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Echolalia ~ Eclipse x Exhibition Festival — Björk in Hafnarfjörður, August 12, 2026
Echolalia ~ Eclipse x Exhibition Festival
Víðistaðatún, Hafnarfjörður · Wednesday, August 12, 2026
A one-day outdoor festival built around the total solar eclipse, organised by Smekkleysa (Bad Taste Records), the Icelandic label co-founded by Björk, for the label's 40th anniversary. The site is a quiet sculpture park about 10 km south of central Reykjavík, and it sits inside the path of totality.
Date
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Venue
Víðistaðatún, Hafnarfjörður
Totality at venue
17:48 to 17:49, about 1 min
Tickets
From 14,990 ISK on tix.is
Who is playing
Who is playing
The headline draw is a Björk DJ set — not a live vocal concert. Worth being honest about that, because it's the most common confusion around this event. Echolalia is a continuation of Björk's Mánakvöld (Moon Evenings), where she invites friends to DJ alongside her under a full moon. This time, the moon is replaced by the eclipse.
Björk (DJ set)
Co-founder of Smekkleysa. Curated DJ set in the Mánakvöld tradition, not a live vocal performance.
Arca (live)
Venezuelan producer, longtime Björk collaborator. Confirmed performer.
Smekkleysa 40th roster
Additional Icelandic acts from the label's history are being announced. Check the organiser's site for the latest lineup.
The eclipse at Víðistaðatún
The eclipse at Víðistaðatún
Hafnarfjörður is inside the path of totality, but only barely. You get a short window of full darkness — roughly the same as Reykjavík.
Partial begins
16:47
Totality
17:48 to 17:49
Partial ends
18:47
Sun position
Low in the western sky
Times as published by the organiser on garciaevents.is (checked August 6, 2026).
Heads up: the sun will be low and to the west. Find a spot inside the park with an open view in that direction — away from tall trees and the sculpture installations on the north side.
Tickets — what's included
Tickets — what's included
Tickets are sold through tix.is, Iceland's standard event ticketing platform. Starting price is 14,990 ISK (about 105 USD / 95 EUR). Each ticket bundles three things together:
1 — Festival entry
Full-day access to Víðistaðatún for the music, the eclipse viewing, and food vendors on site.
2 — Smekkleysa 40 exhibition at the National Gallery
Admission to the exhibition at Listasafn Íslands in central Reykjavík, including a theatrical-scale installation built around three of Björk's songs.
3 — ISO-certified eclipse glasses
A pair of ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses included per ticket. You can bring your own as a backup, but you do not need to source them separately.
Getting there from Reykjavík
Getting there from Reykjavík
Three realistic ways to reach Víðistaðatún. The bus is genuinely the easiest on eclipse day — driving in will be slow and parking near the park is limited.
🚌 By bus — Strætó Route 1 (recommended)
- • From Hlemmur in central Reykjavík, take Route 1 southbound toward Hafnarfjörður.
- • Get off at Hfj. Skarðshlíð (about 20 min, ~10 stops).
- • Walk ~9 min north to Víðistaðatún. Total door-to-door: ~43 min.
- • Departures roughly every 10 min in the afternoon.
- • Adult fare: 690 ISK, paid via the Klapp app (download before you travel).
🚖 By taxi
- • From central Reykjavík: ~15–20 min in normal traffic, longer on eclipse day.
- • Approximate fare: ~6,000–8,000 ISK one way (more during peak demand).
- • Hreyfill: +354 588 5522 · BSR: +354 561 0000.
🚫 No Uber in Iceland. There is no Uber, Lyft, or Bolt anywhere in the country. You cannot order one to the festival. Call a taxi company directly, or use the Hreyfill app — that's the only ride-hailing equivalent here.
🚍 Official event buses
- • The organiser runs return coaches from Laugardalshöll Sports Arena in Reykjavík to the site and back after the event.
- • Seats must be booked in advance and are limited, so book as soon as you have your festival ticket.
🚗 Driving
- • No cars are allowed into the event site. The organiser says the only official parking is two pre bookable lots, and there is no other official parking.
- • Route 41 (Reykjanesbraut) south from Reykjavík, exit toward central Hafnarfjörður. About 15 min normally, expect significantly more on August 12.
- • Street parking around Víðistaðatún is limited and zoned. See Parking in Iceland for app and zone rules.
