The Icelandic Festival of Manitoba is currently accepting entries for its 2026 poetry and short story contest, inviting writers of all ages to share their work before the June 7, 2026, deadline. Winners will have their submissions featured during the 137th annual festival, which will take place from July 31 to August 3, 2026, in Gimli, Manitoba.
The competition is open to participants of all ages and is divided into three categories: Junior for those 12 and under, Intermediate for ages 13 to 18, and Open for adults. The festival offers cash prizes for first-place winners in each category, ranging from $50 to $125. There is no entry fee to participate in the contest.
Writers may submit up to three poems or one short story, provided the pieces have not been previously published. Short stories must be 1,200 words or fewer. Successful entries will be published in the Lögberg-Heimskringla newspaper and the official festival souvenir program.
The Icelandic Festival of Manitoba, established in 1890, is the second-oldest continuous ethnic festival in North America and has been held in Gimli since 1932. As the community with the largest Icelandic population outside of Iceland, Gimli remains the heart of the historic New Iceland region, where settlers first arrived in 1875.
