Beer Day (Iceland) facts for kids
In Iceland, Beer Day (Icelandic: Bjórdagurinn) is celebrated every year on March 1. This day remembers when a ban on beer was finally lifted after 74 years. The ban lasted from January 1, 1915, until March 1, 1989.
Why Iceland Banned Beer
In 1908, people in Iceland voted to ban all alcoholic drinks. This ban started on January 1, 1915.
However, the ban was partly lifted in 1921. This happened because Spain would not buy Iceland's main export, fish, unless Iceland bought Spanish wines. Later, in 1935, another vote allowed stronger alcoholic drinks. But strong beer, which has an alcohol content of 2.25% or more, was still not allowed. This was done to please groups who wanted to limit alcohol.
Over time, as Icelanders traveled more, they saw that beer was common in other countries. People in Iceland's parliament often tried to make beer legal again. But these attempts usually failed for technical reasons.
The ban on beer lost even more support in 1985. At that time, the Minister of Justice stopped pubs from mixing legal strong drinks with non-alcoholic beer to make a strong beer imitation. Soon after, the idea of legalizing beer came up in parliament again. The upper house of Iceland's Parliament voted 13 to 8 to allow beer sales. This vote finally ended the long ban on beer in the country.
How Beer Day is Celebrated
Since the ban ended, Icelanders celebrate Beer Day every year. They visit different bars, restaurants, and clubs. In Reykjavík, the capital city, the celebrations are especially lively.
A Rúntur is a popular way to celebrate. This is like a pub crawl, where people visit many different bars in the city. Many places stay open until 4:00 AM the next day.
Legalizing beer was a very important moment for Iceland's culture. It changed what people preferred to drink. Today, beer is the most popular alcoholic drink in Iceland.
The way Iceland celebrates Beer Day has also inspired a similar event in the U.S. It is known as Iceland Beer Day, or IBD.
See also
In Spanish: Bjórdagur para niños
