If it’s autumn, why don’t we see any leaves? – Well, it’s almost that time of year again – time for the leaves to turn and the corn to be harvested and – wait, those things don’t happen much in Iceland. We’ll have to make due with Viking festivals, Go Kart racing on frozen lakes, and nights where the colors of the Aurora Borealis dance over our heads. We never liked raking leaves, anyway. Here’s some news and great travel deals for our friends who think leaf-peeping isn’t a very exciting way to vacation. See you out there.

Take to the Airwaves for World’s Northernmost Music Festival, Oct. 19-21

Critical darlings Deerhoof (U.S.), Swedish pop-sensation Loney, Dear and indie wunderkind Khonnor (U.S.) are among the latest additions to Iceland Airwaves 2007. Other recent acts include Danish electro sensation Trentemoller, Canadian next-big-things Plants & Animals; not to mention hordes of Icelandic performers such as Minus, Singapore Sling and Ghostigital. All of them will join previously announced attractions that include Bloc Party (U.K.), !!! (U.S.), of Montreal (U.S.) and Icelandic legends mum and GusGus for a five-day party in downtown Reykjavik during the week of October 19-21.

An annual five-day festival, Iceland Airwaves has been steadily growing since its inception and is now widely considered to be among the highlights of the annual music-festival calendar - with hundreds of journalists and music industry people flying in every year from Europe, North America and rest of the world. As per usual, this year''s bash looks to surpass the previous ones in terms of sheer intensity, with approximately 170 acts competing for the festival-goers'' attention.

Iceland Airwaves'' location - in the numerous and infamous bars and clubs of the 101 district – adds a final touch of charm to the world''s northernmost music festival. (www.icelandairwaves.com, http://www.myspace.com/icelandairwaves)

Reykjavik – the world’s greenest city

Grist: Environmental News & Commentary selected the city of Reykjavík as the world’s greenest city. Grist reporters, based in Seattle, especially liked the city’s commitment to sustainability and its initiative to become coal, gas and oil free by the year 2050. The publication, in its July 19 issue, praised the city’s move towards increasing public transportation using hydrogen-powered buses. (http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2007/07/19/cities/)

Iceland Products Go Hollywood

Now that Clint Eastwood filmed Flags of our Fathers in Iceland, and Brendan Fraser is bringing back a remake of Journey to the Center of the Earth, some favorite Iceland products are now ready for their close-up:

• Watch for 66 Degrees North clothing in the upcoming Journey to the Center of the Earth.

• ABC-TV’s show, Boston Legal features Iceland Springs water and Reyka Vodka.

• The new hit on TNT called Saving Grace features Holly Hunter pouring Reyka Vodka.

• Reyka will also be seen on the TV show Weeds and can be seen on Rachel Ray’s cooking show.

• Comedy Central’s new show American Body Shop will be using Iceland Spring on camera all season.

• Mark Harmon drinks plenty of Iceland Spring on his CBS-TV show, NCIS.

• The new Bill Engvall Show on TBS will be showcasing Iceland’s Reyka, Iceland Springs and 66 Degrees North clothing.

See other Iceland products on E.R., Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Two and a Half Men.

Film Buffs Unite!

The annual Reykjavik International Film Festival (www.riff.is) is back again Sept. 27 to Oct. 7. In only four years, the festival has shown nearly one hundred international films to thousands of gathered fans. The 11-day festival has made a name for itself as one of the most exciting film events in Northern Europe.

RIFF will open with the world premiere of Heima, a new documentary on the band Sigur Ros. The film chronicles the group''s two week tour around Iceland in the summer of 2006. Sigur Ros performed in various small towns around Iceland and a few concerts took place near farms or in the Icelandic highlands. Every concert was recorded and has now been edited down to a 94-min. documentary directed by Denni Karlsson. Fourteen of this year''s films will compete for the festival’s main award, The Golden Puffin. Icelandair is currently offering package deals to the Film Festival on their website: www.icelandair.com.

Iceland Travel has been selected as official partner for Reykjavik City’s “Study Visit” program. A study visit is an educational tour or business tour, where professionals, managers, politicians, delegations and other special interest groups search for inspiration and in-depth knowledge. The visits are a blend of professional knowledge-building and on-site tours and are composed of a range of seminars on particular themes such as Geothermal Energy, Equality and Diversity in Reykjavík, and the Creative City.

(For more information on available themes, see http://www.visitreykjavik.is/studyvisits/. And while you’re on the site, be sure to see what else you can do in Iceland when you’re not studying).

