13:30-15:30 FOLK ARTS SYMPOSIUM
Edda, hús íslenskunnar

What's going on? The folk arts community in Iceland today
At the Vaka Folk Arts Festival each year, Vökufélag hosts a symposium in collaboration with the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies at Edda - The House of Icelandic. The title of this year’s event is Hvað er á seyði? (English: What's going on?). 

The seminar will bring together representatives from a range of organisations, from accordion lovers' societies, to folk dancers, and academics to handcraft workers, who will present their activities and the challenges they have faced in recent years. After a break for coffee and kleinur (Icelandic doughnuts), the second half of the event will be devoted to panel discussions where representatives of the various organisations will discuss the state of folk arts in Iceland today and traditions for tomorrow. 

Moderator: Kristinn Schram. Free admission. 

The hall opens at 1 p.m. 

18:30 GÁRUR
Salurinn

Opening Concert of Vaka 2026

Vaka 2026 opens with a festive evening where music, dance and living folk traditions come together in one place.

The Reykjavík Folk Dance Association, celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, will present a special performance reflecting both the long history of the association and Iceland’s vibrant dance traditions.

The evening also features Polish musician Ania Broda, often described as one of the most original voices on the Polish music scene. Her music brings together folk heritage and artistic experimentation in a unique way, creating a musical world that is both captivating and full of surprises.

FUNI, the musical collaboration of Bára Grímsdóttir and Chris Foster, celebrates the release of their new album Gárur (“Ripples”). For decades, they have devoted themselves to the performance, research and sharing of Icelandic folk music, playing an important role in introducing it to audiences both in Iceland and abroad.

At the heart of Gárur are Icelandic folk songs and poems spanning several centuries. Once sung unaccompanied, they are now presented in new arrangements featuring voices, langspil, kantele and other traditional instruments, woven together with recordings made in the Icelandic landscape. The natural world from which these songs emerged becomes, in a sense, a third member of the ensemble.

Like ripples on water, these songs have been passed from generation to generation, continually evolving while remaining rooted in the lives and experiences of the people who shaped them. With Gárur, Bára and Chris celebrate this living inheritance, honouring both the past and the present while carrying these songs forward to future generations.

17:00-21:00 ÞRÆÐIR
Salurinn

Welcome to a pleasant afternoon and evening, where crafts, stories, songs and folk traditions are intertwined in one event. The foyer of Salurinn will become a gathering place where people are encouraged to bring their knitting, embroidery, crochet or other crafts and enjoy the company in a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere. 

Members of the Icelandic Home Crafts Association will be on site, demonstrating crafts and providing guidance to those who wish to learn new skills. As the evening progresses, ethnographer Rósa Þorsteinsdóttir will lead guests into the soundscape of the Ísmús.is website, with specially chosen archive recordings from Icelandic cultural heritage and tell about the stories and songs that can be found there. Stefán Nordal, Kópavogur’s residential artist summer of 2026, will present Púkablístran, a musical radio play telling the story of Sæmundur Fróði and Satan’s encounters.

Later, Kristinn Schram will host a live podcast about folk arts and living traditions in Iceland today. The podcast evening builds on a remarkably varied programme of this year’s festival and offers engaging conversation and reflections on the role of folk arts in today’s world. 

ÞRÆÐIR (English: Threads) is an event for anyone interested in crafts, stories and cultural heritage — or who simply wants to have a good time in good company. Guests can come and go as they please, or sit down with their crafts and follow the programme from afternoon to evening. 

Admission is free. Light refreshments will be available for sale on site.

14:00 Day of rímur songs - Children's Concert in Salurinn

The 15th of September is the national annual Day of Rímur Songs, and continuing Vaka’s tradition of the past few years, we proudly present a concert where young performers who are learning one of Iceland’s oldest singing traditions take to the stage under the guidance of experienced singers. 

The Kársness School Choir, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, performs folk and rímur songs in beautiful arrangements, including Þýtur í stráum, which Sigurður Rúnar Jónsson arranged for the choir in 2000. 

The choir has held many concerts in Iceland and abroad and released several albums. The choir's conductor is Álfheiður Björgvinsdóttir. 

