A few years ago, I learned of a unique festival in Iceland called Secret Solstice, and swiftly added it to my mental bucket list.
What makes Secret Solstice so unique? The festival takes place in Reykjavik (the northernmost capital city in the world), during the summer solstice - meaning the festival, which runs until 5am each day, is gifted with 24 hours of daylight. On top of that, Secret Solstice has two side events unlike anything I've ever experienced - a concert within the Raufarhólshellir Lava Tunnel, and a dance party inside of Langjokull Glacier.
Inside.
Of.
A.
Glacier.
How cool is that? Pun entirely intended.
Last month, I was able to tick a theoretical checkmark next to "Secret Solstice Festival" (in addition to the IRL checkmark I put on my bucket list spreadsheet... because OF COURSE I have a spreadsheet for that).
You can take a look at my recount of the "Into The Glacier experience" here:
The "Lava Tunnel" remains one of the most incredible experiences I've ever been fortunate to witness. I had a very real geology nerd phase back in elementary school. Not only was this setting absolutely gorgeous... the acoustics were unreal, and the performances were beautiful. Check it out here:
What exactly does a music festival set amongst a never-setting sun look like? You can check out my coverage of the overall main festival here:
With music festival lineups becoming increasingly similar, events need to differentiate themselves through the overall experience they provide attendees. While not every event has access to natural monuments and phenomena, Secret Solstice Festival is an excellent case study in leveraging existing resources to create an experience unlike any other.
It's an absolutely wonderful feeling when an experience you've yearned for exceeds your expectations. Secret Solstice Festival is not only an incredible music festival - it's an incredible experience. Although it's already been "ticked" off the bucket list, I sincerely hope to attend again one day!