The airport is one of nine principal “Light Bearer” sponsors supporting the 3–6 September programme, which brings concerts, exhibitions and family events across Reykjanesbær.
The airport is one of nine principal “Light Bearer” sponsors supporting the 3–6 September programme, which brings concerts, exhibitions and family events across Reykjanesbær.
- Ljósanótt will take place in Reykjanesbær from 3 to 6 September 2026 with a programme of cultural, community and family events.
- Keflavík Airport is one of nine principal sponsors known as Ljósberar, or Light Bearers, supporting this year’s festival.
- The official festival organisation says more than 50 companies are contributing through funding, services or other forms of cooperation.
- Ljósanótt’s programme includes concerts, exhibitions, children’s activities and community events across Reykjanesbær.
(NEWS) REYKJANESBÆR, Iceland, 2026-Aug-31 — /Travel PR News/ — Travelers passing through Keflavík Airport in early September will arrive in the Reykjanes Peninsula as one of the region’s largest community celebrations gets under way. The airport is continuing its sponsorship of Ljósanótt, the annual cultural and family festival taking place across Reykjanesbær from 3 to 6 September 2026.
KEF is one of nine principal backers known as Ljósberar, or Light Bearers. Sveinbjörn Indriðason, chief executive of Isavia, signed the sponsorship agreement on behalf of the airport during a ceremony at Hljómahöll, according to the airport’s announcement. The partnership places Iceland’s main international gateway alongside local businesses supporting a festival rooted firmly in the surrounding community.
A community festival on the airport’s doorstep
Ljósanótt is staged annually around the first weekend of September and brings together residents, artists, organisations and businesses throughout Reykjanesbær. The official 2026 programme runs from Thursday through Sunday and includes exhibitions, concerts, children’s events, food, community gatherings and performances in venues and public spaces around Keflavík and the wider municipality.
The festival’s organisers describe Ljósanótt as one of Iceland’s largest town festivals. This year’s programme includes the formal opening in Skrúðgarðurinn in Keflavík on 3 September, museum and gallery events at Duus safnahús, live music, street-food activity and a large outdoor concert programme during the weekend. The event traditionally reaches its peak on Saturday evening, when music, lighting and fireworks form part of the celebrations.
For visitors arriving through KEF, that creates a cultural event close to the airport rather than in Reykjavík, giving the Reykjanes Peninsula an additional reason for travelers to spend time locally. The festival also provides an example of how an airport can participate in destination life beyond its transport role, particularly where the airport and nearby communities are closely connected.
Nine Light Bearers and more than 50 supporting businesses
The official Ljósanótt organisation says more than 50 companies are supporting the 2026 festival through financial contributions, services and other forms of cooperation. The nine largest sponsors are Landsbankinn, Skólamatur, KEF Keflavík Airport, BUS4U, Blue Car Rental, Nettó, GTS, JeEs arkitektar and Reykjanes Investment.
That mix of transport, banking, retail, food-service and local companies reflects the broad community model behind the festival. Organisers say business support is important to delivering the scale and variety of the programme, while the participation of residents and local organisations remains central to the event itself.
The festival’s motto, “Together with Light in Our Hearts,” is intended to capture that shared approach. Keflavík Airport says its continued sponsorship forms part of a wider commitment to supporting culture, community life and social initiatives on the Reykjanes Peninsula.
Local culture alongside an international gateway
The relationship is particularly visible because of KEF’s scale. Keflavík Airport, operated and developed by Isavia, is Iceland’s principal international airport and handles millions of passengers each year. Its physical location within the Reykjanes Peninsula means the airport’s growth and the surrounding communities are closely linked through employment, transport and tourism.
Ljósanótt therefore offers a different perspective on the destination for travelers who might otherwise pass directly between the terminal and Reykjavík. Over four days, Reykjanesbær becomes a festival setting in its own right, with local culture, performances and public events adding another layer to a region more commonly associated internationally with Iceland’s airport gateway and volcanic landscapes.
Ljósanótt runs from 3 to 6 September 2026. The full programme and practical information are available through the official festival website.
