Eistnaflug. Try to say that word after three pints of beer. We´ll make it easier for you and translate it. Ready? The literal translation is “Flying Testicles” Yes. I really mean that.

Eistnaflug is the most heaviest of the Icelandic music festivals. This is a four day maelstrom of heavy metal at its finest and it takes place in the eastern village of Neskaupstadur which normally is home to just over 1.500 souls. To avoid confusion please note that Neskaupstadur is part of the Fjardarbyggd municipality.

The population of this quintessential Icelandic fishing village doubles every year in July when a legion of heavy rockers descend on the town and take it over. Most of them are Icelandic but the festival does get visitors from Germany, Denmar, Faroe Islands, Great Britain, The US, Norway and more countries.

The locals don´t mind the takeover of leather clad metal heads as the motto of the festival is “Ekkert helvítis rugl” which literally means No F****** Bull****. This is an absolute rule which is followed to the letter and should be adopted all over the world in my opinion. So the result is a friendly music festival which sports dozens of metal acts, both foreign and domestic.

Video from Skálmöld performing at the 2014 Eistnaflug festival

How to get there and book tickets

Ticket sales for the Eistnaflug metal festival has started online on www.tix.is.

If you want to fly you can book an hour long flight to the town of Egilstadir which is a short drive from Neskaupstadur.





If you are driving from Reykjavik expect to be on the road for up to 10 hours. I would split that journey into two or three days and really enjoy a road trip in Iceland. If you take the southern route you can drive past the infamous Eyjafjallajokull volcano, catch a glimpse of Ielands´s highest peak (and the magnificent but often forgotten Hrútfjallstindar Peaks) and check out the extraordinary glacial lagoon of Jökulsárlón.

So come to Neskaupstaður and let those testicles fly!

Eistnaflug online

So where is Neskaupstadur excactly?

Drive on highway 1 from Reykjavik along the southern coast. You basically follow highway 1 (often called the ring road) for ages until you finally reach the town of Egilsstadir. Then you turn to road nr. 92 and follow it to Neskaupstadur (AKA Nordfjordur, AKA Fjardarbyggd)



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Written by Jón Heiðar Þorsteinsson

Pictures by Eistnaflug Metal Festival

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