May is Serving Queer Magic, and You’re Invited to Every Sparkly Second!
Get ready, besties! May in Iceland is positively bursting with queer joy, community love, and more glitter than a drag queen’s makeup bag at 3AM. Whether you’re belting out your favourite power ballad at karaoke, voguing your heart out on the dancefloor, laughing till you cry at stand-up, or diving deep into queer art and activism; this month’s line-up has something for every kind of fabulous.
From high-drama drag and boundary-pushing theatre to cosy open houses, bookish vibes, and a literal Happiness Run, we’re celebrating LGBTQIA+ lives in every shape, form, and flavour. This is the month to show up, stand proud, and soak in the vibrant culture that makes our queer community in Iceland so fiercely unique.
So charge your phone, polish those nails, grab your crew, and let’s make May unforgettable. 💅🏽🏳️🌈🔥
Queer Belonging – English Language Stand Up
When: Thursday May 1
Time: 20:30
Where: Salurinn Hamraborg 6, 200 Kópavogur, Iceland
Cost: 3.300 ISK. – 3.900 ISK
Belonging? returns to Salurinn and now queerer than ever! After two sold-out shows it is safe to say this is an event you don’t want to miss. Join a line-up of award winning queer comedians as they explore the funny, strange and beautiful parts of queer life in Iceland.
They will share their joys and hardships while making you laugh through it all. Hlökkum til að sjá þig!
Hosted by Sindri “Sparkle” Freyr with Gógó Starr, Joy, Kat Bailey, Linda, and Lovísa Lára
Kikioke – Karaoke at Kiki!
When: Thursdays (May 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29)
Time: 22:00 to late
Where: Kiki Queer Bar, Laugavegur 22, 101 RVK
Cost: Free
Every Thursday people from all over descend on Iceland’s premier queer bar to share the joys of their vocal talents. The karaoke typically kicks off around 10pm and goes till late so do your warm ups and make your song selections.
Faye Knús Friday Drag Show at Kiki
When: Fridays (May 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 )
Time: Doors open 20:00, show starts 21:30
Where: Kiki Queer Bar, Laugavegur 22, 101 RVK
Cost: 1.500 ISK (tickets on the door only), entry is free for VIQ-Card holders.
Kiki’s resident drag queen AKA “the hardest working woman in show business,” Faye Knús (body of a dancer, voice of your father) hosts an evening of drag, comedy, mid-life crisis and acts that cannot be unseen. It’s the perfect way to start your evening and the rest of your life.
Eden
When: Friday May 2 & Saturday May 3
Time: 20:30
Where: Tjarnarbíó, Tjarnargata 12, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Cost: 2.900 ISK, 4.900 ISK or 6.900 ISK, depending on what the audience can afford. Choose the price that feels most appropriate to you.
In our Eden there is a sense of smell from vulvas and freshly cut grass, and there’s a pile of half-bitten apples in the corner. There is something strange, something uncomfortable, something unsettling, about our Eden. Adam & Eve aren’t fulfilling their usual roles.
In this performance, Embla Guðrúnar Ágústsdóttir and Nína Hjálmarsdóttir delve into the story of Genesis and inhabit the original orchard itself. Eden becomes a queer crip paradise that challenges societal norms and encourages viewers to embrace their own erotic self.
Embla Guðrúnar Ágústsdóttir is an independent academic, activist and performing artist whose research topics include sexual identity and pleasure in the lives of people with disabilities. Embla was nominated for the 2023 Icelandic Stage Awards as dancer of the year.
Nína Hjálmarsdóttir is an artist, academic and a performance critic. Their performance art collective, Sálufélagar, have produced several performances for stage. They are the co-founder of queer club night & art collective Sleikur. Nína’s field of research is decolonial theory and queer theory in artistic practice, situating Iceland and the North in a colonial context.
Heart Attack – Drag at Kiki
When: Saturday May 3
Time: 21:00
Where: Kiki Queer Bar, Laugavegur 22, 101 RVK
Cost: 2.900 ISK (at the door)
HEART ATTACK is a monthly drag show, hosted by the drag family House of Heart!
Performing are the HOUSE OF HEART:
Lola Von Heart (The Matriarch)
Chardonnay Bublée (She’s a cool mom)
Milo de Mix (Funniest dad award winner)
Úlla la Delish (Is she still just a baby?)
