August is Iceland´s Pride month. Reykjavik Pride, one of Iceland´s largest festival, has been an annual event in Reykjavik since 1999. The event´s history dates back to 1993 when Icelandic gays and lesbians first marched through the city center demanding much wanted freedom, respect and human rights. Pride program is still to be released but according to Eva Maria Þórarinsdóttir, President of Reykjavik Pride, a few new items will be on the list this year including Friday Rainbow Techno party but well over 30 events will be on the menu during pride week which kicks off August 2nd and runs through 7th.

BEARS ON ICE (Iceland) and Bears of Finland share this year´s Thor´s Hammer Awards, given by Tupilak for outstanding male contributions. According to Bill Schiller, chairman of Tupilak, “the organization was impressed with the initiative of the Icelandic Bears-on-Ice donation to HIV work on this Nordic island -- as a way of contributing to the LGBT+ community service beyond Bear borders”.

Achim Brandenburg aka Prosumer will perform at BEARS ON ICE taking place first weekend of September 1-4th, 2016. Prosumer started to built a name for himself in his hometown Saarbruecken, Germany, before relocating to Berlin, but his current home is in Edinburgh, Scotland. In Berlin Prosumer became one of the residents and a house hold name in Berlin´s  most influential clubs.  Since his debut release Newborn in 2004 Prosumer has releases number of singles and remixes and is by many considered one of the most influential DJs and important producers of our days. Prosumer is Connecting tracks and songs of his golden age with present the groove, Prosumer will for sure bring that special magic he´s best known for and make the room rumble.

Samtökin 78, The National Queer Organization, has selected new board of directors and for the third year Hilmar Magnusson was elected chair of Samtökin '78 board. Controversial application by BDSM Iceland to become member organisation under Smatökin´s 78 umbrella was approved by 37 votes agains 31. Groups & organisations working for the benefit of queer issues are free to apply to become members of the National Queer Organization.

Once again bears & friends will travel the world for BEARS ON ICE weekend in Reykjavik, Iceland, September 1st-4th. This is the 12th year the event takes place in the World´s Northernmost Capital but BEARS ON ICE has become one of Iceland´s biggest annual queer events and Iceland´s only "bear" event.

Rainbow Reykjavik can be labeled as Reykjavik´s LGBTQI+ Winter Pride Festival welcoming guests from all over the world to have fun in Reykjavik for a few days. The program offers a great mixture of nature, activities, culture, cuisine, music & nightlife & is an excellent excuse for a mid-winter visit to the world´s northernmost capital, Reykjavik.

Iceland needs more drag and we´re getting more drag with a little bit of support from Australia. A group of Icelandic performers are claiming the stage this Friday at Gaukurinn and putting on a show to lit up Iceland´s lack of daylight with Australian standup comedian Jonathan Duffy hosting the night. “I think audiences can expect to have an amazing night with a huge variety of performers. It's so exciting to have a night like this here in Reykjavík and I know punters will leave smiling and maybe even wake up the next morning with a sore head” says Jonathan Duffy host of the night.

BEARS ON ICE is a not-for-profit event, organized by volunteers to spice up the local gay scene and introduce gay-friendly Iceland to our guests. With no budget for promotion the event has grown year by year by word of mouth and good reputation. From the very beginning in 2005 supporting the local LGBT community has always been a mission. This year´s event was the biggest in its history enabling the team to donate ISK 400.000 (around $3200) to the National HIV Organization of Iceland, HIV-Ísland.