Invitation to a 100th birthday party

The spirit of 1923 will be all-pervading in Hellisgerði on Saturday, 26th August, as the park celebrates its 100th anniversary. The anniversary celebration is open to all and will feature a programme in keeping with the ideas and values for which the park has stood for 100 years.

Speeches, guidance, stories, gentle music and dancing

The Mayor of Hafnarfjörður, Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, addresses guests and unveils a plaque about the history and flora of the garden at the heart of Hellisgerði. Expert-led tours of the garden will be on offer, featuring information on the creation of 'The Youngest Fisherman' by the pond, tales of the fairies, and an overview of the development of the flower and amusement park. The century-old garden will be filled with sweet tunes, with Margrét Arnardóttir playing the accordion in the traditional style. The Gaflar Choir will sing a few songs, followed by the Hafnarfjörður Brass Band playing with gusto, before the SE Sextet jazz band takes to the floor for a dance with tunes from the 1930s. There will be dancing throughout the garden, led by the foot-fancy dancers of the Lindy Ravers, but everyone is encouraged to join in and have a go.

Agenda:

14:00 – Mayor Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir addresses the guests

14:10 – The Gafra Choir

14:25 – Hafnarfjörður Brass Band

3:00 pm – Jazz band SE Sextett

Presenter of the day: Guðbjörg Oddný Jónasdóttir

A guided tour of the garden:

The youngest fisherman at the pond at 3 p.m.

Sigurður Trausti Traustason, Head of Collections and Research at the Reykjavík Art Museum and an expert on Ásmundur Sveinsson, will give a talk on 'The Youngest Fisherman' at the 100th anniversary celebration of Hellisgerði on 26 August. He will talk about the creation of the work and how the influence of Carl Milles, Ásmundur's master, can be seen in his work. Both Ásmundur and Millers, one of Sweden's most renowned sculptors, always emphasised that art should be in public spaces where the greatest number of people could access the works.

The story, the charm and the community. March from the Bjarnar Sivertsen statue at 15:30

Jónatan Garðarson leads a walk through Hellisgerði and discusses the history of the garden and the community that built it.

Elves in Hellisgerði Departure from the pond at 4 p.m.

Silja Gunnarsdóttir leads a short walk along fairy trails and tells the story of fairies, dwarves and elves, but Hellisgerði is home to one of the largest concentrations of elves in Iceland.

Art exhibition in the Little Gallery Open from 1 pm to 5 pm

To mark the centenary of Hellisgerði, the pride of Hafnarfjörður, our sister and brother, Kristbergur and Oddrún Pétursbörn, are holding an art exhibition at Litla Gallerý, 19 Strandgata, Hafnarfjörður. We also wish to remember our great-grandmother, Guðmundína Oddrún Oddsdóttir, who lived in a small, cottage-style house in the garden from 1950 to 1980. At that time, the house, or rather the cottage, was simply called Reykjavikurvegur 15b, but today it is known as Litla Álfabúðin.

The children's festival „Elf Festival in Hellisgerði“ will be held on Sunday, 27th August 2023, from 2 pm to 4:30 pm. The programme on stage starts at around 3 p.m. and runs until about 4:30 p.m. Benedikt the house-elf will be hosting the programme. The Elf Queen and Elf King will be on site during the festival, and there will also be a story time, musical performances, a stall, and lots of elves. Guests are encouraged to come dressed in elf costumes but to leave dogs at home.

Free entry and all welcome!

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We look forward to celebrating with you!