A singing group from Hjallasteinn Primary School in Reykjavík will perform a selection of rímur songs and verses that they have learned with their teacher Kolbrún Hulda Tryggvadóttir. 

The Laufásborg Children's Rímur Society, founded in 2023 at the Laufásborg kindergarten, brings us our youngest performers at Vaka each year, led by Ari Hálfdán Aðalgeirsson. The celebrated rímur singer Steindór Andersen was one of the children's first teachers in this special Icelandic tradition. Other performers who have taught the Laufásborg children include Bára Grímsdóttir and Rósa Jóhannesdóttir. 

This charming concert introduces the audience to Iceland’s rímur (kveðskapur) tradition performed by children and young people, and shows how this ancient singing tradition is being passed on through the voices of new generations. 

The concert begins at 2 p.m. and admission is free. 

20:00 RÍMNAFÖGNUÐUR
Salurinn

Contemporary Rímur at Vaka

On the Day of Rímur, September 15, Vaka presents its annual Rímnafögnuður (Rímur celebration), celebrating Iceland's unique rímur tradition. This year, newly composed Icelandic rímur will be performed for the very first time.

A younger generation of rímur singers and poets will present works written especially for the occasion, demonstrating that the rímur tradition remains a living art form in constant renewal.

Performers include Kristján Hrannar Pálsson, Ásta Sigríður Arnardóttir, Ragnheiður Gröndal, Emil Baur and Þorsteinn Björnsson. Host for the evening will be Rósa Þorsteinsdóttir. 

An evening where new voices engage with one of Iceland’s oldest artistic traditions.

12:15-13:00 Natural dyes - Man and nature
Natural Museum of Kópavogur - Cultural Wednesdays
Guðrún Bjarnadóttir, natural scientist, entrepreneur, and author, will discuss the tradition of plant dyeing in Iceland.

In her talk, Guðrún will explore the history of plant dyeing in Iceland, the plants that have traditionally been used to produce dyes, and what this practice reveals about the relationship between people and nature.

Plant dyeing is an ancient method of extracting colors from plants, lichens, and other natural materials and is believed to have been practiced in Iceland since the Settlement Age. Before synthetic dyes became available, textile dyeing relied on an intimate knowledge of nature, the seasons, and the properties of different plants. Practitioners needed to understand plants, processing techniques, and mordants used to fix colors, making plant dyeing not only a craft but also a form of natural science. In this sense, plant dyers can be seen as the naturalists of their time, building their knowledge through observation, experimentation, and experience.

Guðrún's interest in plant dyeing began while researching her master's thesis on the use of grasses and wild plants in Iceland. During her studies, she came across historical sources describing dyeing with plants, sparking a long-term interest in the subject. Since then, she has researched and developed methods for reviving this traditional knowledge and today runs the plant dyeing studio Hespuhúsið. A prolific entrepreneur and author, Guðrún has written the book Grasnytjar á Íslandi (Useful Grasses and Plants in Iceland) and the booklet Jurtalitun á Íslandi (Plant Dyeing in Iceland), and is also the creator of the popular Bird and Flora Card Games published by Hespa.

17:00-21:00 RÆMUR
Salurinn

Film Night at Vaka

For one evening only, Salurinn concert hall is transformed into a cinema, screening three very different films that shed light on the lives, work and dreams of folk artists.

The evening begins with a screening of the folk dance documentaries Gamli marsinn and Hávan dansinn hefjum followed by discussions led by experts. Afterwards, guests are invited to stay, enjoy refreshments and conversation before the programme continues with A Mighty Wind, the beloved mockumentary that has long since achieved cult status among folk music enthusiasts – at once a love letter to the 1960’s New York folk scene and a humorous satire of it.

Food and drinks will be available for purchase between screenings, including gourmet sandwiches from Króníkan and a selection of beverages.

12:15-13:00 Langeleik for over 500 years
Kópavogur Library
Ingrid Lingaas Fossum, musician, folk dancer and Norway’s 2025 Folk Musician of the Year, will perform the Norwegian langeleik and tell us about her research.

