Each year on August 2, the Canadian province of Manitoba celebrates its Icelandic and Viking culture and heritage with The Icelandic Festival of Manitoba, or Islendingadagurinn. The longest running ethnic festival in Canada, the celebration was first held 125 years ago and began with a parade, followed by games and sports and a party later that afternoon.
Since its inception, a few additional traditions have emerged like selecting a woman to be the Fjallkona (Maid of the Mountain). However, the core events and traditions have remained largely unchanged since the festival began more than a century ago.
This year’s four-day celebration will take place from August 1-4 and feature more than 50 events including a daily pancake breakfast, beach volleyball, shot put, carnival rides, shopping, a fine art show, music, parades, fireworks and much more! Contests include a sandcastle contest, poetry and short story contest, road races and a fris-nok tournament. The festival will also welcome more than 20 bands to perform throughout the weekend. Click here to see the complete list of festival events.
Located on the shore of Lake Winnipeg at Gimli, the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba is put on by a volunteer organization dedicated to promoting and sustaining interest in Icelandic culture and heritage. Stop by for a long weekend chock full of family fun!
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