The tours are coordinated exclusively by Iceland Travel (http://www.icelandtravel.is/home/groups/) which hosted 35,000 visitors to Iceland last year alone.

“In a nod to the country’s creativity, many of the shops near Laugavegur are part boutique, part art gallery. The best of the bunch is Sævar Karl (7 Bankastraeti) whose sleek interior is anchored by a huge floor-to-ceiling mirror. Armani suits are displayed besides satin Miu Miu frocks and cashmere shrugs, a musician serenades shoppers on a grand piano. In the basement, Icelandic artists exhibit contemporary works from photography to sculpture.”

– Town and Country Traveler, fall 2007

“Just outside downtown (Reykjavik), the harbor town of Hafnarfjordur is considered Iceland’s unofficial elf capital. I strolled with the Hidden Worlds map in hand to explore venues noted for their gnome, dwarf and elven activity. In one of these locales, Hellisgerdi Park, volcanic boulders and small caves dot the landscape that’s home to a bonsai garden, the most northern one in the world.”

- Jeanine Barone, AAA Horizons magazine

“For such a small country, you hear an awful lot about Iceland… And invariably when you hear of it, you hear about beauty. Golf under the midnight sun that duels with the northern lights on opposite horizons. The gorgeous Icelandic ponies, with long, waving manes. The biggest glacier and most powerful waterfall in all Europe; almost at sea level. Perhaps the most beautiful women on Earth. Active volcanoes above and ultramarine icebergs bobbing in the bay far below.”

– Skip Knowles, Million Air magazine, July/August 2007

Icelandair, the flag carrier of our fair isle, will add winter service to its Halifax operations in 2008. Icelandair currently offers service to and from Halifax through September 24, 2007 and plans to reinstate service in May 2008. The airline will add Toronto to the route network beginning May 2008, offering 5-7 flights per week with a flying time of approximately five hours to Iceland. Additional Canadian gateways are under consideration for future development.

Icelandair flights connect in Iceland to other European cities, including Copenhagen, Oslo, Bergen, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Helsinki, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Amsterdam, London, Manchester and Glasgow. Today Icelandair operates 160 flights per week to 25 cities in North America and Europe via its hub in Reykjavik. To save some loonies on travel from Canada, log onto www.icelandair.ca or www.icelandair.com.

Deals of the Month

Here are some ideas on how to save on your next trip to Iceland:

Iceland: Have it Your Way

You know how the food you cook for yourself always tastes great? (Or maybe you burn everything - we don’t know, work with us here.) Here’s a way for you to cook up your own Icelandic vacation. We call it the “Iceland Getaway” package: two nights or more in Iceland, and you put the trip together yourself with a multitude of "a la carte" options. Once you''ve chosen your hotel, you can then add tours, car rental, gourmet dining and more. It''s Iceland your way. From $599* per person double occupancy, package price includes Icelandair Holidays booking fee. (http://www.icelandair.com/home/packages/european-packages/detail/store65/item7106/).

Northern Lights Quest

Combine the magical relaxation of the Blue Lagoon with the spectacle of Mother Nature''s footlights as the Aurora Borealis dances across the sky in majestic arcs. This two-night trip also includes a visit to the new Ghost Center and the Elves and Trolls Center, both in Stokkseyri, South Iceland. A trip there is a fascinating way to experience the folklore and legends that are so important to Icelandic culture. A special ice-room recreates the spectacle of Northern Iceland, adding that to your adventure. If you get lucky, you may see some real Northern lights. From $719* per person double occupancy. Click here for more information.

Magical Myvatn

When winter''s chill freezes over Lake Myvatn, the locals transform it into a Winter Garden (the best times to visit are February through April) where you can try your hand at racing Go Karts, playing soccer, golf, badminton or bowling, all on the ice. Travelers can take an adventure on snowmobiles out on the frozen Lake Mývatn or travel deep into the Highlands with an Icelandic guide. Superjeeps are well equipped to take you into areas that ordinary cars cannot reach. Tours focus on exploring Myvatn and the Northeast highlands, including Dettifoss, Europe''s most powerful waterfall.

The area is also well positioned for excellent opportunities to view Northern Lights on cold, clear nights. Late year visitors can see Santa in the lava Castles in December. For a full calendar of events visit www.myvatn.is) Six nights in Iceland are from $1,339* per person double occupancy.

*Prices quoted are exclusive of applicable taxes and official charges by destination of approximately $90-$120, per person, including the Sept. 11th Security Fee of $2.50 per U.S. enplanement.

For information on other exciting activities in Iceland, be sure to visit: