Winter festivals

The Austurland Freeride Festival is an annual mountain skiing and snowboarding event headquartered in Eskifjörður, using Oddskarð ski area as its base. It was first held in 2020 and created by local enthusiasts: mountain guides and skiing pros who know these mountains well and could see the potential of a winter festival with a difference.

Every year the award-winning List í Ljósi festival celebrates the return of the sun to a remote, East Iceland fjord. During the final two days of darkness, the town of Seyðisfjörður turns off all of its lights and welcomes a selection of international and national artists to illuminate the wild landscape with contemporary artworks, on a thrilling scale. Alongside the unique outdoor exhibition, this renowned, free festival attracts visitors and participants from across the globe to experience a program of film screenings, performances, and events to both generate and gather a creative community.