"Alternative Folk Festival" marks 40 years at Gimli's Icelandic Festival

Islendingadagurinn. Not so easy to say. Very easy to love. The 123rd annual Icelandic Festival of Manitoba bids you velcomin this weekend in Gimli.

The festival is chock-a-block full of activities for the whole family, including a hoard of 100 characters living like authentic Vikings up on Harbour Hill.

But you won't need a Viking helmet yourself to enjoy the incredible musical lineup.

Sunday's Alternative Folk Festival is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Back in 1972, Len and Karen Vopnfjord organized the first festival -- and performed in it, too. They even composed a special song for the event! The Vopnfjords return for this special anniversary concert.

Also on the Gimli Park Mainstage will be their son Lindy, Western Canadian Music Awards veteran Del Barber, folk/roots trio Sweet Alibi and The Reverend Rambler.

Headlining the evening will be Dry Bones. This all-star trio is comprised of JD Edwards, Nathan Rogers (son of the famed Stan) and Leonard Podolack, of Duhks and Scruj MacDuhk fame. The group has only been together for about 18 months, but they've already played a number of festivals in Western Canada and Australia. Winnipeggers got to enjoy their set for the first time at the Winnipeg Folk Festival.

Terry MacLeod of CBC's Information Radio will host the evening.

But wait. There's even more music through the weekend. On Friday you can catch the pop/rock duo Cannon Bros., the quintet Little House and hip hop duo The Happy Unfortunate.

Saturday Night at The Pier you'll want to look out for soul band The Noble Thiefs, rock goddesses Mise en Scene and Hey Pilgrim.