveableWoman's DayKonudagurSunday between 18 and 24 February
1 MarchBeer DayBjórdagurinnCelebrates the legalization of beer in Iceland, 1 March 1989.
MoveableShrove MondayBolludagurBun Day
MoveableShrove TuesdaySprengidagurBursting Day
MoveableAsh WednesdayÖskudagurAsh Day
MoveablePalm SundayPálmasunnudagur-
MoveableMother's DayMæðradagurinnSecond Sunday in May
MoveableFisherman's DaySjómannadagurinnFirst Sunday in June.
Flag day
19 JuneWomen's Rights DayKvenréttindadagurinn-
24 JuneSt John's Mass DayJonsmessaJohn's MassSt John the Baptist's Mass Day, also known as Midsummer Night
MoveableFather's DayFeðradagurinnSecond Sunday in November
16 NovemberLanguage DayDagur íslenskrar tunguFlag day
1 DecemberSovereignty DayFullveldisdagurinnIndependence DayFlag day
23 DecemberSt. Thorlac's Mass DayÞorláksmessaSt Thorlac is Patron Saint of Iceland