By Tyler Sutherland
Manitoba’s Viking community is gearing up for the 126th Islendingadagurinn this weekend.
Most commonly known as the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba, the resort town of Gimli north of Winnipeg will be busy with festival-goers July 31 to August 3.
Always ones to be keeping up with the times, Vikings will explore social media “Viking style” in their reenactments, starting with the Saga of Gudrun.
About 100 actors live like authentic 800 A.D. period Vikings and will ‘battle’ each day at 3 p.m. The Village is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for visitors who want to see Norse jewelers, wood carvers and other demonstrations of authentic Viking life. New this year is the appearance of Kathryn Magnusson Drummond, a Viking herbalist who will put on a homeopathic display.
An art exhibition Friday night at the Lady of the Lake Theatre at the Waterfront Centre will kick things off, presented by artist Brydis Arnardottir with “FREYJA.”
A free concert that same night will highlight the Lakeview free stage with Conduct. Children’s entertainment follows throughout the weekend, plus Saturday night’s headlining acts Duotang, ATLAAS, Benni Hemm Hemm (from Iceland), Attica Riots and Somebody Language.
Repairs to the pier this year has forced the relocation of the free stage to Gimli Park.
A complete listing of the festival’s events can be found by visiting IcelandicFestival.com.
