Events and Gatherings Archive

Hello Capsuleers,

As many of you are taking the long trek to Iceland in March this year to attend Fanfest 2012 in the Harpa Centre, we wanted to take this opportunity to make a thread giving you information on what to expect at Fanfest and where to eat, drink and be merry in Reykjavik. There is a lot to cover and it is certain that I will be unable to cover everything but I will reserve the second post and update the OP with as much relevant information as possible. Please feel free to ask questions and we will do our very best to get you answers.

Before Fanfest Starts

Fanfest 2012 main page – This page holds the main information listing for Fanfest information including news, events, location, hotel partners and early bird specials.

Currency – The currency in Iceland is the Icelandic Krona. While you can certainly feel free to bring cash, please note that almost every single business will accept a credit or debit card as payment. There are banks at the airport and throughout the city center where you can change currency. The main banks in Iceland are Arion Banki and Landsbankinn with opening hours between 9:30 to 16:00 Monday – Friday. Both of these sites have currency converter calculators for your convenience.

Emergency Services – The number for police, ambulance or fire department is 112. Players who have an unlocked phone can purchase a prepaid sim card from Vodafone during their stay in Iceland. Top ups can be acquired from any 10/11 store which open 24 hours a day.

Weather and Attire – It is often said of March that it comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb but this does not always hold true for Iceland. You should prepare for cold weather and strong winds, which amplify the cold ,so a good rainproof jacket and shoes are a must. Last year in March we had several feet of snow fall at the beginning of the month yet the year before that was quite pleasant. All dress for Fanfest, of course, should be casual but feel free to dress up in character if you like.

Getting from the airport to Reykjavik – There are several options for getting from the airport to Reykjavik. You can simply hire a taxi outside of the terminal building and can expect to pay approximately 11,500 Icelandic Krona for a one way trip to Reykjavik. This is a fine option if several of you are sharing the cost.

The cheaper alternative is the Flybus which operates daily from Keflavik airport to the main bus station in town. Depending on your ticket type, the bus service will carry you onward to your final hotel destination. This ticket type is the Flybus +. The return ticket price for Flybus + is 4500 Icelandic Krona.

The final option is to rent a car which is available from Keflavik airport through a website like artic.is or Sad cars. This is a good idea if you are travelling with a group and intend on going out of Reykjavik to tour or see Northern Lights (if they are on show).

Self-catering – If you intend to visit at Fanfest and are staying somewhere with a kitchen and can cook your own food then you may want to consider the following stores and supermarkets

10-11 – Opens 24/7 and sells a lot of the basics like cereal, milk, bread, eggs, meat and various tinned goods.
Bonus – One of the biggest supermarket chains offering a lot of brand name goods and pretty much everything you need.
Kronan – Like bonus only with more choice.

Some things to look out for in supermakets when you do not know the local language

Milk – Comes in Blue cartons (full fat), Yellow cartons (semi skimmed/low fat) and Purple cartons (long life)

Meats are as follows:
Lamb – Lamba
Beef – Naut
Chicken – Kjuklinga
Pork – Gris
Bacon - Beikon

Eating and Drinking – Let’s get to the nitty gritty and to the fun stuff that people want to do – Eat, Drink and Be Merry. Below are a list of places to eat and drink and links, whenever possible, to a menu. Unfortunately they will not all be in English but most should be

Eating out in Reykjavik

Expensive

Fishmarket – This is a very upscale fish restaurant which also features some of the best Sushi in Reykjavik.
Grillmarket – Like Fishmarket, Grillmarket is an upscale steakhouse which features some of the best Mojitos you will ever have.
Austur – Another steakhouse in the center of town. This restaurant transforms into a club after 22:00
Austur India – This is the premier Indian restaurant in Reykjavik. Menu is quite extensive and the food is wonderful.
Tapasbarinn – Tapas offers some wonderful menu options including a lobster fiesta and a taste of Iceland menu which includes such delicacies as Puffin and Minke whale.

When Fanfest starts

Registration – Once you register at Fanfest you will receive your welcome pack with a full itinerary along with some food and beer tokens and various other surprises.

Food and Drink at the venue – There will be food and drink available at the venue. This includes snacks, coffee/tea, soft drinks and alcohol. Prices will be displayed at the point of sale.

Roundtables – When you see a roundtable that you are interested in attending you simply need to go to the room that the roundtable is being held in and sign up. Roundtables are limited in size and are served on a first come, first served basis.

Presentations – The main presentations are held in the largest areas of the Harpa Center. We suggest you be at the room 5-10 minutes before the presentation starts so you can take your seat without being rushed. There is no need for a sign up.

Community events – Full details of all community events will be available in the Fanfest booklet. For more information you can see this blog.

Chessboxing Part II? - Not quite but the brains behind Chessboxing are already planning something even more zany for this year. Expect announcements soon!

For the Golden Circle tour, Just show up at Harpa on the 21st, with your booking confirmation and some id? As it's before the registrations open?

Or have I missed something?

Ignore, found answer in the Q&A.

Can confirm this OP wins and is 100% accurate, personal opinions aside. I miss my lambabatur.

Heh. Perhaps you've noticed that finding drinking buddies is pretty much a non-issue at Fanfest. Checking the hotel lobby and the first random bar you stumble upon has never failed me, there's always a group of players somewhere who are happy to have you along. <3

Still, there's usually a meetup or three on Wednesday, check the forums the night before going and you may find something. If not, then Hresso is usually a safe bet if past experience is anything to go by.

New rare in-game stuffs for those of us who are attending!

Anybody flying in from the US ever have problems checking in early at their hotel in previous years? I'm coming in the day of the Golden Circle tour, and I really want to be checked in before that. I'm assuming an E-mail requesting early check-in will help.

Will there be actual food and not just snacks at the venue?

cheers Defiler and Helicon :)

...and another one...