Ingrid Lingaas Fossum is one of Norway's most compelling langeleik players — the instrument is a close cousin of Iceland's traditional langspil.
The instrument carries an unbroken 500-year tradition in Norway. Ingrid has taken it further than anyone before her: she is the first person in her country to earn a master's degree with langeleik as her principal instrument at the Norwegian Academy of Music. At last November's Folkelarm festival in Oslo

17:00 Swimming Pool Culture in Iceland
Sundlaug Kópavogs
A UNESCO Representative of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Why do Icelanders go to the pool when they don't intend to swim? Why do Icelanders chat with strangers in the hot tub but not on the bus? Does one become a torchbearer of cultural heritage by showing up at the same hot tub at half past seven most mornings? And is one then allowed to stop showing up at that hot tub after Icelandic swimming culture was added to UNESCO's list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity? Would that be irresponsible toward humanity?

Folklorist Valdimar Tr. Hafstein invites you to a floating seminar [NB. in Icelandic!] on swimming pool culture in the hot tub. No lecture will be given: guests bring forward questions and musings, and together answers are sought — afloat, at a comfortable temperature.

20:00 VAKA Trad Session
Mossley, Kópavogur

Calling all fiddlers, ballad singers, folk dancers, bodhrán players, and keen spectators! Come on down to Kópavogur for a night of folk music from Iceland, Appalachia, Ireland, England, and farther afield, hosted by Kársnes locals at Mossley.

The Reykjavík Trad Sessions are an informal collective of musicians who get together to play sessions--loosely organized nights of traditional reels, jigs, & songs in a pub atmosphere--currently playing every other Tuesday at Ægir Taproom & Bar in downtown Reykjavík - but this time visiting Mossley for the first time as part of the VAKA Folk Arts Festival 2026. The sessions welcome traditional music the world over, regularly featuring Icelandic, English, Appalachian, Swedish, Irish and Scottish folk music.

Newcomers are most welcome: if you play or sing songs from your region, we'd love to hear them. Dancers, onlookers, and town jesters are invited as well. Bring your friends along!

We'll play starting at 20:00 and go until just before the bar closes at 22:45. Mossley is located at Borgarholtsbraut 19, just opposite the Kópavogur Swimming Pool, and serves delicious street food and drinks for locals and visitors alike.

To follow the Trad Sessions, join the group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1bFj5yM7mk/

20:00 RÖKKURTÓNAR
Salurinn

Icelandic and Norwegian Folk Music on One Stage

On Friday evening, Vaka brings together Icelandic and Norwegian folk music in one of the festival’s major musical events.

UMBRA is an Icelandic folk ensemble made up of four musicians who share a deep fascination with Iceland’s storytelling and musical traditions. Their music is characterised by voices, string instruments and percussion woven together in refined arrangements that draw listeners into a distinctive sound world. In their work, they have explored, among other themes, the stories and lived experiences of Icelandic women in earlier centuries. The ensemble received the Icelandic Music Award for their album Sólhvörf and has spent many years presenting Icelandic folk music to audiences around the world, including throughout Europe and in China and India.

Ingrid Lingaas Fossum has established herself as one of Norway’s leading folk musicians. Her solo album Eit halvt tusenår / Half a Millennium won the best solo album of the year, and she was named Norwegian Folk Musician of the Year in 2025. She has received widespread acclaim for her playing of the langeleik, one of Norway’s oldest and most distinctive traditional instruments, and has played an important role in introducing it to new generations of listeners.

Vegar Vårdal is one of the most dynamic fiddlers on the Norwegian folk music scene. He was named Norwegian Folk Musician of the Year in 2020. As a performer, composer and dancer, for many years he has been a prominent force within Norwegian traditional arts. He played an important role in the 2025 publication of Icelandic fiddle tunes Danslög Jónasar and he led a series of workshops, teaching the tunes to teachers and students. This year, he has been involved in teaching and arranging dance tunes for Icelandic string students. 

Vegard Hansen is a Norwegian accordion player, composer, and teacher at the Ole Bull Academy, with deep roots in Norwegian folk music tradition. He also serves as director of hardingfela.no, in collaboration with the Hardanger and Voss Museum. 

