'A highlight of our summer': Icelandic Festival of Manitoba returns this weekend

What’s happening at the Icelandic Festival Marilyn Valgardson with the Icelandic Festival talks about the history of the event and what’s planned for this year’s festival.

One of the longest-running cultural celebrations in Manitoba is returning this weekend.

From Aug. 2 to 5, Gimli is hosting the 135th annual Icelandic Festival of Manitoba.

"It's a festival dedicated to celebrating the Icelandic culture and heritage opportunity to reconnect and learn more about our heritage, as well as it's often a sort of family reunion type weekend," said Marilyn Valgardson, president of the festival, during an interview with CTV Morning Live.

"I grew up in Gimli, and it was always a highlight of our summer."

The annual festival features beach volleyball, a midway, family activities and a Strongman Competition qualifier. A Viking village is also set up through the weekend, with battles and recreations of the Viking lifestyle.

Gimli has a strong connection with Iceland, as it was a landing spot for Icelandic immigrants in 1875.

"They were coming by barge down Lake Winnipeg, and the weather just outside of Gimli was so bad that the barge that they were riding on was cut loose and they drifted to shore at Willow Island, where they survived a really harsh winter," Valgardson said. "Any of you who've been around Lake Winnipeg in October know that it can be pretty nasty."

More information about the festival and events can be found online.