The Imagine Peace Tower on Viðey Island near Reykjavík is scheduled to shine again on 9 October 2026 at 8:00 pm Iceland time, marking John Lennon’s birthday. Reykjavík City has confirmed a public ceremony and visitor programme.
John Lennon and Yoko Ono: from the Beatles to Iceland
John Lennon, co-founder of the Beatles, and artist Yoko Ono championed peace for decades. Their message has a special home in Iceland: in 2007 Ono unveiled Imagine Peace Tower on Viðey Island near Reykjavík in Lennon’s memory. For Beatles fans visiting Reykjavík, it is a remarkable connection between music history and Iceland.
A light for peace
Created by Yoko Ono and unveiled in 2007 in memory of John Lennon, the tower sends a beam skyward from a wishing well engraved with “IMAGINE PEACE” in 24 languages. It traditionally shines from 9 October to 8 December.
Programme on 9 October
An art workshop begins at 5:30 pm, with guided art and history walks from 5:45 pm. Árný Margrét performs at 7:45 pm, Mayor Hildur Björnsdóttir speaks at 7:58 pm, and the tower lighting is scheduled for 8:00 pm to the song “Imagine”.
How to visit Viðey
Free ferries from Skarfabakki to Viðey are scheduled between 5:30 and 7:30 pm, with returns from 8:30 to 10:00 pm. Advance registration with Elding is required. Free shuttle buses from Reykjavík City Hall run every 30 minutes from 5:30 to 7:00 pm, returning from 8:30 to 9:30 pm. Sailings are weather-dependent; check organiser updates.
Details: official Reykjavík City announcement.
Archive photograph of the tower, not the 2026 ceremony. Photo: Eysteinn Guðni Guðnason (Steinninn), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA/GFDL (see source).
