National Day of Iceland
Iceland's National Day, June 17, is celebrated every year to commemorate the establishment of a republic in Iceland in 1944. Before that time, however, the day also had a place in the hearts of Icelanders, because June 17 was Jón Sigurðsson's birthday (1811-1879), Iceland's main hero of independence. The day was chosen as a national holiday to honour his contribution to the Icelandic struggle for independence from Denmark. The first records of a glorious celebration on June 17 were from the year 1907 when Jón's birthday was commemorated with a trumpet blast and speeches at Austurvellir in Reykjavík; the gathering numbered 4-6 thousand people or about half of all townspeople.
Today, there are celebrations all over the Reykjavík Capital Area.
Garðatorg in Garðabær
Hlégarður in Mosfellsbær