Lögberg-Heimskringla - 15.08.2014, Síða 5

Lögberg-Heimskringla • 15. ágúst 1 2014 • 9
ONLINE MAGAZINE: WWW. HEIMSKRINGLOG.COM
8 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • August 15 2014
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.LH-INC.CA
IcelandIc festIval
of manItoba®
This year, The Icelandic Festival
of Manitoba makes history.
Now you can too.
When you make a donation to the
Islendingadagurinn 125th Legacy Project in the
amount of $125 or more, you receive permanent
name recognition in a newly created park by the
iconic Viking statue in Gimli, Manitoba.
And, while you become part of a larger community
of contributors coming together to celebrate and
commemorate Icelandic culture, you’re also providing
a place for your family to enjoy and recognize your
contribution for generations to come.
Corporate and individual donors will be acknowledged,
based on contribution, by a series of customized
paving stones, benches, gardens and landscaped areas
as well as named space recognition in what is now
tentatively named Viking Park. Viking Park will be
child friendly and accessible for people of all abilities.
Make your tax deductible donation today and
Make History with Us.
1 (204) 642-7417 or visit icelandicfestival.com
Thanks for making our 125th Anniversary
a record-breaking success!
We offer help to descendents of
the emigrants who are looking
for their roots in Iceland.
For those who have decided to
visit Iceland, we offer help in
planning their journey.
Phone 354.473.1200
E-mail vesturfarinn@simnet.is
www.vesturfarinn.is Kaupvangur 2, Hafnarbyggð 690 Vopnafjörður, Iceland
Vesturfaramiðstöð Austurlands
East IcEland EmIgratIon cEntEr
ISIT R EBSITE .
Proud Óðin Sponsor of the 2014 Icelandic Open
Contact Brad Sveinson
(204) 333-5963
855 M A R I O N ST R E E T W I N N I P EG, M B R2J 0K6 (204) 237-4294
Assembled by Joan Eyolfson Cadham,
with help
The numbers tell the story. Three communities, three festivals, same weekend, in each location dedicated volunteers ensuring that
everything runs smoothly.
Mountain, ND, the Deuce of August is first,
on Saturday, with the parade and vendors, food,
and the formal program. Hecla’s parade runs
on Sunday, and on Monday, it’s the Icelandic
Festival of Manitoba’s turn, in Gimli, with the
parade and formal program.
Mountain has a permanent population of 90.
About 8,000 people turn up in Mountain between
Thursday afternoon and Sunday. The organizing,
the host and hostessing and the behind-the-scenes
work is accomplished by 60 volunteers, 20 who
work year around and 40 additional during the
weekend.
Hecla goes next, on Sunday. Hecla Island
is, to be exact, 6.5 kilometres wide and 26.5
kilometres long, or approximately 1084 square
kilometres, all surrounded by Lake Winnipeg.
There are over 100 cottages/homes on the island
but not many permanent residents. During the
summer, it could be up to 300-500 as well as
people at the Provincial campground and the
staff at the Hotel. Twenty or so stay to brave out
the winter. The parade – all home-made entries
– began 16 years ago. How many people come
out to see it? No actual numbers, but the entire
parade route is packed with vehicles and people,
and there appears to be no end to the number of
people walking, dancing or riding the route.
According to the Mayor of Gimli, the
permanent population of Gimli is 5,800. During
the summer, when the cottagers come out, the
population swells to 11,000 – but that’s nothing
compared to the 70,000 people who spend at
least part of the weekend, Friday afternoon
to Monday evening, taking in the Manitoba
Icelandic Festival, Íslendingadagurinn. To
ensure the smooth running of the event requires
the efforts of 150 plus volunteers, often second
or third generational.
Claire Eckley, President of the Icelandic
National League of North America described the
events as “examples of Icelanders coming together
in unity.” Maybe nothing proves that point more
than a final statistic – the three sets of organizers
have ensured that it is possible to enjoy all three
August long weekend Icelandic-themed parades.
The drive from Mountain to Hecla Island, with a
stop in Winnipeg for Monday’s parade, or from
Winnipeg to Mountain then Hecla and back to
Winnipeg is 725 kilometres or 585 miles. The
other way, from Hecla to Mountain then back to
Hecla for Sunday and Winnipeg for Monday is,
of course, somewhat longer.
Thank you to all the people who supplied
the statistics.
Left: Tim Arnason escorts Fjallkona Hedy Bjornson to the Íslendingadagurinn stage, followed by the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, The Honourable
Philip S. Lee, C.M., O.M.
Photo at right: From left: Icelandic Foreign Minister Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson; Gimli Mayor Lynne Greenberg; Icelandic Festival of Manitoba President
Cam Arnason and Stone Carver and Sculptor Janey Westin unveil a Commemorative Runestone in the newly created Viking Park to celebrate the 125th
Anniversary of Íslendingadagurinn in Gimli on August 3rd.
PHOTO: JOHN JOHNSON
Festivals by the numbers
The various Icelandic festivals are also a time for family reunions, and Hecla is
no exception. The Jones family reunion had a float in the Hecla parade.
PHOTO: KATHARINE CAINES, SECRETARY HECLA HISTORIC VILLAGE ASSOCIATION
The permanent population of Mountain, North Dakota, is 90. This is
Mountain’s Main Street during August the Deuce.
The Hecla Vending Machine, of course, dispenses Viking beer,
harðfiskur and vínarterta
Everyone gets into the action on Hecla Island. The Hecla
North Shore Cottagers Association’s float passes by standing-
room-only crowds lining the street.
PHOTO: DORIS BENSON
PHOTO: KATHARINE CAINES, SECRETARY HECLA HISTORIC VILLAGE ASSOCIATION
Right: The Mountain Community
Center was filled to capacity for
the August the Deuce Heritage
Program, 2014. About half the
crowd were Icelanders from
Iceland, including a Jónas Þór
touring group and the Samkór
uppsveita Árnessýslur (Golden
Circle Choir), Halldór Árnason,
President of INL Iceland
and Chairman of the Snorri
Foundation, Grímsson, Past
President of INL Iceland, The
Ambassador of Iceland to the
United States, Guðmundur Árni
Stefánsson, and Keynote speaker,
Gunnur Bragi Sveinsson, the
Icelandic Minister for Foreign
Affairs and External Trade.
PHOTO: CURTIS OLAFSON
The Hecla Parade is
always a crowd pleaser.
Hundreds of spectators
lined the village road
as the stream of floats
passed by. Laughter
echoed along the route
as onlookers were
entertained by the range
of ideas – sumo wrestlers,
cougar sightings (and not
the four-legged variety),
zumba dancers and
huldufólk, to name a few.
PHOTO: CURTIS OLAFSON
CAPTION AND PHOTO: DORIS BENSON, ARBORG
MORE COVERAGE ON PAGE 14 AND IN THE SEPTEMBER 1 ISSUE