Gimli’s Maria Bear has been chosen as the 2026 Fjallkona for the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba. The Icelandic Festival of Manitoba announced her name on May 26, following a brunch gathering on May 24 at the Lakeview Resort.
Bear will serve as the traditional host and symbol of Icelandic heritage during the 137th festival, which runs from July 31 to August 3 in Gimli, Manitoba. The Fjallkona role, which means Maid of the Mountain, represents Iceland itself and treats Icelandic people as her children.
Bear has supported Icelandic culture for over 20 years through the Icelandic National League of North America and the Selkirk Bruin Chapter, including time as its president. She also spent 17 years on the Betel Home Foundation board, helping care for elders in Gimli and Selkirk.
The tradition of naming a Fjallkona started in 1924, making this its 103rd year. This announcement carries extra meaning after the passing of the 2025 Fjallkona, Gunnvör Daníelsdóttir Ásmundsson, on December 24, 2025, at age 80.
Bear will be joined by attendants Kamryn Einarson and Khloe Einarson throughout the festival. The event, founded in 1890, bills itself as the second oldest continuous ethnic festival in North America and will follow the 2026 theme Interconnected Shores / Tengdar Strendur.
