Iceland’s Snæfellsnes Peninsula will host a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience with the Iceland Eclipse Festival, a music, art, and space gathering aligned with a total solar eclipse.
Set for 12-15 August 2026 in the western village of Hellissandur, the festival will welcome 3,333 attendees to experience a programme featuring international music acts, global innovation leaders, astronauts and scientists.
Acts revealed this week include Meduza³, berlioz, Emilíana Torrini, GusGus, Booka Shade, Vök, Zero 7, Nightmares on Wax, Dave Clarke, Ryan Crosson, and dozens of others, with more to be announced.
The unique festival was co-created by Iceland music and cultural festival Secret Solstice and immersive experiences platform IMXP, with organisers inspired to host a ‘cosmic gathering in the land of fire and ice’.
“As someone who calls this land home, it is incredibly meaningful to return with a project as rare and special as Iceland Eclipse,” says Fred Ólafsson, founder of Secret Solstice.
“This partnership is a chance to co-create something truly memorable for both Icelanders and the global community during one of the most extraordinary celestial events of our time.”
The four-day event is set to begin with a two-minute total eclipse, with a chance for attendees to also see shooting stars
The four-day event is set to begin with a two-minute total eclipse, reportedly one of the longest totalities in the world and the last of its kind for Iceland until 2196. Plus, attendees may also see shooting stars during totality as the eclipse coincides with the Perseids meteor shower.
Apart from music programming, there will be keynotes, panels, hands-on workshops, and interactive labs on topics ranging from space exploration and artificial intelligence to neurotechnology and digital ethics.
Exploration and wellness are also built into the event, with saunas, cold plunges, and nature explorations of glaciers, waterfalls, volcanic beaches, and lava tunnels across the Peninsula and in Iceland’s legendary Snæfellsjökull National Park on offer.
A similar eclipse prompted celebratory gatherings across North America last April, including a special Vampire Weekend show and festivals in Arkansas and Texas, though the latter was cancelled due to severe weather.
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