September has arrived, and while the rainbow flags from Reykjavík Pride may have been packed away for another year, Iceland’s queer calendar clearly has no intention of calming down just yet.
The nights are getting darker, the thicker sweaters are coming back out and summer is beginning its slow retreat, but there are still plenty of reasons to leave the house.
This month brings Reykjavík Bear back to the capital with parties, performances and the crowning of a new Mr. Reykjavík Bear, while Kiki and Bar 22 keep the weekly drag, karaoke and queer nightlife flowing. There’s also queer cinema at RIFF, an Icelandic beard-growing championship for those who like their events a little hairier, and plenty more scattered throughout the month.
So whether you’re looking to dance, sing, watch something fabulous or simply spend some time around other queer people, here’s what’s happening in LGBTQIA+ Iceland this September.
Karaoke with Paula Lovely Gorgeous
When: Tuesdays (September 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29)
Time: 21:00
Where: Bar 22, Laugavegur 22 101, 101 Reykjavík (downstairs from Kiki)
Cost: Free
Come down to Bar 22 to share and appreciate the joys of vocal talent. The karaoke typically kicks off around 9pm and goes till late so do your warm ups and make your song selections.
Reykjavík Bear x Hump Day Social
When: Wednesday, September 2
Time: 19:00–22:00
Where: Bryggjuhúsið, Vesturgata 2, 101 Reykjavík
Cost: Free
Hump Day Social teams up with Reykjavík Bear for an easygoing midweek get-together at Bryggjuhúsið. It’s a chance to meet members of Reykjavík’s bear community, have a few drinks and ease your way over the hump in suitably furry company.
Ravi Roth – An Influencer in the Wild
When: Wednesday, September 2
Time: Happy Hour from 17:00, show starts 18:00
Where: Center Hotels Plaza, Aðalstræti 4–6, 101 Reykjavík
Cost: 2,990 ISK
After a sold-out run in New York, Ravi Roth brings his one-man cabaret An Influencer in the Wild to Reykjavík for a special Reykjavík Bear performance. The funny and heartfelt musical show follows Ravi through the highs, lows and unexpected adventures of chasing love, fame and connection around the world, accompanied by Michael Ferrara on piano and featuring a special guest appearance from Icelandic icon Páll Óskar.
Reykjavík Bear 2026
When: September 3–6
Time: Various times
Where: Various venues around Reykjavík
Cost: Varies by event; party tickets from 3,000 ISK.
Reykjavík Bear returns for four days of parties, social events and uniquely Icelandic experiences for bears, chasers and admirers from around the world. The 2026 programme mixes nightlife with everything from lagoon visits and sightseeing to the Mr. Reykjavík Bear contest, all centred on meeting people and connecting with Iceland’s bear community. Several individual events are listed separately above, but the full programme runs September 3–6.
Queer DJ Night with DJ Linda Anderson
When: Thursday September 3
Time: 21:00 – 02:00
Where: Bar 22, Laugavegur 22 101, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland (downstairs from Kiki)
Cost: Free
Come let off some steam at 22 Bar with DJ Linda Anderson spinning the records and the decks all night long to help you get to the weekend.
Queer AA Meeting
When: Thursdays (September 3, 10, 17 & 24.)
Time: 17:30
Where: Gula húsið, Room B 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.
Kikioke with Paula Lovely Gorgeous
When: Thursdays (September 3, 10, 17 & 24)
Time: 21:30
Where: Kiki Queer Bar, Laugavegur 22 101, 101 Reykjavík (upstairs from Bar 22)
Cost: Free
Come upstairs to Kiki to share and appreciate the joys of vocal talent.
The karaoke typically kicks off around 9:30pm and goes till late so do your warm ups and make your song selections.
Faye Knús Friday Drag Show at Kiki
When: Fridays (September 11, 18 & 25)
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.
Top-Off! Party
When: Friday, September 4
Time: From 20:00 (Bar 22 opens at 20:00, Kiki Opens at 21:00)
Where: House of 22 (Kiki Queer Bar & 22 Bar), Laugavegur 22, Reykjavík
Cost: See Reykjavík Bear website for ticket information.
Reykjavík Bear takes over House of 22 for a high-energy Friday night for bears and friends. One of the highlights of the weekend, Top-Off! brings music, drinks and plenty of furry company to Reykjavík’s legendary queer venue, with DJ Rami Gränz on the decks and gogo bears TeddyBiggz and Soen Trueman keeping things hot.
