Residents of Gimli, Manitoba, are invited to a brunch event on May 24, 2026, where the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba will reveal a newly restored Fjallkona costume. The event will take place at the Lakeview Resort and marks a significant update to the traditional attire worn by the festival’s ceremonial figurehead.
The Fjallkona, or Maid of the Mountain, serves as the symbolic embodiment of Iceland. Since the tradition began in 1924 with Mrs. Sigrun Lindal, the Fjallkona has remained a central figure in the festival. The formal costume is characterized by a white gown, a green robe with ermine, a golden belt, a high-crowned headdress, and a white veil that falls to the waist.
This restoration project was completed by the group Annríki in Iceland. The work was presented as a gift from the women of Iceland to the women of New Iceland to commemorate 150 years since the arrival of Icelandic settlers in the region.
The upcoming reveal follows a notable year for the organization, which recently received the Event of the Year award at the 2025 Tourism Awards. As the festival prepares for its 2026 programming, which features the theme Interconnected Shores / Tengdar Strendur, the community continues to honour the legacy of Gunnvör Daníelsdóttir Ásmundsson, who served as the 2025-2026 Fjallkona before passing away in December 2025.