AND our AMAZING guest Yndi the First. This genderbending, fierce and badass performer has put their mark on the scene in the past months! We’re so glad to have them.
Baráttusöngvar Hinsegin kórsins
When: Thursday May 8
Time: 20:00
Where: Fella og Hólakirkja, Hólaberg 88, 111 Reykjavík, Iceland
Cost: 5.900 ISK
The Reykjavík Queer Choir presents its spring concert on Thursday, May 8th at 8:00 PM at Fella- og Hóla Church.
The programme features a diverse selection of songs, all united by a common thread: each one uplifts and empowers queer people in its own unique way.
They aim to celebrate joy and great music – and now, more than ever, standing in solidarity with the queer community and its causes truly matters.
The choir is conducted by Helga Margrét Marzellíusardóttir, with Vignir Þór Stefánsson on piano.
Söngleikja Stælar
When: Friday May 9
Time: 20:00
Where: Salurinn Hamraborg 6, 200 Kópavogur, Iceland
Cost: 6.500 ISK
An evening with Icelandic musical theatre royalty, filled with genuine emotions, beautiful melodies, and soaring high notes delivered through powerful musical theatre songs.
Sigga Eyrún and Bjarni Snæbjörnsson are passionate musical theatre performers. In recent years, they have performed in musicals and stage plays, as well as creating and performing their own original productions and musical-themed concerts. Their friendship is closely tied to the beloved musical duo Viggó and Víóletta, who have entertained audiences across Iceland for years at celebrations, birthdays, and a wide variety of events.
Both Sigga and Bjarni have starred in numerous musicals over the years on the stages of Iceland’s major theatres; The National Theatre and The City Theatre. Notable productions include Les Misérables, Mary Poppins, Jesus Christ Superstar, Frozen, The Cardamom Town, As It Is In Heaven, Slá í gegn, Ronia the Robber’s Daughter, and Good Morning, Faggi.
For this evening only, two special musical theatre legends will join the performance. One of them is Katla Þórudóttir Njálsdóttir who starred as Scaramouche in We Will Rock You and she just won the Icelandic Film Award, Eddan, for her supporting role in the movie Ljósbrot.
The other is Þór Breiðfjörð who has played both Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar and Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, which earned him the Icelandic Performing Arts Award, Gríman in 2012.
The musical director for the evening is Karl Olgeirsson, who will be accompanied by a small live band.
Kósi Kvöld Ása og Óróa / Cosy Evening with Ace and Aro (open house)
When: Monday May 12
Time: 20:00
Where: Suðurgata 3, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Cost: Free
Ace & Aro Iceland is an interest and activism association for asexual and aromantic people in Iceland as well as all the subgroups. The purpose of the association is that everyone under the ace umbrella will become recognized and enjoy the full rights in Icelandic society. The association intends to achieve its goals by increasing visibility through education and collaborating with similar organizations, groups, and enthusiasts in Iceland and abroad that aim for the same goals.
This is an open house event intended to allow a space for those who would like to know more about the work that Ace and Aro are doing to come along and get the low down on all that’s happening.
Happiness Run 2025 – Reykjavík’s Most Joyful Race
When: Saturday, May 17, 2025
Time: 10:00 – Event area opens
10:30 – Warm-up and entertainment
11:00 – Race starts
12:30 – Event concludes
Where: Elliðaárdalur Valley, Reykjavík
Cost: Adults: 5.000 ISK
Children (12 and under): 1,500 ISK
Includes race entry, rainbow merchandise, bib with timing chip, and entertainment.
Registration: Register via the official event page.
Package pickup: May 15–16, 11:00–15:00 at Samtökin ’78, Suðurgata 3, 101 Reykjavík
Details:
Join Samtökin ’78 and Kristall for the Happiness Run, a vibrant 7.8 km race (or a 3 km fun run) celebrating the International Day Against Homo-, Bi-, and Transphobia. Expect confetti showers, glitter, and encouragement from Icelandic pop star Páll Óskar. All proceeds support LGBTQ+ rights initiatives.
Prizes will be awarded for top finishers in various categories, and there’ll be a special 50m high-heel dash with awards for both speed and style.
For more information, visit the official event page.
Klúrovision – A Eurovision Inspired Variety Show
When: Saturday May 17
Time: 21:00
Where: Þjóðleikhúsið, Hverfisgata 19, 101 RVK
Cost: 5.500 ISK
We’ve got the perfect event for you! On May 17th, we’re throwing a mini mega-festival of music, fringe performance, and international peace in the National Theatre Cellar – welcome to KLÚRÓVISION!