Heart Attack: 80s Dreaming
When: Saturday, September 5
Time: 21:00
Where: Kiki Queer Bar, Laugavegur 22, 101 Reykjavík
Cost: Around 2,900 ISK
House of Heart takes its monthly Heart Attack drag show back to Kiki, this time with an ’80s twist. Reykjavík’s resident drag family serves up a night of big looks, lip-syncs, music, dancing and comedy, with Lola von Heart, Chardonnay Bublée, Milo de Mix and Úlla la Delish bringing some suitably excessive decade-of-excess energy to the Kiki stage.
Mr. Reykjavík Bear 2026 Contest & Show + Party
When: Saturday, September 5
Time: Doors open 19:00, show starts 20:00, afterparty from 23:00
Where: Austurbæjarbíó, Reykjavík
Cost: Included for Reykjavík Bear pass holders; individual tickets also available. 20+.
One of Reykjavík Bear’s biggest nights of the weekend sees the crowning of Mr. Reykjavík Bear 2026. After a meet and greet, contestants take to the stage to show off their talents and three signature looks: casual bear, sexy self and best bear. Faye Knús and Broody Valentino host the evening, with a special performance from Margrét Maack, Jeffre Scott and the Queer Bears, while gogo bears TeddyBiggz and Soen keep things heated. Once this year’s Mr. Bear is crowned, the party continues into the early hours.
No Rest for the Wicked
When: Showing through September 9
Time: Various screening times
Where: Bíó Paradís, Hverfisgata 54, 101 Reykjavík
Cost: Standard Bíó Paradís admission; see cinema for ticket options.
A fisherman falls for a rugged whaler in the isolated Faroe Islands in this supernatural queer love story set in the 19th century. When tragedy strikes, Baldur and Helge’s forbidden romance appears to unleash something much darker, leaving the pair fighting not only for each other but against a community convinced that evil is in their midst. Directed by Kasper “Kalle” Skovsbøl, the Faroese-language film blends romance, drama, horror and fantasy and screens with English subtitles. 16+
Film and Screening Information
Leviticus
When: Showing through September 8
Time: Various screening times
Where: Bíó Paradís, Hverfisgata 54, 101 Reykjavík
Cost: 2,190 ISK standard admission
Queer romance meets supernatural horror in Leviticus, where two teenage boys find themselves hunted by a violent entity that takes the form of the person each of them desires most: each other. Written and directed by Adrian Chiarella, the Australian-American film stars Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen and Tyallah Bullock and clocks in at a very manageable 88 minutes of doomed teenage desire and horror. The film is in English with no subtitles. 16+
Film and Screening Information
Icelandic Beard Growing Championship 2026
When: Saturday, September 12
Time: Doors open 19:00, competition starts 20:00
Where: RVK Brugghús Tónabíó, Skipholt 33, Reykjavík
Cost: 2,500 ISK for both competitors and spectators. All proceeds go to Píeta. 20+.
Reykjavík’s Beard Association is bringing the Icelandic Beard Growing Championship back to Tónabíó, with everyone welcome to compete or come along and watch. Categories include moustache, full beard, partial beard and freestyle/fake beard, so even the follicly challenged have a shot at glory. Competitors must register at beard.is before competition day. All proceeds from the event go to Píeta, which works in suicide prevention and provides support to people experiencing suicidal thoughts and their loved ones.
Kósi Kvöld Ása og Óróa / Cosy Evening with Ace and Aro
When: Monday September 14
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.
Queer Stories at RIFF
When: September 24–October 4
Time: Various screening times
Where: Háskólabíó, Reykjavík
Cost: Varies by screening
The Reykjavík International Film Festival puts queer stories firmly on the big screen with a selection of films exploring LGBTQ+ lives, identities and experiences, as well as work by queer filmmakers. This year’s programme includes Jordan Firstman’s Club Kid, João Pedro Rodrigues’ The Ornithologist and Will-o’-the-Wisp, Two Times João Liberada, As Fado Bicha, The Dashed Lines and HEX. A strong pick for anyone looking for something a little more cinematic than the usual nightlife offering.
Sex Ed
When: October 2–9 (premiere October 2; performances October 3, 4, 8 & 9)
Time: 20:00 for listed performances
Where: Litla svið, Borgarleikhúsið, Listabraut 3, 103 Reykjavík
Cost: 8,200 ISK
Iceland’s cabaret scene collides with New York’s wonderfully unhinged Visceral Abstractions in Sex Ed, an adults-only circus and sex-education carnival exploring bodies, desire and relationships through puppetry, acrobatics, comedy and surreal performance. Developed through several incarnations in New York, including at legendary cabaret venue The Slipper Room, the show now gets an Icelandic makeover under the direction of Juanita Cardenas and Margrét Erla Maack, with Sigurður “Gógó” Starr as dramaturg. Expect sex education that’s physical, curious, unapologetic and determined to entertain while it teaches.