National Festival Expected To Bring 15,000 People

Organisers say this year’s Merchant’s Holiday Weekend Festival could boast the festival’s largest turnout with an expected 15,000 people heading to the Westman Islands for the event, reports RÚV.

We are having a summer sale on all our Icelandic soaps, scrubs, face masks, perfumes and more! These are all high-quality products made by Icelandic producers we trust. If you like the great work we do here, consider supporting us by joining the High Five Club for exclusive perks!

Along with the increased number of attendees, more people have requested campsites than ever before, for a total of 260. To help ensure the safety of the participants, the organisers have arranged for security cameras, police, and security guards to be present.

“We have between 30-40 surveillance cameras in the valley. We have 100 guards, 100 individuals, emergency medical technicians, nurses, and doctors patrolling the valley 24 hours a day,” says chairman of the National Holiday Committee, Hörður Orri Grettisson.

“It’s a staggering number. But it’s based on the number of people that are expected to come here for the festival; it’s going to be quite a big festival,” says Chief Inspector of police in the Westman Islands, Jóhannes Ólafsson.

Despite the high projected attendance numbers, it could all change depending on the weather.

“The weather will determine whether this will be a record national holiday or not. The weather has a huge impact on how the attendance looks,” says Hörður.