Ingrid, Vegar and Vegard are also highly respected teachers, and Vaka guests will have the rare opportunity to participate in workshops under their guidance.

Folk arts activities for the whole family at Kópavogur Cultural Houses

Handicraft, story telling, Icelandic and Faroean folk dances, dance tunes for fiddle, music seminars for polish speaking families, and many many more events throughout the day.

11:00-17:00 VAKA Folk Arts Market
Salurinn foyer - Free entrance

On Saturday, 19 September, Vaka’s Folk Arts Market will take place in the foyer of Salurinn in Kópavogur from 11:00 to 17:00.

The market brings together a diverse group of craftspeople, artists and others working with traditional crafts, folk arts and cultural heritage in different ways. Visitors will be able to browse and buy everything from handmade jewellery, filigree and woodcarving to prints, books, textiles and more.

Most vendors will accept card payments, while some will accept payment by bank transfer.

The market is open from 11:00 to 17:00 on Saturday, 19 September, in the foyer of Salurinn in Kópavogur.

Everyone is welcome!

Vendors will be :

- Heiðrún frá Steig
Will be selling handmade jewellery made using tatting, a traditional craft technique with a long history, used among other things to create delicate lace and decorative pieces.

- Bókin ehf. (Antiquarian Bookshop)
Will have a selection of older books for sale, including books related to rímur and poetry, as well as other material along similar lines.

- Nornabrunnur
Will be selling books and postcards, including books published by Hyldyr, where folklore, scholarship and artistic practice come together. Among the titles available will be three books exploring Icelandic magic and witchcraft.

- Handverk Geirhildar
Will have tablet-woven bands for sale. Tablet weaving is an ancient weaving technique known in Iceland since the Viking Age. The bands are woven from natural materials such as linen, silk and wool, with some made using naturally dyed yarn.

- Kvæðamannafélagið Iðunn (Iðunn Traditional Poetry Association)
Will have a selection of items from the association’s publishing history, including Segulbönd Iðunnar cassette recordings, several Iðunn vinyl records and the association’s anniversary publication.

- Bjarni Þór Kristjánsson (Woodcarver)
Will be selling hand-carved figures, including Icelandic birds, people in traditional Icelandic costume, and characters from Icelandic folklore and storytelling traditions, such as the Yule Lads, Grýla and Leppalúði.

- Linn Janssen Illustration
Will be selling linocut prints and other original works.

- Milla víravirki (filigree)
Specialises in handmade and cast filigree, as well as other work connected with traditional Icelandic costume. At the market, Milla will be selling jewellery that brings together traditional filigree techniques and contemporary jewellery design.

- Dans Afríka Iceland
Will have a variety of African goods for sale, including bags, clothing and more.

- Gaza Company
Is a social design and craft enterprise that brings Palestinian and Icelandic culture together through textiles and embroidery. Its products are handmade by women in Gaza and draw on Palestinian embroidery traditions, while also incorporating Icelandic patterns, colours and cultural references.

- Heimilisiðnaðarfélag Íslands (Icelandic Handicraft Association)
Will have a selection of interesting items from its shop, including traditional detachable pockets, old patterns for weaving and embroidery, books and more.

- Línus Orri
Will be selling posters of his own design, drawing inspiration from Icelandic poetics and rímur and giving these traditions a new visual form.

- Marta Staworowska
Will be selling jewellery of her own design and making.

- Between Two Worlds (Laura A. Salinas)
Will present works that bring together Colombian Wayuu patterns and Icelandic decorative motifs. Through screen printing, linocut and woodcut, Laura combines these two craft traditions, drawing inspiration from culture, memory and the connections between Colombia and Iceland.

10:00-11.00 Norwegian Folk Dances
Molinn
Open Norwegian Folk Dance Workshop with Ingrid Lingaas Fossum, Vegar Vårdal and Vegard Hansen. Everyone most welcome!

