Icelanders go firework crazy

The tradition of lighting fireworks in Iceland on New Year's Eve isn't a very long one. Firework sale used to be limited to private companies until the seventies, when rescue and search organisations began selling them to fund their activities. In 1980 sales of fireworks rose immensely, coming to an all time high in the year 2007. Following the economic crash in 2008, the price of fireworks doubled resulting in people now buying fewer, but larger fireworks. 

Fireworks are sold in various places around Reykjavik which means that if you're a visitor over Nwe Year's Eve you can certainly try your hand at the process. It is of course vital to ensure safety when lighting a firework, standing well back and all those near the fireworks should wear special protective glasses, available at all the places selling fireworks. If you have any safety questions please ask the specialists at the firework sales of the search and rescue teams. 

Centrally located fireworks sales are at the Vesturbæjarlaug swiming pool, on Flugvallarvegur near the domestic air terminal, outside the Elko store in Skeifan, outside the Hekla car dealership on Laugavegur and at Holtagarðar shopping centre. 

People tend to light fireworks almost anywhere in the city streets but popular places to congregate are at Hallgrímskirkja church, where all the city hipsters get to together, bottle of bubbly in hand, and on the coastal street of Ægissíða, popular with families. 

The firework displays of the people of Reykjavík can be watched live on the Iceland Naturally website HERE.