New Year’s Celebration in Vágur

New Year´s Eve in Vágur – a truly unique and unforgettable experience

Every year the town of Vágur in Suðuroy receives a number of foreign visitors who come to witness the town’s New Year’s celebration.

The inhabitants of Vágur have a special way of celebrating New Year’s eve. The New Year’s Eve preparation starts earlier in the day, when the petrol cans are gathered on Eggjarvegur, the road opposite of the Triangle Square, located at the western part of the town. The Triangle Square is the main location for the event taking place later in the evening. During the day, two gates are put up, one with the present year and the other with the year to come.

Around midnight, the procession with the torches and the flags will pass through the gates. The torches will gather at the Triangle square around an old wrecked wooden boat. The Torches are thrown at the boat, and everybody will sing the hymn: “Tíðin rennur sum streymur í á” which translates to “Time flows away like the water in the river”. And then the big firework show starts, which Vágur is known for.

Watch the short video of the New Year’s celebration.