11:00-12:00 Icelandic Folk Dances
Molinn

In this course participants will be introduced to Icelandic folk dances and learn about the dances danced in Reykjavík in 1864.
Circle dances, Reels, Waltzes and Bömerdans are among the dances that will be taught.
Atli Freyr Hjaltason and Elizabeth Katrín Mason will instruct the course. They are both experienced teachers and performers and have traveled the Nordic countries (and more) where they have taught and performed folk dances.

11:30 - 14:00 Men's Traditional Icelandic Hat Knitting Workshop

Guðný Ingibjörg leads a workshop in knitting a traditional men’s Skotthúfa.
Participants should have basic knitting skills.

Schoolboys at Hólar and Skálholt wore the Skotthúfa, and young women later began knitting and wearing the hat with a longer tassel. Since then, the Skotthúfa has become a central element of Icelandic national costumes, worn by both men and women.

The workshop costs 8,900 ISK, or 6,900 ISK for festival pass holders.

Knitting needles, the pattern, and all materials are included in the price.

Please note that places are limited and registration is required.

Sign-up link: https://forms.gle/yEkvNUED1LTQFbv27

11:30-13:00 Dialects of the Redwing
Náttúrusafn Kópavogs

The Natural History Museum of Kópavogur is currently working on collecting, analyzing, and mapping the song dialects of redwings in Iceland. Using recordings of the main dialects of redwings in the capital region, the lecture will cover the language, song learning, and communication of redwings.

The museum received a grant from the Museum Fund in 2026 for a community-based approach to research work. The life of the capital region's concrete jungle will be studied with the participation of residents, young and old alike. The project builds on earlier research and recordings by Hlynur Steinsson, with plans to begin a broader collection involving city residents in spring 2027. The project is being carried out in collaboration with a similar project in Norway, which is focused on redwing dialects there. How many different redwing dialects are there in Iceland? Do the redwings of Iceland and Norway share a common cultural heritage?

11:30–12:30 Children's and Family Hour of Folk Music and Dance
Bókasafn Kópavogs
Children, parents, younger and older siblings, grandmothers, grandfathers, and friends share a quality time together with songs, singing games and action songs. The session is split into two parts:
11:30–12:00 for children aged 1–5 and their families
12:00–12:30 for children aged 6–11 and their families

The session is led by Bára Grímsdóttir and Chris Foster. Bára is one of Iceland's foremost traditional singers and composers and has spent decades working to preserve and share Iceland's folk music heritage. She comes from a family of traditional singers, having grown up surrounded by the songs of her parents and grandparents at the family farm of Grímstunga in Vatnsdalur, and has served for many years as chairperson of the Iðunn Folk Music Society (Kvæðamannafélagið Iðunn). In 2019, she was made a Knight of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon for her work preserving and renewing Iceland's musical heritage. Chris Foster is an English folk singer and multi-instrumentalist - a master of his trade - who plays guitar and langspil. Together, Bára and Chris have performed for many years as the duo Funi, releasing the albums Funi (2004), Flúr (2013) and their latest release Gárur (2026). 

12.30-13.30 Polish Folk Games with Music Workshop
Bókasafn Kópavogs

In this workshop, participants discover traditional Polish folk games, songs, and simple dances through a lively music and movement programme. Suitable for all ages and requiring no prior experience, the workshop shares Polish culture in a fun, accessible way.

The workshop is led by musicians Jacek Karwan and Anna Maria Tabaczyńska. Anna Maria is a flutist based in Iceland who has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts and remains active in Iceland's Polish cultural community, including work supporting Polish children and youth in the country. Jacek is a double bassist with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra who has performed as a soloist internationally and played under renowned conductors such as Vladimir Ashkenazy and Sir Neville Marriner. 

12.30-14.15 BATUCADA – An introduction to Brazilian drumming
Molinn

In this workshop, participants will learn the basics of samba rhythm and get to play on a variety of percussion instruments. Batucada is an especially fun Brazilian musical tradition where different rhythms come together in large drum ensembles. The tradition is closely tied to the Carnaval celebration, and batucada groups can be found all over Brazil.
The workshop instructor is Sigrún Kristbjörg Jónsdóttir.