What you cannot bring (organiser rules)
What you cannot bring (organiser rules)
This is the part most people get wrong. Echolalia is a ticketed, secured site, not an open park picnic. The organiser publishes a prohibited items list, and security has final authority at the gate.
- • Your own food and drinks. Vendors are on site. Baby food is permitted.
- • Folding chairs and umbrellas. They are listed under objects that can be used as a weapon, so do not plan your day around a camping chair.
- • Large bags or backpacks. Smaller bags are allowed.
- • Glass containers or glass of any kind.
- • Professional camera equipment.
- • Animals, apart from service dogs.
- • Fireworks, flares, and flammable liquids.
What this means practically: bring a small bag, a waterproof layer, and something soft and packable to sit on rather than a chair. The ground is grass and it will be cold and possibly damp during totality.
Full list on garciaevents.is. Checked August 6, 2026. Re entry rules are not published, so if you need to leave and come back, email info@garciaevents.is or message the organiser on WhatsApp at +354 837 8322 before the day.
Where to collect your wristband
Where to collect your wristband
Wristbands and bundles are collected at Smekkleysa Record Shop in central Reykjavík in the days before the festival, or on site from 10:00 on August 12. Doing it beforehand is the calmer option.
- • Thursday August 6: 10:00 to 20:00
- • Friday August 7: 10:00 to 20:00
- • Saturday August 8: 10:00 to 20:00
- • Sunday August 9: 12:00 to 20:00
- • Monday August 10: 10:00 to 20:00
- • Tuesday August 11: 10:00 to 20:00
- • Wednesday August 12: on site only, from 10:00
Ticket holders get 15% off in the record shop, and there is a happy hour every day from 15:00 to 20:00 as part of Smekkleysa's 40th birthday programme.
Free things happening before the eclipse
Free things happening before the eclipse
The gap between the site opening at 12:00 and totality at 17:48 is long. The organiser has programmed workshops to fill it, which is useful if you are arriving early with children or you simply do not want to sit on grass for five hours.
Movement & Mixing Symbiosis, 12:30 to 15:30
A three hour improvisation workshop for movers and music lovers, ending in a piece performed to welcome totality. Capacity is 50 people (25 movers, 25 mixers) and it requires signing up in advance through the organiser's form.
Crown making workshop, 12:30 to 14:30
Walk in, no sign up, all ages. Supported by Listasafn Íslands.
Ylur, open textile workshop
Open textile session using leftover yarn, raw wool, and found objects.
Open telescope
Astronomers are providing a telescope on site for anyone who wants a closer look.
For wheelchair access or any other support, the organiser asks you to email info@garciaevents.is.
About the venue: Víðistaðatún
About the venue: Víðistaðatún
Víðistaðatún is a public sculpture park and campsite on the northern edge of Hafnarfjörður. It's open grass with mature trees around the perimeter, an outdoor sculpture collection from past Hafnarfjörður art festivals, and a small church (Víðistaðakirkja) at one end.
Facilities on site
Public toilets, drinking water, and a campsite reception are available. Festival organisers will add additional toilets and food vendors for the day, but expect queues around the totality window.
Ground & seating
Grass, mostly flat. Bring something to sit on — a lightweight blanket or a packable mat. There is no fixed seating.
Weather realism
It's outdoor, coastal, and the temperature drops sharply during totality. Bring a windproof shell and an extra warm layer even if it's sunny when you arrive..
Camping on site
Víðistaðatún is also a registered campsite. If you want to stay overnight, book directly with the campsite well ahead — capacity is small and eclipse week will fill.
A calm plan for the day
A calm plan for the day
- Late morning: check vedur.is for cloud cover. Eat something with salt and water — totality day is long.
- Early afternoon: head to Hlemmur and catch Route 1. Aim to arrive at the park by 15:30 at the latest.
- 15:30–16:30: find your spot with an open western view. Pick up food, locate the toilets, settle in.
- 16:47: partial eclipse begins. Glasses on. Light starts to feel strange around 17:25.
- 17:48 to 17:49: totality. Glasses off only when fully dark. About one minute. Just look up.
- From 17:49: glasses back on immediately. Partial phase ends 18:47. Music continues, curfew is 22:00, and buses back to Reykjavík will be busy, so expect to wait.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
How much do Echolalia festival tickets cost?
Tickets start at 14,990 ISK (about 105 USD / 95 EUR) on tix.is. The price includes festival entry at Víðistaðatún, access to the Smekkleysa exhibition at the National Gallery of Iceland (Listasafn Íslands), and a pair of certified ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses.
