The Bræðslan – music festival has been held every year in the small town of Bakkagerði in Borgarfjörður Eystra since 2005 in an old fishing plant, that used to be used to melt herring till the late ´80´s but has since mainly been collecting rust.
The birth of “Bræðslan” was back in 2005 when the locals decided to throw on a concert to celebrate 100 years since the birth of Kjarval, a legendary Icelandic painter that resided in Borgarfjörður a young man.
Another friend of the town, Emiliana Torrini, agreed to play provided the concert was somehow “different”… The huge abandoned fishing plant fit the bill and the rest is history.

The following year Emilana returned with her friends, Belle and Sebastian for a triumphant show and thus Bræðslan was molded into the festival it is to this day

In the years passed many talented bands and artists have played at Bræðslan, Damien Rice, Of monsters and men, Eyvor Palsdóttir, Hjálmar, Ásgeir Trausti, Þursaflokkurinn, Megas and Glen Hansard to name a few and for the last 5 years the show has been sold out.

Bræðslan is s music festival that takes great pride in a professional production and an ambitious line-up, but first and foremost the goal is to enrich the culture life of Borgarfjörður and the east of Iceland. The festival was awarded with the “Eyrarrós award for outstanding cultural contribution” in 2010.

The concert it self – Bræðslan – takes place on the saturday night but the days leading up to it host many off-venue events all around the village.

Borgarfjörður eystra is without a doubt one of Icelands more beautiful habitats that has everything a traveller needs and surrounded by magnificent mountains with endless hiking-trails. For more info on the town go to:

http://www.borgarfjordureystri.is/en