1. The City Becomes A Catwalk
Creativecommons.org/herval
From March 27 to 30, the Reykjavik Fashion Festival showcases Iceland’s most daring and talented fashion designers. Established in 2009, the Harpa Concert Hall event markets Icelandic fashion design to media, fashion bloggers and key people in the fashion industry from around the globe. This year’s designers include Cintamani, ELLA, Farmers Market, JÖR by Guðmundur Jörundsson, magnea, REY, Sigga Maija and Ziska.
2. Husavik Harbour Gets Busy
Creativecommons.org/Mindseye_PJ
Husavik Harbour is Iceland's premier whale watching destination, with some 12 species making their way there to feed during the summer months. The whale watching season opens April 1, and most of the tour operators claim that around 99 per cents of tours will catch some whale action.
3. The Imagine Peace Tower Lights Up
Creativecommons.org/McKay Savage
Lit on the first day of spring, the Imagine Peace Tower near Reykjavik is a memorial to John Lennon by his widow, Yoko Ono. It consists of a tall tower of light, projected from a white stone monument that has the words "Imagine Peace" carved into it in 24 languages. Buried underneath this light tower are some 500,000 written wishes.
4. Viking Horses & Woolly Sheep Roam The Countryside
Creativecommons.org/Audrey
Horses were venerated in Norse mythology, a custom brought to Iceland by the country's earliest settlers. Although the horses are pony-sized, they are hardy. The adorable Icelandic woolly sheep have a soft, lustrous, dual-coated fleece are also hardy little creatures that thrive on good pastures.
5. The First Day Of Summer Is In… April
Creativecommons.org/Bernard McManus
Known as ‘Sumardagurinn Fyrsti’, the first day of summer is an annual public holiday that’s held on the first Thursday after 18 April. The Icelanders used to use the Old Norse calendar, which divided the year into only two seasons, winter and summer. The end of ‘winter’ is celebrated with parades, sporting events and plenty of entertainment.
6. Golf Courses Get Prepped
Creativecommons.org/Hafsteinn Robertsson
Each spring, the groundskeepers at Iceland’s 65 golf courses get busy prepping for the season ahead. Sweeping mountains and majestic ocean views characterize the country’s courses, which follow the contours of the naturally dramatic landscape. As the warmer months progress, the country experiences 24 hours of sunlight in June and July, which means that golfers are able to play during the day or night.
7. Rivers Swell With Plump Atlantic Salmon
Creativecommons.org/Tony Warelius
There are nearly 100 salmon fishing rivers in Iceland to lure anglers to Iceland each spring. Most of the rivers allow between four and 20 rods to fish per day, so there are plenty of fishing opportunities available without the feeling of being cramped for space.
8. Austurvollur Square Comes To Life
Creativecommons.org/Petur Hafsteinn
With a plethora of cafés on Vallarstræti and Pósthússtræti, Austurvollur Square is a popular gathering spot for Iceland’s coffee-lovers and people-watchers. Located in the heart of Reykjavik, the square is home to the city’s main cathedral, Parliament building, and a statue of Jón Sigurdsson, the Icelandic nationalist who led the country to independence from Denmark.
9. Playful Puffins Arrive
Creativecommons.org/Elena Gurzhiy
Each spring sees the arrival of playful puffins in the Westfjords, East Fjords and the Westman Islands. The total population of puffins in Iceland is estimated to be between eight and 10 million birds. The Atlantic Puffin is the most common.
More Iceland on Canadian Traveller: