Reykjavík Grapevine - 02.08.2019, Side 26

BEST OF REYKJAVÍK
Best Place To
End The Night
Winner:
Kaffibarinn
Bergstaðastræti 1
This classic party place is still
the late-night hangout of choice
in 101 Reykjavík. The raucous
local crowd is a mixture of Ice-
land’s fashion folks, artists,
hipsters and intelligentsia—as
seen in the KB “Barflies” photo
book. “It’s a perfect meeting
point where you can go for the
dancefloor, space out in the back,
or chat all night in the smoking
area,” said the panel. “The staff
are always genuinely nice to you,
even if you’re pretty drunk. Ev-
eryone goes there. It’s the only
place I’d go after putting a friend
in drag and end up having my
numerology done by a stranger.”
Runners up:
Kiki Queer Bar
Laugavegur 22
If you’re going out dancing, Kiki
can’t be beat. With DJs playing
pop classics and an energetic,
disinhibited crowd, the panel
enthused: “It’s so much fun! You
can dance, hug your friends, kiss
your spouse… you can let every-
thing out and dance your ass off
in a safe, welcoming environ-
ment.”
Ölstofan
Vegamótastígur
On the other end of the spec-
trum is the no-frills drinking
room Ölstofan. With low music,
dim lighting, lots of nooks to
converse in and a big central bar,
“It’s a no-bullshit place,” said
the panel. “There’s an interest-
ing older crowd, it’s always open
late, and you can have a pint and
chat without anyone bothering
you.”
26The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 13— 2019Best of Reykjavík
You’re Here! You’re
Queer! Celebrate It!
The Grapevine guide to Pride
Words: The Grapevine Pride Dpt.
Photo: Art Bicnick
Festival
Reykjavík Pride happens August
8th-17th. Get more info at
hinsegindagar.is/en.
The annual Reykjavík Pride has
finally arrived for a fabulous two-
week-long celebration. Yipee! This
year’s iteration is chock full of fun
and important events guaranteed to
make you celebrate your beautiful
queerness. To help you make the most
of the festivities, the Grapevine Pride
Department has compiled the not-
to-be-missed Pride events.

Pride Parade
August 17th - 14:00 - Downtown
Reykajvík - Free!
Don your finest rainbow garb
and don’t forget the confetti can-
nons for the penultimate event
of this year’s Pride: the Reykjavík
Pride Parade. This year’s route
begins at Hallgrímskirkja, and
will conclude on Sóleyjargata
near Hljómskálagarður next to
the Pride outdoor concert. Un-
like other parades worldwide, this
one is totally family friendly. Try
not to lose your voice from sing-
ing too much Páll Óskar. Just
kidding. There’s no such thing
as too much Páll Óskar. HJC
The Stonewall Riots
August 9th - 12:00 - National
Museum Of Iceland - Free!
It’s been 50 years since the Stone-
wall Riots—that pivotal mo-
ment during which queer people
in New York fought back against
the police that terrorised them,
and in doing so, created a move-
ment that has continued until
today. At this special event, go
moment by moment through the
riots, learning the catalyst, cast of
characters, and if or how it mat-
ters in today’s society. The discus-
sion will be led in English. HJC
Mommie Queerest
August 15th - 20:00 - Tjarnarbíó -
Free!
Tina—bring me the axe. Also, it’d
be great if you could pick up tick-
ets for international drag super-
stars Heklina and Peaches Christ's
parody of the iconic ‘Mommie
Dearest’, too. All jokes aside, the
show will be a romp and a riot
through a queer-ified verion of
the story that destroyed Faye Dun-
away’s career forever. And remem-
ber: No. Wire. Hangers. Ever. HJC
Queers Without Borders:
Action Meeting
August 17th - 19:00 - Andrými - Free!
“Post-parade, pre-party. Create
the Pride you want to see.” That’s
the tagline for this event, which
goes beyond glitter cannons while
“It’s Raining Men” blasts over
the sponsored content festoon-
ing the Pride Parade. This radical
meeting space aims to focus on
“bodily violence against intersex
children, financial inaccessibil-
ity of HRT for many low-income
people (especially youth), and de-
portations of queer asylum seek-
ers,” amongst other pressing is-
sues within the community. AF

The Icelandic Royal Drag
Competition
August 9th - 21:00 - Austurbær -
3,900 ISK
Pageantry and drag go together
like Jonathan Van Ness and a good
grooming routine. For Pride 2019,
ten different acts—kings, queens,
and everything in between—
will perform for the chance to be
crowned the winner of the Ice-
landic Royal Drag Competition.
After the show, the champion will
take part in a decadent crown-
ing celebration, entry to which is
included in the ticket price. JG
Feminist Swearing Night
Iceland
August 16th - 20:00 - Loft - Free!
Bloody Norah! We at the Grape-
vine flippin love swearing and
feminism so this event is right
up our alley. The open-mic event
is a chance to say whatever you
darn well like about the patriar-
chy in whichever form takes your
fancy. Excitingly, the cool-as-heck
founders of the Feminist Swear-
ing phenomemon will be at the
event, which is pretty effing cool.
The night will be conducted in
English, Finnish, Icelandic and
pure profanity. JG
Hold a flag and dress in one too