The Icelandic Canadian - 01.09.1968, Blaðsíða 36

34
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Autumn 19(58
ISLENDINGADAGURINN 1968
SigurSur Sigurgeirsson
guest of honor. He delivered the Toast To
Iceland address at the Islendingadagurinn.
Honourable Sterling Lyon
delivered the Toast To Canada at the
Icelandic Festival of Manitoba, in Gimli.
The 79th Icelandic Day celebration,
at Gimli, August 5, has passed into hi-
story, but not under the old name,
but under its new name, the Icelandic
Festival of Manitoba. Be it known,
however, that the Icelandic form, Is-
lendingadagurinn, is still on the gold
standard.
The festival followed much the usual
pattern, except that new events were
added. There is specifically an attempt
to interest the young people, as will
appear in the course of this narrative.
With due regard to. all other events
on the program, the most prominent
feature of this year’s festival was the
visit of the guest of honor, SigurSur
Sigurgeirsson, president of the Patriotic
Society (bjoSraeknisfelag) in Reykj-
avik, and one who has done much for
many years to welcome visitor from
America to Iceland. He was ac-
companied by his wife, fru Palina
GuSmundsdottir. His visit to America,
and participation in the Festival was
on the invitation of the Icelandic
Festival Committee, The Icelandic
National League, and LoftleiSir (Ice-
landic Airlines).
To relate events of the weekend in
chronological order, on Sunday morn-
ing the guests of honor, Sigurdur Sig-
urgeirsson and fru Palina, attended
morning . service at the Lutheran
Church in Gimli, and visited the Betel
Home, and in the afternoon they went
on a boat trip on Lake Winnipeg, on
' the palatial yacht of Mr. W. Harris,
of the Winniptg Yacht Club. A convoy
of eight yachts in column made an im-
pressive scene.
Sunday evening the Gimli Chapter
of the National League held a dinner
for the guests of honor at the Viking