You may not see Will Smith running around downtown Reykjvík thwarting an alien invasion, but it’s still Independence Day in Iceland.
Reykjavík, like all other towns around the country, is abuzz with the festive spirit today; streets packed with revellers and looky-loos, suburbanites marvelling at the novelty of a day downtown, sidewalk performances and street eats for all to enjoy. It’s arguably the most wonderful day of the year!
June 17th marks the forming of the Icelandic Republic in 1944 (when Iceland became independent of Danish rule) and is celebrated on the birthday of Jón Sigurðsson, the leader of the Icelandic independence movement.
The celebrations kicked off earlier with a parade down Laugavegur and will continue throughout the day. So get out there (hopefully the sun will come out at some point, too), wave your Icelandic flag, try not to trip over all the baby carriages in the crowds, and celebrate an independent Iceland.
For more information on events happening throughout Reykjavík today check out 17juni.is.
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