Midgard unites all fandoms in Iceland

Midgard is Iceland’s first all-inclusive fan convention, targeting fans from various fields – video games, tabletop games, cosplay, literature, comics, television, movies, and more. The Midgard convention will be held at the Laugardalshöll venue on the 9th of September and 10th of September 2023. The event promotes diverse interests and celebrates diversity, emphasizing inclusion across gender, sexuality, physical appearance, body size, race, and religion. The event combines international influences with a distinctly local flavor, featuring a Viking village and providing spaces for local artists and craftspeople.

The convention will have a dedicated gaming area, an RPG area, a workshop area, and a costume contest. The Midgard convention in Reykjavik is a collaboration between the legendary Icelandic fantasy store Nexus and Cosplay Iceland. Sven van Heerden is the co-founder of Midgard and owner of Skapskap/Cosplay Iceland.

Hey Sven, thank you for taking the time for this interview. Can you tell my readers about yourself?

I have lived in Iceland for a long time now and, together with Gisli Einarsson, founded Midgard. In my own time, I run Cosplay Iceland and Skapskap to support cosplay in Iceland and provide easily accessible merchandise and branding. But Midgard is a team effort. We have a great team of people on the planning committee, and in addition, many wonderful volunteers help out each year with things such as the reception, panel rooms, green room, setup and teardown, etc.

When and why is the Midgard convention founded, who attends the convention, and what can those attending it expect?

We were officially founded in 2018, as a yearly convention, Covid got a little in the way, but we are back in force! We try to be a home for all geeks and nerds in Iceland, no matter the fandom, and from any background.

Celebrity-studded event

This year, we are going all in, with celebrities such as Jewel Staite (of Firefly fame), Sean Maher (Serenity),  Paul McGillion (Firefly Lane, Stargate Atlantis, Star Trek, Tomorrowland), and Joe Flanigan (Stargate Atlantis)! We will also have a life-sized Tie-fighter from Star Wars on display! People can visit exhibitor booths, come to panels/shows, participate in workshops, and/or come for gaming and board gaming.

In addition, we will have many children’s activities, a dedicated area for children’s games supported by Spilavinir, bouncy castles, the ever-popular miniature painting lessons, and much more.

What is your favorite aspect of the Midgard convention?

Seeing people have the opportunity to be themselves for an entire weekend.  Lots of cosplay everywhere, and people just enjoying themselves in their fandoms.

What will be new at the 2023 Midgard event?

New guests, more exhibitors, more activities, an entire board game and workshop area with new workshops.
A separate cosplay championship specifically for children ages 0-14 in addition to the Icelandic and Nordic championships.

Apart from Midgard, what are your favorite places or activities in Iceland?

Nexus of course! I’m a geek myself obviously, so going to Nexus is always fun, other than that I do a lot of computer and board gaming. Outside that, my favorite place is Hraunfossar and the area around Husafell.

What advice do you have for those visiting Iceland for the first time?

Layers! Always bring layers of clothing, and use common sense when visiting the sights. Iceland is more dangerous than you’re used to. The signs and fences are there for a reason.