Expect everything you love about Eurovision: glitter, wind machines, dazzling lights, dramatic stage lifts – all with a cabaret twist. Think humour and skin, flirtation and filth, sparkle and sass – plus our all-time favourite Eurovision hits!
While Israel uses Eurovision to whitewash its image on the global stage, it continues its systematic destruction of Palestine in real time. At Klúróvision, Israel – and any country supporting genocide – is simply not welcome. It’s that simple.
Aside from venue rental, 100% of ticket sales will go directly to the Emergency Appeal by the Iceland-Palestine Association, supporting humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Betra Seint en Aldrei – Better Late than Never
When: Sunday May 18
Time: 15:00
Where: Suðurgata 3, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Cost: Free
This is a special afternoon dedicated to women who came out late. In the event description the group have stated:
If you came out late and would like to meet other women who share your experience, come along to Samtökin 78 for an afternoon meeting.
Voguing/Ballroom Workshop
When: Tuesday May 20
Time: 13:00-15:00
Where: Dansverkstæðið, Hjarðarhagi 47, 107 Reykjavík
Cost: Sliding Scale available, please check the event link for more information
Voguing is one of the most widely known categories from the Ballroom scene. It is a highly stylized, technical and improvisational dance style that emphasizes poses and shape, confidence, musicality and individuality.
While its history traces back to the early 1900s, Ballroom as we know it today emerged in the 1960s from Black & Latino LGBTQIA+ communities and involves multiple categories such as Runway, Face, Realness, Voguing (Old Way, Femme, New Way…).
This workshop, will review the history & evolution of the style, learn technique elements for Runway categories (posing and walks), and go into the basics of the performance category by learning the 5 elements of Vogue.
This workshop is open to those of all dance backgrounds & abilities.
Community Screening – “Paris is Burning” + Open Ballroom/Vogue Practice
When: Tuesday May 20
Time: Doors Open at 18:30
Where: Dansverkstæðið, Hjarðarhagi 47, 107 Reykjavík
Cost: Free
We invite you to attend a screening & discussion session of the award-winning documentary Paris is Burning (1990) (1hr 11 min)
This film chronicles Ball culture of NYC in the mid-late 1980s, and the Black & Latino Queer & Trans communities involved. Considered one of the most important and educational films preserving the legacy of ballroom and voguing, it examines issues of race, glass and gender among others. We acknowledge that this film is not without fault or controversy behind the lens- as such, we will also be watching a short 17- minute documentary Legendary: 30 Years of Philly Ballroom (2019) to examine how the scene has grown over the years from a more insider perspective.
After the screenings, we will have a group reflection/ discussion followed by an open practice session! This is your chance to practice your runway walks, 5 elements of vogue, and jam out with each other in a safe community environment!
Popcorn, light snacks and drinks will be provided!
The space will open at 18:30 in Sal 1. Folks are welcome to sit in chairs, on the floor, use pillows, yoga mats, etc. The facility is fully wheelchair accessible.
Free entrance and all are welcome!
Eventhttps://id.is/en/dansdagar/ Link
Drama Queens (a Musical Theatre Themed Drag Show)
When: SaturdayMay 24
Time: 21:00
Where: Kiki Queer Bar, Laugavegur 22, 101 RVK
Cost: 3.900 ISK
It’s time for the most obnoxious yet lovable drag show yet! Come see your goth mommy and dyk3 daddy, along with familiar faces from the Reykjavík drag scene, succumb to their theater kid roots and bring you the drag show they knew they were always doomed to do – a show with only musical theatre numbers.
Bókaklúbbur Samtakanna 78/Samtökin 78 Book Club – Fellow Travellers.
When: Thursday May 29.
Time: 8pm.
Where: Suðurgata 3, 101 Reykjavík.
Cost: Free.
For literary fans within the community, Iceland’s national queer organisation Samtökin 78 hosts a monthly book club open to all interested in getting together to discuss queer works of literature. This month’s book is Peter Darling by Austin Chant.
The Lost Boys say that Peter Pan went back to England because of Wendy Darling, but Wendy is just an old life he left behind. Neverland is his real home. So when Peter returns to it after ten years in the real world, he’s surprised to find a Neverland that no longer seems to need him.