The Vikings invade Gimli August long weekend

Re-enactors fight a mock battle, demonstrating how Vikings would have fought hundreds of years ago.

The sight of Vikings fighting on the shore would have sent people running for the hills hundreds of years ago. This August long weekend, however, thousands will gather in Gimli to take in mock battles, music, and more as part of Islendingadagurinn, Manitoba’s Icelandic festival.

The annual festival celebrates the long history of Icelandic culture in Canada. The festival attracts around 50,000 visitors every year, past president Kathi Thorarinson Neal said in a news release.

This year’s guests include the president of Iceland, Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson. About 1,000 re-enactors will also demonstrate what it was like to live as a Viking in 800 A.D. years ago, with mock battles happening at 4:00 p.m. all weekend.

Enjoy pancake breakfasts every morning, and musical performances from acts like Icelandic folk singer Snorri Helgason. There will also be a ‘Big Games’ area on the pier featuring oversized versions of games like Jenga, Connect Four, and Scrabble.

The festival will close on Monday with a parade and a traditional program at 2:00 p.m. in Gimli Park.

Islendingadagurinn is sponsored the Government of Canada, the Government of Iceland, the Province of Manitoba the R.M. of Gimli and MTS.