Is Echolalia a Björk concert?
No. Björk is playing a DJ set, not a live vocal concert. The festival is an extension of her ongoing Mánakvöld dance evenings, where she invites friends to DJ alongside her under the moon. For Echolalia, the moon is replaced by the eclipse.
Who else is performing at Echolalia?
Arca, the Venezuelan producer and longtime Björk collaborator, is confirmed. The festival celebrates the 40th anniversary of Smekkleysa (Bad Taste Records), so additional acts from the label's roster are being announced. Check smekkleysa.net for the latest lineup.
Where is the Echolalia festival held?
At Víðistaðatún, a public sculpture park and campsite in Hafnarfjörður, about 10 km south of central Reykjavík. The park sits inside the path of totality for the August 12, 2026 eclipse and will experience around 1 minute and 4 seconds of full darkness.
How do I get to Víðistaðatún from Reykjavík without a car?
Take Strætó Route 1 from Hlemmur in central Reykjavík toward Hafnarfjörður. Get off at Hfj. Skarðshlíð (about 20 minutes, 10 stops), then walk roughly 9 minutes north to the park. Total door-to-door time is about 43 minutes. Adult fare is 690 ISK, paid via the Klapp app. There is no Uber, Lyft, or Bolt in Iceland — for taxis, call Hreyfill (588 5522) or BSR (561 0000).
What time does the festival start and end?
Organiser timings (garciaevents.is): wristband pickup on site from 10:00, site opens at 12:00, workshops from 12:30, the partial eclipse begins 16:47, totality is 17:48 to 17:49, the partial ends 18:47, and curfew is 22:00. Music set times are announced closer to the date.
Where can I watch the eclipse near Reykjavík without renting a car?
Víðistaðatún (the Echolalia festival site in Hafnarfjörður) is the most accessible spot inside the path of totality if you do not have a car. It is reachable by Strætó Route 1 from central Reykjavík in about 43 minutes door-to-door. Reykjavík city itself also experiences totality, lasting about 1 minute.
Is the festival cancelled if it is cloudy?
No. The festival runs regardless of weather. Even with full cloud cover, totality still happens — the sky goes dark, the temperature drops, and the atmosphere shifts. Clouds soften the visual view of the corona but do not cancel the experience or the event.
Can I bring my own food, drink or a folding chair?
No. The organiser's prohibited list (garciaevents.is) bans your own food and drinks, folding chairs, umbrellas, glass of any kind, large bags or backpacks, professional camera equipment, animals other than service dogs, and anything usable as a weapon. Baby food is allowed and smaller bags are allowed. Food and drink vendors are on site. Security has final say and can confiscate items at the gate.
Do I need to bring my own eclipse glasses?
A pair of ISO-certified eclipse glasses is included with each festival ticket, so no — but you are welcome to bring your own as a backup. Make sure any backup pair is marked ISO 12312-2. Regular sunglasses are not safe at any moment of the partial phase.
Is there an eclipse party or festival in Iceland?
Yes. Echolalia ~ Eclipse x Exhibition Festival, organised by Smekkleysa (Björk's label) on August 12, 2026 at Víðistaðatún in Hafnarfjörður. Separately, a multi-day gathering called Iceland Eclipse runs August 12–15 on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. The two are unrelated.
What is the Smekkleysa exhibition at the National Gallery?
Listasafn Íslands (the National Gallery of Iceland) is hosting an exhibition celebrating Smekkleysa's 40 years as a label. It includes a theatrical-scale installation built around three of Björk's songs. Festival ticket holders receive admission to the exhibition as part of their ticket.
How early should I arrive at the festival?
The site opens at 12:00 and wristband pickup on site starts at 10:00. Aim to be at Víðistaðatún by 15:30 at the latest. Strætó Route 1 will be much busier than usual on August 12, traffic into Hafnarfjörður will build through the afternoon, and you will want time to find a spot with an open view to the west, locate the toilets, and settle in before the partial eclipse begins at 16:47.
Honest expectations
Hafnarfjörður gives you about a minute of totality. Locations on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula or in the Westfjords give you closer to two minutes. If your trip is built around the eclipse itself, drive west. If it's built around the music and the moment, the festival is the right place.
Lineups, set times, and details can shift. Always confirm with the organiser closer to the date.
Smekkleysa (organiser)