/tags/vestmannaeyjar-acommodations.rss en-us The Westman Islands Festival, held annually on the first August weekend in the southern coast of Iceland, is well thought of as one of the greatest parties in the world. This Iceland Festival, also known as the “Merchant’s Holiday” or "Þjóðhátíð", is marked by residents actually leaving their homes to pitch white tents in the middle of a valley for a colossal celebration! At the heart of it all is Herjolfsdalur Valley near the town of Vestmannaeyjar on Heimaey Island. Here natives welcome hordes of people to their temporary tent community from all ages and walks of life, who flock here to experience the craziness that is the Westman Islands Festival. Locals host mainlanders with smoked puffin, hot coffee and of course with some alcoholic pleasantries, such as vodka! Amongst the white tents and spirited beverages, be sure to enjoy some of the impromptu sing alongs, massive bonfires or fireworks displays. Families gather in the morning to camp out, picnic, and watch entertainment from local personalities, which ranges from comedy presentations and music-fests. In the evening, young adults party to the chagrin of police officers who watch over the place and keep trouble at bay. The first Westman Islands Festival was held in Vestmannaeyjar in 1872 to celebrate the ratification of Iceland’s Constitution. Locals could not travel to the mainland due to bad weather, but this did not diminish their desire to celebrate with the whole of Iceland. Presently, people from the mainland ironically travel to this coastal town to celebrate the Festival. Mon, 05 Sep 2011 16:58:31 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/westmann-islands-festival http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/westmann-islands-festival