Somewhere between building Advent wreaths together, laughing way too hard at Ari Eldjárn’s stand-up, eating an unreasonable amount of turkey at Midgard Thanksgiving, and feeling something close to magic at Ásgeir Trausti’s concert last week, it hit us again why we do this.

Midgard Base Camp was never meant to be just a restaurant, a hotel or an adventure hub. From the very beginning, it was meant to be a meeting place – for locals and travellers, neighbours and friends of friends, artists and adventurers. And over the years, events have become a huge part of what turns Midgard into that shared space.

Concerts, comedy, workshops, chaos, sold-out nights, half-empty rooms, last-minute ticket panic, incredible energy, and the occasional headache – it is all part of it. These moments are what shape Midgard as a living, changing place rather than a static venue.

To talk a bit more about why we keep doing this (and also what goes on behind the scenes), we talked with Hildur and Stefan.

What do you think makes events at Midgard as a meeting place feel different from a “normal” concert venue?

It is the intimacy. The venue is small and cosy, and artists almost always manage to make it feel like you are sitting in their living room at a private concert or “trúnó”. There is very little distance between the artist and the audience, and that creates something special.

We also feel that artists genuinely enjoy coming out here to the countryside. And our guests, especially the locals, are incredibly grateful that artists make the effort to come to our little town. It feels mutual: great guests, great artists, meeting in the middle – exactly what we hope to create.

The setup helps too. Our lobby is very flexible by design. It can be a cosy living room one day, a concert hall for 130 people the next, then a yoga space, a place to watch a national football or handball game, host a wedding, or build Advent wreaths. We like changing things around, upgrading, experimenting. Even regular guests might walk in and find something unexpected.

Looking at just the last few weeks – Advent wreath building, Ari Eldjárn, Thanksgiving, Ásgeir Trausti – that is quite a mix. Is that important to you?

Very much so. We want a wide variety of events that speak to different people. Jazz, rock, folk, stand-up, art events, sveitaball, country music – and everything in between. We want everyone to feel welcome here.

Midgard plays a huge role in our lives; we spend so much time here. So honestly, we mostly want to offer things we like ourselves. We don’t love routines, and we enjoy change. A mixed program keeps things interesting – not just for guests, but for us too.

How does it feel to be able to offer a proper stage here in South Iceland, without having to go to Reykjavík?

It feels great. Honestly, it is one of our favourite parts of the job. Being able to bring talented artists to our local community and experience these events here, is something we are really proud of.

For our international guests, it adds another layer to their stay. They don’t just see waterfalls and glaciers, but experience local culture, music, and social life. And every time we host an event, we are still a little mindblown that these incredible artists are performing at our small guesthouse in an old industrial area in Hvolsvöllur. It feels special every single time.

Over the years, we have hosted Mugison, Ásgeir Trausti, Hjálmar, Stebbi Hilmars – but also students and local legends from the music school. How important is it to keep space for both?

It is essential. We wouldn’t be who we are without our local community. Creating a meeting place where locals can both enjoy themselves and perform is vital to us.

We truly believe regenerative tourism is the right way forward, and a big part of that is giving back and helping the local community thrive. Events are one of the ways our meeting place contributes to that.

Do artists experience Midgard differently than other venues?

We think and hope so. Many artists stay the night, eat at the restaurant, relax in the hot tub and sauna, and explore the area the next day. We love when they get the full Midgard experience, not just the stage but the meeting place around it.

We also have Addi, our very own sound engineer, who takes huge pride in sound quality and acoustics and knows many of the artists personally. Taking good care of artists really matters to us. Not just so the show is great, but because we want them to come back – maybe next time for another concert, or maybe just to spend time here and treat Midgard as their meeting place away from home.

One special thing at Midgard events is that locals and hotel guests share the same space. What does that create?

It adds magic. For our hotel guests, it is a rare chance to experience local culture in a natural way. We love seeing locals and travellers chatting together at the bar or during concerts – it gives our small countryside town an international feel and reinforces Midgard as a true meeting place.

Many travellers tell us they haven’t met a single Icelander on their trip. These nights usually change that very quickly. It becomes a real cultural experience and a meaningful part of their stay.

Hosting events is not always easy. What are some challenges people might not think about?

Events don’t always fit perfectly with the rest of the operation, especially in summer. Some guests might be heading out early for a hike, while a concert runs late the night before. Timing matters a lot in a place that functions both as a hotel and a meeting place.

Check-ins during a packed concert can be tricky too. But that’s Midgard. We are not the Four Seasons – we are a lively, social meeting place, and somehow it always works out.

Ticket sales are another stress factor. Artists usually handle ticketing, and all ticket income goes directly to them. We want them to earn enough to make the trip worthwhile and to want to come back. When tickets sell slowly, it can be stressful.

And yes, locals are famous for last-minute planning. Often tickets sell late, then suddenly everyone wants to come, it is sold out, and people start calling us personally last-minute asking for “just one more ticket”.

Are there any event types you would love to see more of at Midgard?

We would love to host more educational events – talks, lectures, adventure stories. They are incredibly inspiring, even if it can sometimes be harder to gather a crowd for these kinds of events.

Finish this sentence: “A good night at Midgard feels like…”

…coming in for one drink and leaving hours later, carried by the music, having met people you didn’t know before, shared stories you didn’t plan to tell, and already looking forward to coming back to the meeting place. Don’t miss upcoming Midgard events. Get updates here.