Travelers to East Iceland Advised to Avoid Selfoss Due to Festival Traffic

The inaugural day of the Kótelettunnar music festival in Selfoss, Iceland, concluded with a generally positive atmosphere, according to police reports. While attendees enjoyed the performances, law enforcement dealt with a few minor issues, including violations related to identification documents and some scuffles among festival-goers. One individual was taken into custody due to intoxication.

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It just went incredibly well; there was of course considerable traffic there yesterday, and then the first concerts were there in the evening, and it just went well.

Despite these minor incidents, police officials described the first day as "incredibly successful." The festival, which features a variety of musical acts and a food festival, is expected to draw large crowds. Organizers expressed satisfaction with the evening's ambiance, stating it met their expectations.

However, the festival's popularity is anticipated to cause significant traffic congestion in and around Selfoss on Saturday. Police are advising travelers heading towards the east of Iceland to consider alternative routes, such as the northern route, to avoid the expected delays. This advisory aims to mitigate disruptions for those not attending the festival but needing to pass through the area.

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As always when people are having fun, there were some scuffles in the area, but no serious physical assault or anything like that. Then there was one person who spent the night in a holding cell, but that was basically just due to intoxication.

Authorities also noted that a considerable number of identification documents were confiscated from individuals who were underage, as the festival has a strict 18-year-old age limit. Police are preparing for an even larger turnout on Saturday, with expectations that the crowds will grow throughout the day and into the evening.

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But we expect there to be extremely heavy traffic today, both because of the food festival and the entertainment during the day, and then the big concerts tonight.