Participation costs 4,500 kr. — or 3,000 kr. for festival pass holders. The workshop takes place at Molinn, the youth center, at Hábraut 2, 200 Kópavogur, on Saturday 19 September from 12:30–14:15.

Please note that space is limited and registration is required.
Registration link: https://forms.gle/MFnNTCxCNicwsvbT7

Sigrún Kristbjörg Jónsdóttir is a trombonist and violinist from Hafnarfjörður. She completed a BA in both instruments at the World Music department of the Codarts music conservatory in Rotterdam, and a teaching certificate from the Iceland University of the Arts. Sigrún has worked extensively playing music from South and Central America, and has toured far and wide. Alongside teaching and arranging, Sigrún is a member of Los Bomboneros.

13:30-14:30 Icelandic Rímur Singing with Ragga Gröndal
Bókasafn Kópavogs

In this workshop, participants will discover and explore the centuries old Icelandic rímur tradition, where narrative poems are performed using distinctive tunes, or "stemmur," which are chosen and shaped by the individual performer. For generations, rímur were Iceland's foremost form of entertainment, and the tradition lives on today, in large part thanks to kvæðamannafélög (rímur societies) that have kept it alive from one generation to the next.

The workshop will be led by Ragnheiður (Ragga) Gröndal, a musician and member of Kvæðamannafélagið Iðunn, which was founded in Reykjavík in 1929 to preserve and continue the art of 'kveðskapur', the poetic and singing styles associated with the Icelandic rímur tradition.

Participants will have the chance to try singing verses with different stemmur and experience firsthand how this living oral tradition still resonates today. The workshop is open to anyone with an interest in Icelandic vocal tradition, regardless of prior experience.

14:30-15:30 Faroese Dance Workshop with Sharon Weiss and Kristian Blak
Bókasafn Kópavogs

In this workshop, participants discover the Faroese chain dance — a circle dance that has survived in an unbroken tradition since medieval times and remains deeply woven into Faroese culture and language. The session covers the dance's historical origins and how it has been taught and passed down to the present day, along with an introduction to the rhythmic and melodic character of the ballads. Participants will learn simple steps and refrains and dance 2–3 excerpts from the Faroese dance repertoire, with the story of each ballad explained before it's danced. Everyone in the room takes part.

The workshop is led by Sharon Weiss and Kristian Blak from the Faroe Islands. As part of the groups Spælimenninir and Kvonn, Sharon has played recorder around the world since the 1970s. She is a dedicated folk dancer and instructor who has worked to bring both Faroese dance and folk dance into schools. Kristian is a composer and pianist involved in a wide range of musical activities — he composes for international classical ensembles, performs locally, and tours internationally as a musician and band leader with jazz, folk, and world music groups.

16:00 KRAKKAVAKA
Salurinn

Family Concert

A family concert featuring children and young people presenting the results of their work with the teachers and mentors participating in the festival. The programme includes folk songs, dance tunes and fiddle music performed by young musicians.

Free admission. Everyone is welcome.

19:00-23:30 VAKA PARTY
Salurinn

An evening of poetry and dance 

Vaka 2026 concludes with an event that brings together everything the festival stands for: music, dance, poetry, storytelling and community.

The evening begins with a lively celebration of the Icelandic art of hagyrðingur (traditional improvised verse), hosted by Eva María Jónsdóttir and Pétur Blöndal. Poets and versifiers from younger and older generations alike will take on a variety of themes in a spirited display of wit, creativity and wordplay.

Afterwards, the Reykjavík Folk Dance Association transforms the foyer of Salurinn into a dance floor, inviting guests to join in a folk dance ball accompanied by musicians from Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Norway. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether they know the steps or not.

Food and refreshments will be available throughout the evening, and the bar will be open.

Those who prefer to leave the dance floor to others are, of course, very welcome to bring along their knitting or handicrafts and enjoy the atmosphere from a comfortable distance.

Featuring:

• Members of the Reykjavík Accordion Society

• Kristian Blak and guests from the Faroe Islands

• Ingrid Lingaas Fossum, Vegar Vårdal and Vegard Hansen (Norway)

• The Reykjavík Folk Dance Association