How Flateyri’s 2024 winter pride proved the next queer frontier is in the mounatins, not the streets.
Although Reykjavík Pride in August is the biggest in Iceland, a burgeoning movement of pride festivals has emerged all around the island thanks to proud locals claiming ground and taking up space in these areas. From Hinsegin vesturlands blossoming in Borganes to other events in Egilstaðir and Hrísey, annual festivities are hitting the ring road. Even a small fishing village in The Westfjords pinned their celebration on the map, hosting it’s own winter pride event in the spring of 2024. From drag brunch to drunken karoke hits, the weekend proved one thing: Flateyri is one of the gayest places in Iceland. Per capita, of course. And now the town is only getting gayer.
Serving fishy realness, freshly caught
The idea for Flateyri’s winter pride weekend was born out of nothing more than some friends wanting to have a good time. Brent and Gertjan, an American-Belgian couple recently moved to The Westfjords, hubbled together a program with neighbors Erla (Margrét Gunnarsdóttir), Oddur and Igor, centered around Vagninn, the town’s local pub. The “first” gays in the village Eyjólfur and Juraj also helped put the weekend together..
Relatively new implants to the area, Brent and Gertjan bought the old red guesthouse in town to escape escalating rents in Reykjavík. “We knew we had to change our living situation because if we stayed in Reykjavik we would be renting for the rest of our lives with most of our paychecks going to rent and never being able to save any money,” says Gertjan. Adding in the average cost of a night out in downtown these days, the move makes a lot of economic sense.
Erla got the idea to get drag queen Ms.WhoopWhoop, better known as Jómbi, to take part in the program, so Ms.WhoopWhoop flew in from Reykjavík as the star of the show for Saturday brunch. A sveitó style number in a 66 North fish processing apron to Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 wowed the crowd along with a cheeky chair dance. Running out of Vagninn’s kitchen was a four course menu curated by the boys under Oddur’s pop-up restaurant concept Bubbly. An entrepreneur at heart, Oddur and Igor also run the online toy shop Amina. Just months after the 2024 pop-up, Oddur and Igor opened Bubbly Bistro & Wine as it’s own bar and restaurant in Ísafjörður.
We most certainly lucked out here. We can depend on all our neighbors who have become our friends for any emergency or help, not just the odd cup of sugar.
All of Flateyri came together to welcome locals, other Westfjordians, and guests from Reykjavík including the board of Samtökin. Suddenly in a town of 160 people, everyone’s grindr “for you page” showed 0 meters away. The maybe 20 LGBTQ+ residents in town boomed to 50 for one weekend only. Organically, the celebration came together and showed just why this little town is attracting so many interesting people.
Guests and good friends of the hosts Úlfar and Jose liked visiting so much they decided to stay throughout last summer. Since Jose’s a chef with experience from Sumac to Edition in Reykjavik, he took over Vagninn’s kitchen next. Thanks to his made-from-scratch fish burgers and basque cheesecake, the town has welcomed them both with open arms and open mouths. Now they’ve put an offer in on a house on the west shoreline and plan to live here full time.
When asked why they’re making the move away from Vesturbær, Úlfar and Jose say it’s not only the cheaper cost of housing but the sense of community they feel here. Gertjan agrees. “They say it’s better to have good neighbors than distant friends, and that is definitely the truth. We most certainly lucked out here. We can depend on all our neighbors who have become our friends for any emergency or help, not just the odd cup of sugar.”
It’s always been a little fishy
Flateyri has always been the diverse town of The Westfjords, at least by the locals’ accounts. From South Africans and Austrialians working in the fishing sector before the tunnel to Ísafjörður was even built, to the now 25 plus nationalities living there today, Flateyri’s known for meeting their diversity, equity, and inclusion quota. Some speculate that the reason the town isn’t so old school is because it doesn’t have the same “fiskikóngur” social structure others towns in The Westfjords do. Some believe that the centralization of fishing operations in the region played a part in that. At the hight of it’s fishing days around 600 people lived in Flateyri, but since then many people have moved away. Now the population is modestly on the up and up with an increasing number of locals staying in the town instead of moving to the Reykjavik area. The labor market in town is a modern mix of tour guides, remote workers, insurance reps, good old fashioned craftsmen and, artists.
It’s still a bit of a hidden gem, getting discovered.
“There’s been a huge demographic change in Flateyri even in the last twelve months, a lot of people moving in. I mean it’s sort of a fluke, to a certain degree. Yes, it’s a really beautiful place. Yes, from a financial perspective it’s easier. Once the south road is finished it will be a lot faster to get here. For now though it’s still a bit of a hidden gem, getting discovered,” says Rachelle, an Australian living here with her partner Michael. The two moved to Iceland around covid from Sydney where they were big in the BDSM scene. With the border to Australia closed completely, they hung around Reykjavik for a few months before landing in The Westfjords.
Birds of a feather flock together
Artist Jean Larson also resides in Flateyri. American born and naturalized Icelandic for her contributions to culture, she works with paint and photography. The queer residents interviewed can often be found chatting about which cookies she’s baking when she’s in town for the summer. One step into her studio at Krumma-Kot in town brings the beauty of life in the Westfjords onto canvas. When asked what she thought about all the new rainbow residents she only replied with midwestern smile saying something to the effect of ‘oh, it’s just great. As long as you don’t bring boring people here, we don’t want any of those.’
In 2021, Jean launched Flatbirds, a public art initiative featuring 13 bird murals painted across Flateyri’s buildings—homes, shops, even school walls and public infrastructure—each chosen to reflect species native to Önundarfjörður. And it’s not just paint filling Flateyri with life, the town is known for it’s music scene at Vagninn, art instillations, and student life. An influx of younger Icelanders come yearly to study at Lýðskólinn, an untraditional menntaskóli (high school) teaching outdoor skills, photography, and other subjects. Maybe it’s just the dramatic mountain backdrop to the town, but something in the water has made it vibrant in a way Reykjavík doesn’t shine.
Conclusion
Flateyri may be small, but it’s bursting with outsized charm, color, and community spirit. This tiny Westfjords village has quietly become one of Iceland’s most welcoming—and unexpectedly queer friendly—places to live. Whether it’s the historical homes, unbeatable landscape, or just the strong WiFi and stronger neighbors, it’s clear that Flateyri isn’t just surviving; it’s thriving. And with the new avalanche wall projects, safer than ever before. Maybe it’s time to check the real estate listings on MBL because you might just be the next one moving in.