Iceland Airwaves released its third and largest lineup wave this week, completing the artist roster for the 5–7 November 2026 festival in Reykjavík. The new additions include Swedish artist Cobrah, Canadian folk-pop singer-songwriter Leith Ross, Brussels-based duo Warhaus, and Icelandic act Alien Chicks. The full programme now spans more than 120 acts across the festival’s venue network.
New Confirmations
Cobrah (Sweden) brings her boundary-pushing pop to a main stage slot. She released the album Pop Art in 2024 and has toured extensively across Europe.
Leith Ross (Canada) plays Airwaves on the back of her 2025 debut album, which gained substantial streaming attention and a UK/Europe touring circuit. Her acoustic-led, narrative songwriting format suits Airwaves’s smaller venue configurations well.
Warhaus (Belgium) — the project of Maarten Devoldere of Balthazar — plays its third Airwaves appearance, with a set likely drawn from the 2025 record The Good Lie.
Alien Chicks is the Icelandic addition of the wave, a duo with a noise-pop production style that has been building a local following since 2023.
Festival Structure
Iceland Airwaves is an urban festival — it does not use a dedicated field site. Performances take place in concert halls, bars, record shops, swimming pools, and geothermal facilities throughout Reykjavík’s city centre. The Harpa Concert Hall anchors the main stage programme; smaller off-venue performances are free with a festival wristband.
The three-day format runs evening and overnight. Day passes are available but the weekend wristband (which covers all three nights) remains the most efficient option for multiple-act coverage.
Combining Airwaves with November Travel
November in Iceland is cold (averaging 2–5°C in Reykjavík), with 5–6 hours of daylight and, crucially, the highest probability of northern lights activity as the nights extend. The festival’s timing makes it one of the better moments to combine an aurora trip with a cultural event in the city.
Our things to do in Iceland guide covers the main activities available in autumn and winter — glacier hikes, hot springs, and lava field walks are all viable in November with appropriate clothing.
Tickets and Accommodation
Weekend wristbands for Iceland Airwaves 2026 are on sale at icelandairwaves.is. The Reykjavík hotel market tightens significantly around festival dates; booking accommodation now rather than waiting is strongly recommended. The festival tends to sell out in October. Guesthouses in the 101 postcode (the central neighbourhood) are most convenient for venue access on foot.
Iceland Airwaves runs 5–7 November 2026. The full schedule and venue assignments are published on the festival website.