Taste of Iceland Festival Arrives in New York City October 1-3

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Aug 27, 2026, 11:45 ET

The festival will transport visitors to Iceland through a curated lineup of events inspired by and celebrating the best of what Iceland has to offer

NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Taste of Iceland 2026, organized by Inspired by Iceland, arrives in New York City on Thursday, October 1, through Saturday, October 3. The cultural festival celebrates Iceland with events across the city showcasing the best of Icelandic culture, including food, music, film, nature, travel, design, innovation, and more.

Taste of Iceland celebrates and shares Iceland's culture with the people of North America. In partnership with local businesses and Taste of Iceland's official partners, featured events will be hosted at Platform by JBF, Pianos NYC, Scandinavia House, Lavan 541 Chelsea, Other Half Brewing Domino Park, and Ivory Peacock.

Most events are free and open to the public. Tickets are required, and guests are encouraged to arrive promptly to guarantee entry. Learn more and reserve tickets on the Taste of Iceland website.

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Thursday, October 1 - Saturday, October 3

Wheel of Prizes Presented by Icelandair: During multiple events, select guests will have the opportunity to spin the Wheel of Prizes for a chance to win amazing prizes from all festival partners, including a trip for two to Iceland. Learn more here. Icelandair is also offering a special rate on round-trip flights to Iceland from New York and a discounted price on the Northern Lights and Blue Lagoon package.

Thursday, October 1

An Icelandic Feast: Embark on a gastronomic journey from pristine Arctic waters to the lush highlands where Icelandic lamb roams free. Join Icelandic Chefs Hugi Rafn Stefansson, Thorir Erlingsson, and Haflidi Halldorsson for a dinner and demonstration inspired by Iceland's finest ingredients, including cod from Icelandic Seafood and lamb from Icelandic Lamb. 6:30 - 9:30 PM at Platform by JBF, located in Market 57 at Pier 57. Learn more here.

Iceland Airwaves Off-Venue: Enjoy a free concert curated by Iceland Airwaves, an award-winning music festival in Reykjavík, featuring Inspector Spacetime and SCAM, with DJ Hermigervill spinning Icelandic tunes between sets. A staple of the Reykjavík music scene, Inspector Spacetime gets the party started with euro-dance inspired songs. Veterans of the Reykjavík underground, SCAM, makes face-melting techno bangers with enough euro-pop tendencies to keep everyone moving. DJ Hermigervill is a multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer. Doors open at 7:00 PM at Pianos NYC. Learn more here.

Friday, October 2

Ride NYC with Lauf Cycles: Experience award-winning Icelandic design in motion on a curated 10-mile social bike ride through Brooklyn, blending urban exploration with fresh air and good company. Participants will ride the Lauf Úthald, Lauf's all-road bike designed and engineered in Iceland, and made for exactly this kind of riding. Úthald was built around a compliant carbon frame that smooths out the roads while maintaining confident handling—from the city streets to long days beyond them. Depart from Other Half Brewing Domino Park at 11:00 AM. Additional details will be shared with ticketed guests. Learn more here.
SOAK: The Radical Act of Bathing Together: What can bathing culture teach us about designing for belonging? A dynamic panel will discuss the ideas behind 'SOAK: Rituals of Collective Belonging,' Iceland's contribution to the 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale, inspired by the Unesco recognized Icelandic bathing culture. Speakers include Marcos Zotes, partner at Basalt Architects and curator of 'SOAK,' Christie Pearson, author of, "The Architecture of Bathing," Miodrag Mitrašinović, professor of Urbanism and Architecture at Parsons School of Design, and Kristín Eva Ólafsdóttir, partner and art director at Gagarín. Together they will explore how architecture, water, ritual, and shared spaces can foster connection and belonging. The event will be moderated by Icelandic author, Andri Snær Magnason. 4:00 - 6:00 PM at Scandinavia House. Learn more here.
Across Iceland: A Guided Cocktail Journey: During this two-hour cocktail class, storyteller and Icelandic guide, Ragnar Bragason, will lead guests through some of Iceland's most stunning regions, sharing tales from the road and the places where Iceland Hotel Collection by BERJAYA welcomes travelers. At each stop, Icelandic mixologist, Arnór Gísli, will teach guests to create a signature cocktail made with Himbrimi Gin and inspired by the region's landscape, mood, and character. Three destinations. Three drinks. One unforgettable trip. 5:30 - 7:30 PM at Ivory Peacock. Learn more here.

