Embrace your inner Northern European spirit by raiding your way to the Icelandic Festival in Gimli, Manitoba. You’ll find tasty Icelandic food to eat. You can ever preorder a box of yummy Icelandic desserts, bread, and a bit of Icelandic cured lamb to take home. See the Icelandic fashion show. Visit musicians and artists who offer up Icelandic music and Icelandic crafts. People who like to run will want to participate in all sorts of races.
But really the most exciting part of the festival is the Viking Village. Walk around. See people dressed up a Viking warriors. Talk to them. Ask questions. Look at the weapons. Then go to every single Viking Combat Demonstration. These occur six times. If you don’t go to them all, I’ll be disappointed.
And oh my gosh, oh my gosh, don’t, just don’t, let your children miss the half-hour long Kiddie Shield Wall event. Children under thirteen learn how to form and work together in a shield wall. They’ll march, shout, and terrify the onlookers. How cool is that? Way, way, way, way, way cool. This is the best festival event ever.
Don’t forget the crowning of the Fjalkona, the Maid of the Mountain. The Fjalkona is held to be the female incarnation of Iceland. Heavy responsibility, you bet! This is festival is so cool. The festival runs, this year, from July 30 to August 2. That’s right around the corner. Book your travel and hotel reservations right now. I mean right now. This festival is your destiny.
Paul De Lancey, The Comic Chef, Ph.D.
My cookbook, Following Good Food Around the World, with its 180 wonderful recipes, my newest novel, Do Lutheran Hunks Eat Mushrooms, a hilarious apocalyptic thriller, and all my other books, are available on amazon.com.
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