Reykjavík has a reputation for hosting a vibrant array of festivals throughout the year, and when it comes to queer celebrations, the city certainly knows how to stand out on the global stage. While the Reykjavík Pride Festival may be the most well-known LGBTQiA+ event in Iceland, drawing crowds from across the world for its dazzling parades and parties, it’s not the only celebration that paints the town rainbow in August.
For those who identify with or admire the bear community—think larger, often hairier men who embody a warm and welcoming spirit—the Reykjavík Bear Festival is a must-attend. This unique festival kicks off August 29, offering a more intimate yet equally lively experience for bears, cubs, chasers, admirers and all in between. GayIceland had the pleasure of catching up with one of the festival’s key organisers, Sigurður (Siggi) Júlíus Guðmundsson, to get the scoop on what attendees can look forward to this year and to explore the world of bears in Iceland.
GayIceland: What is Reykjavík Bear, for those who are not familiar with?
Sigurður: “Reykjavík Bear is a four-day international Bear festival held annually in Reykjavík around the end of August/start of September. It is one of the larger queer festivals held in Iceland with over 100 bears and their admirers coming from all over the world. Mostly from America and Europe, but as far away as Australia. Reykjavík Bear is a masculine space for cis and trans queer men and non-binary people who identify as part of the Bear community, as admirers or friends of the community.”
GayIceland: How did Reykjavík Bear begin?
Sigurður: “In 2019 the preceding Bears on Ice festival was held for the last time in Reykjavík. After the announcement, a group of volunteers from previous years got together and decided we were not ready to let the festival disappear. So we formed Bangsafélagið, a non-profit organisation tasked with creating and managing a new bear festival. Unfortunately, we had to wait two years to host our first festival because of the Pandemic. But in 2021, we had our first Reykjavík Bear festival with just over 25 visitors. Today, we can proudly say we have over 125 passes sold for the upcoming festival.”
GayIceland: What can visitors to the festival expect?
Sigurður: “In a nutshell, they can expect a really fun time with some amazing friendly bears. We have worked hard to create a friendly and welcoming experience that has been noticed around the world. Bear World Magazine nominated us for their Favorite Bear Festival of 2024 in their Bear World Magazine Awards, and that is mostly because of our friendly atmosphere. We also make a point of taking the bears on a Golden Circle tour and a trip to the Sky Lagoon so they get a chance to get to know each other in a different situation than a loud sexy party. This is why we are often called the friendliest bear festival. We know of many long-lasting friendships that have been formed here as well as couples that have met during Reykjavík Bear.”
Reykjavík Bear is our time to take space and create connections, welcome newcomers, and party in a space where we are the hot ones for a change.
GayIceland: Why are festivals like this needed?
Sigurður: “It’s all about community and visibility. From the beginning, we have been building a community for bears and their admirers. Bears are on the receiving end of massive discrimination within the gay community and beauty standards in general; but we have learned that not only can we be sexy but there are a lot of people out there who absolutely prefer bears over any other sculptural or standardised body types. Reykjavík Bear is our time to take space and create connections, welcome newcomers, and party in a space where we are the hot ones for a change.”
GayIceland: Have you noticed an increased appreciation for bears in the last couple of years? If so, why do you think this has happened?
Sigurður: “I think so, absolutely. I think people are slowly becoming more confident in liking bigger, hairier guys. I think it’s quite common for people who might like bears to suppress the thought because society teaches us what kind of bodies we are ‘supposed to’ like, and the list of those types of bodies is very short. But with more discussions and visibility, people are slowly opening up to the idea that what society has been teaching us is not necessarily the best for all of us. How people look is one thing but the discussion of who people are allowed to like still has a long way to go.”
GayIceland: Are non-bears welcome to check out some of the festivities?
Sigurður: “Definitely! The bear community is very welcoming and open. We welcome our allies and especially our admirers (those attracted to bears); But everyone is welcome as long as they feel comfortable going into a masculine space, are willing to leave their body shame at the door, and be open-minded.
GayIceland: What makes the Icelandic Bear community different from bear communities in other countries like the USA or UK?
Sigurður: “The size of the community jumps out right away. Iceland has a tiny queer community, and the bear community is just a tiny part of it. But we like to think of ourselves as big bears in a small forest. I also think we focus more on advocacy and visibility than many other bear communities do. Of course that is as varied as there are many. We make a big effort for visibility and advocacy to make changes in the way society interacts with non-conforming beauty standards.”
Everyone is welcome as long as they feel comfortable going into a masculine space, are willing to leave their body shame at the door, and be open-minded.
GayIceland: How can local bears get involved outside of the festival?
Sigurður: “By joining Bangsafélagið! The organisation hosts many events during the year and tries to bring visibility to our community throughout the year. Our best advice is to check our website and social media accounts of Bangsaféalgið as well as the Bear community Facebook group called Bangsasamfélagið.”
GayIceland: Is there anything else you want readers to know?
Sigurður: “If you are curious about the bear community, if you identify as a bear or any other way that does not fit with the stereotypical beauty standards, get in touch with us. And if you secretly like big hairy men, it’s more common than you think, come and meet us, we are a friendly bunch.”
For more info, check out the official website of Reykjavík Bear.
Photos / Courtesy of Reykjavík Bear