Emiliana Torrini: The Extraordinary Miss Flower: Join one of Iceland's most distinctive voices, Emiliana Torrini, for a screening of her recent film, "The Extraordinary Miss Flower," which was the inspiration for her latest album, "Miss Flower." Best known for her performance of "Gollum's Song" in the film "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," Emiliana and her band—made up of Nick Cave, Richard Ayoade, Angus Sampson, and Siggi Baldursson—perform the album in the film, which brings to life the remarkable story of Geraldine Flower and the discovery of a suitcase full of passionate love letters from the 1960s and 70s. The screening will be followed by a Q&A and a live performance. 6:00 - 8:00 PM at Scandinavia House. Learn more here.

Saturday, October 3

Iceland by the World's Worst Photographer: Why did Icelandair conduct a search for the World's Worst Photographer? Because they wanted to prove that even a really bad photographer can take great photos of Iceland. Out of nearly 130,000 applicants, one rose above the rest—Blanche Montemard, who spent 10 days photographing Iceland's most iconic landscapes. Pushing back against the onslaught of AI-generated travel images, each of her photos tell a story. Stop by the exhibit anytime between 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM at Lavan 541 Chelsea. Join Blanche for an Exhibition Talk on Saturday at 12:00 PM, to hear her full experience. Learn more here.

Time and Water: Film Screening and Conversation Join Academy-Award^® nominated director, Sara Dosa, along with film participant and Icelandic author, Andri Snær Magnason, for a screening of Time and Water—one of 2026's most celebrated films, which premiered at Sundance to widespread critical acclaim. From National Geographic Documentary Films, it weaves seven decades of the Magnason family's film archives into a love letter to Iceland's vanishing glaciers. Following the screening, Magnason and Dosa will sit down for a conversation. 1:00 - 3:00 PM at Scandinavia House. Learn more here.

Northern Lights in NYC: Learn about Iceland's fascinating northern lights—which are expected to shine even brighter in 2026 and 2027—with astronomy and science educator, Sævar "Astro-Sævar" Helgi Bragason, hosted by Icelandia. Sævar will recommend his favorite tours in Iceland. Guests will also be invited to experience Iceland through virtual reality, with a focus on Icelandia's Northern Lights tours, Glacier Hikes, and ATV tours. 2:00 - 4:00 PM at Lavan 541 Chelsea. Learn more here.

Iceland Unfiltered: Get ready for an evening of laughter hosted by Icelandair! At this one-night-only comedy event, two Icelanders are flying to NYC to reveal the quirky truths, cultural oddities, and straight-up strange realities of Iceland. Comedians and storytellers Ragnar Bragason and Bergur Ebbi will share hilarious personal stories, offer wildly unqualified advice, and roast what tourists get wrong…every single time. Bonus: Himbrimi Gin will treat each guest to a complimentary cocktail infused with local flavors. Expect laughter and at least five conversation starters for your next dinner party. Spoiler: You've definitely been pronouncing Reykjavík wrong. 5:00 - 7:00 PM at Lavan 541 Chelsea. Learn more here.

Taste of Iceland is an annual festival celebrating Iceland's vibrant culture. The festival is organized by Inspired by Iceland, which promotes Iceland and Icelandic products. It is presented in partnership with Icelandair, Reykjavík, Icelandic Seafood, Business Iceland, Blue Lagoon Iceland, Icelandia, Icelandic Lamb, Iceland Hotel Collection by BERJAYA, Keflavik Airport, and Lauf Cycles; and in collaboration with Iceland Music and Iceland Design and Architecture. The final Taste of Iceland 2026 event will be held in Vancouver in November.