September in Iceland isn’t just about the nights getting darker, it’s about the queer calendar lighting up.
This month has everything: ukulele-strumming lesbians celebrating love and chaos, drag queens belting and bantering their way through mid-life crises, cosy meet-ups for the Ace and Aro crowd, and a brand-new queer film festival bringing stories to the big screen in all their glittering glory. Throw in karaoke, comedy, culture shakes, and even a Rick and Morty pub quiz, and you’ve got 30 days of unmissable queer brilliance.
So mark your calendars, sharpen your eyeliner, and get ready to dive headfirst into September’s rainbow-drenched line-up.
Betra Seint en Aldrei – Better Late than Never
When: Sunday September 3
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.
Icelandic Queer Film Festival
When: Thursday September 4 to Sunday September 7
Time: Various
Where: Bíó Paradís
Cost: Various
Iceland’s first-ever dedicated queer cinema celebration returns with flair, marking thirty years since the country’s very first LGBTQ+ film festival. Held at Reykjavík’s beloved Bíó Paradís, this vibrant new festival showcases a bold mix of queer storytelling; from heartfelt dramas and pulse‑quickening documentaries to joyous, larger‑than‑life features.
Expect an eclectic lineup that speaks to a rich diversity of voices and experiences, including titles like If I Die, It’ll Be of Joy, which follows spirited senior activists challenging stereotypes around sex, love, and aging, and ASOG, a road‑trip tale of a non‑binary teacher navigating drag pageants and climate‑hit island communities. Also on the roster are films such as Sauna, A House Is Not a Disco, and Four Mothers, offering snapshots of queer desire, identity, and belonging set in varied, evocative worlds.
Whether you’re a long-time cinephile or curious newcomer, the Icelandic Queer Film Festival promises stories as refreshing as they are powerful, capturing the queer experience in all its brilliant colours.
Kikioke – Karaoke at Kiki!
When: Thursdays (September 4, 11, 18, 25)
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 (September 5,12,19 & 26)
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.
Queer AA Meeting
When: Sundays (September 7, 14, 21, & 28)
Time: 13:00
Where: Gula húsið, Tjarnargata 20, 101 RVK
Cost: Free
This is a special Alcoholics Anonymous meeting that is dedicated to members of the queer community. The meeting is in Icelandic.
Kósi Kvöld Ása og Óróa / Cosy Evening with Ace and Aro
When: Monday September 8
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 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 a stress free cosy event intended to welcome all those interested. There are no age restrictions
Drag Stand-up
When: Thursday September 13
Time: 21:00-23:00
Where: Kiki
Cost: 2.500 ISK at the door
You like drag? You like stand-up? Then buckle up, babe—we’re serving both in one fabulously unhinged night of comedy chaos hosted by none other than the one and only Sindri Sparkle!
If you’ve been craving queer comedy in Iceland, this is the night for you. We’re bringing you a surprise lineup of drag comedians who are ready to SLAY your funny bone. No spoilers—but trust us, these queens deliver!
This night is gonna be sassier, snarkier, and sparklier than your group chat on wine night.
House of Revolution Vol.9 ‘In the Beginning’
When: Saturday September 13
Time: 21:00
Where: Þjóðleikhúskjallarinn, Hverfisgötu 19, 101 RVK
Cost: 5.200 ISK (suggested) 7.000 ISK (includes a donation) – House of Revolution also accepts a sliding scale with “pay what you can” tickets at the door on the day of the show! However, they recommend you purchase in advance if you can, in order to secure your tickets.
Come experience a variety show like you’ve never seen here in Iceland! A culture shake which holds a mirror up to all the beautiful unseen edges of Icelandic society; HOUSE OF REVOLUTION!
“IN THE BEGINNING…” is about our creation stories; what does the “beginning” of the universe look like through our unique eyes? How have our own beginnings, or new beginnings, shaped us to walk forward in this mad world? Featuring an amazing variety of local performers storytelling using multiple art forms.
An R.E.C Arts Reykjavík curation in collaboration with The National Theatre of Iceland
FEATURED ARTISTS, September 13:
Ceddie B (stand up comedy)
Perseophone (pole dance)
Elva Dögg a.k.a “Madame Tourette” (stand up comedy)
Mario Infantes, Gabriel Gold & Mack Wordsmith (live music & slam poetry)
Jose Elegipcio (Flamenco guitar)
rem (singer-songwriter)
Ewka (hand- balancing & contortion)
Moxxi DeMime (drag)
DJ Melerito de Jeré will keep the beats flowing at the end of the night with a dance party!
Sign Language interpretation by Ingibjörg & Nóel from Hraðar Hendur Tánkmálskúlkar
Hosted by Rebecca Hidalgo, Eva Yggdrasil & Chaiwe Sól
Audience participation with awesome prizes from our sponsors, including Center Hotels
All venue facilities, including the stage, are wheelchair accessible
This season is also made possible with a generous grant from ÖBÍ Réttindasamtök
Rick and Morty Pub Quiz with Mandy Licious
When: Wednesday September 17
Time: 20:00
Where: Bird Reykjavík
Cost: Free
Pub Quiz number 9 will be all about the adult swim megashow Rick and Morty, so grab your Plumbuses and *burp* Get on down to Bird for an evening of Drag and Trivia!
Your host is, as always, Miss Mandy Licious with first prize sponsored by Nexus.
Ukulellur Concert
When: Saturday September 27
Time: 17:00
Where: Þjóðleikhúsið
Cost: 6.900 ISK
Ukulellur is a joy-infused Icelandic queer ukulele ensemble formed in 2018, made up of 13 lesbian, non-binary, and queer women who play ukulele, bass, and percussion while singing. What began as an inside joke has blossomed into a vibrant, proudly political band—one that’s performed at Copenhagen’s World Pride and brought middle-aged queer voices delightfully into the spotlight.
If Ukulellur were a marriage, they’d now be celebrating their wooden anniversary. But Ukulellur isn’t a marriage—they’re a singing, strumming lesbian band, and they’ll be anything but wooden at this concert.
They’ll be singing about marriages and break-ups, dyke dances and coming-out stories, hot lesbians and irresistible power tools, old flames and brand-new crushes.
Some lyrics you may have heard before, but plenty of fresh ones too—because Ukulellur is always reinventing itself. They don’t stand still, and they never grow stale.