Oktoberfest brings students together
"It is very important to be able to have Oktoberfest again because the COVID-19 pandemic showed how important social life is for students. Books and courses are a large part of being a student, but also making new friends and having fun," says Rebekka Karlsdóttir, head of the Student Council. She has been busy organising the festivities with her colleagues at the Student Council office and elsewhere, but Oktoberfest is now held for the first time in three years.
Almost twenty years ago a few students in German came together and celebrated Oktoberfest for the first time; German style, but the celebration has since grown larger and is currently a three day music festival on campus for students. Oktoberfest takes place 1 - 3 September this year in Vatnsmýrin; just like before the pandemic.
Rebekka says that the festivities are especially important for mingling and adjusting to the University community. Research has clearly shown that students met considerably fewer people during the pandemic than prior to it "so it is very important that we can organise events like Oktoberfest that bring people together to have fun and meet new people. It is such an important part of being a student."
Rebekka has good memories from previous Oktoberfests and says it brings groups of friends and student organisations together. "You recognise faces from classes and you go over to say hello during Oktoberfest, that is how people get to know each other better. We also encourage student organisations to bring their members on-site and we have created an environment where the groups can compete, creating a good atmosphere and here we are especially thinking of new students. This is a great opportunity to meet people," says Rebekka with the Ølympíuleikar SHÍ, contests between student organisations in all kinds of challenges and games.
Oktoberfest was last held in October 2019. "Books and courses are a large part of being a student, but also making new friends and having fun," says Rebekka Karlsdóttir, head of the Student Council.
Excited to see Birgitta, Páll Óskar and Sigga Beinteins
The list of musicians that perform at the festival is indeed impressive and is still growing:
- GDRN
- Jói P og Króli
- Frikki Dór
- Gugusar
- RVK DTR
- Birnir
- Club Dub
- Þórunn Antonía
- Sigga Beinteins
- Bubbi
- Birgitta Haukdal
- Stuðlabandið
- Flott
- Emmsjé Gauti
- Herra Hnetusmjör
- Aron Can
- DJ Dóra Júlía
- Páll Óskar
- Una Schram
- superserious
Asked which performers she is most exited to see Rebekka mentions Birgitta Haukdal. "Páll Óskar was just added to the list and I always love to watch him perform but I know that people have different opinions here in the Student Council's office," she adds with a smirk.
"Sigga Beinteins" and "á móti sól" is called out by Rebekka's colleagues.
"This is the essence of the festival, everyone is supposed to find something they like, this is a cross-selection of the music scene in Iceland, a little like the students at the university, a diverse group is coming together but we can still all have fun together," says Rebekka.
Biggest student music festival in Iceland
Rebekka says that tickets are going fast and that Oktoberfest has sold out in previous years.
The students organising the event say they experience great excitement for the festival. "People are excited but this is not the same as before as the festival was cancelled the last two years. Now we have to explain to students what it is all about and advertise. Not everyone knows how big this event is. This is after all the biggest student music festival in Iceland and it is for all students; not only the ones at the University of Iceland," says Rebekka and adds that the Student Council has collaborated successfully with the students at the Iceland University of the Arts and Reykjavík University when marketing the festival. "It is impotant that we all come together and symbolic that the University of Iceland and Reykjavík University meet almost in the middle in Vatnsmýrin."
