Icelandic Roots at Íslendingadagurinn 2025
- Icelandic Roots
- Jul 4
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 6
by Greg McNeill
and Shaune Jonasson
It’s summer! That means sun and fun with fairs, parades and festivals. This year, the Viking spirit is strong and alive in Gimli, MB from 1-4 August for the 136th Íslendingadagurinn Icelandic Heritage in Canada. See what’s happening by clicking on the festival link. Also, watch the excitement from a past festival with Experience Islendingdagurinn on You Tube.
You will also want to attend the Icelandic Roots’ (IR) Presentations & Genealogy Workshop at Íslendingadagurinn. It’s a FREE session open to the public and IR supporting members.
On Sunday afternoon, 3rd of August, 2025, join Icelandic Roots and company. We will be presenting from 1:00–4:00 PM at the Lady of the Lake Theatre, Waterfront Centre, 94 1st Ave in Gimli.
The afternoon will begin with two short presentations by Claudia Pétursson and Jason Doctor followed by a Genealogy Workshop featuring the Icelandic Roots database:
1:00 pm: "Weaving History with Njal's Saga Tapestry" Claudia Pétursson will delve into Njal's Saga, offering attendees a unique chance to engage with this legendary narrative through her traveling tapestry. Her work vividly illustrates the saga’s enduring impact over a millennium later.
1:20 pm: "Bloodlines and Ballads: Finding Ourselves in the Icelandic Sagas" with Jason Doctor, professor of Public Policy at the University of Southern California. He leads the Saga Project, Public Webinars, and other special projects and programs for Icelandic Roots.
1:45 – 3:00 pm: Unlock your story through ancestral research with Genealogists and Icelandic Roots volunteers who will be on hand at this informal session on Sunday. Be ready to embark on an extraordinary journey with Icelandic Roots. There’s so much more to your story and that of your ancestors like never before.
Interested? I thought so...let’s get ready!
First, we need to get you pre-registered with Icelandic Roots by 28 July. This will give you free access to the Icelandic Roots database and information for the weekend. Directions for pre-registration are below. If you wish to attend but did not submit in time? No worries! You're welcome to join us at the session where you will be provided with a generic access code for this session only. (Privacy policies apply.)
PRE-REGISTRATION PROCESS
Before 28 JULY complete the following two steps online:
RSVP using the GREEN BUTTON at Icelandic Roots Presentations & Genealogy Workshop at Íslendingadagurinn
Complete the Cousins Across the Ocean form to initiate your access for the session
IN SESSION - 3 AUGUST
On the 3rd of August bring your questions, curiosity, and your personal device to the session. We suggest something with a screen that is easy to read from. A tablet or laptop is best, but a mobile phone will also work. From past experience, this is just a reminder to ensure your device is charged and ready to go!
Be prepared for an historical journey across time! The Icelandic Roots team will guide you as you dive into our extensive database. Discover ancestral farms, uncover the sagas and how they connect to your story, track the ships and other family members, plus much more from the Emigration Team. With our unique mapping feature, you can trace their exact routes. Find your famous ancestors and discover unknown cousins through our relationship calculator.
We can't wait for you to uncover the stories that make up your family history!
See you in Gimli!
