× Expand Courtesy of Iceland Naturally Kaelan Mikla

Heads up, Minneapolis, a whole bunch of Icelanders are coming to town as part of a cultural exchange called Iceland Naturally. It's meant to raise Icelandic awareness in these parts, and the whole thing is just very super cool: Icelandic bands are coming to the Fine Line, Icelandic movies are coming to the Trylon, Icelandic food is coming to Red Stag, Icelandic cocktails are coming to the Hewing, and more! This is as close as you're going to get to Iceland without getting on a plane.

Jim McGuinn, program director of The Current, tells me you do not want to miss the free Reykjavík Calling concert at the Fine Line, where Icelandic bands Mammút and Kælan Mikla will be playing. Of Mammút, says McGuinn; "What if The Sugar Cubes had continued?" Of Kælan Mikla: "What if The Cure was fronted by a young woman singing Icelandic?" McGuinn it turns out is a big part of the reason the Icelandic consulate is sending a whole bunch of folks over here.

"We started going over to Iceland a couple years ago for the Iceland Airwaves fest, in 2017 Mark Wheat broadcast live from there. A few people from around The Current had been going over for vacations, so we were familiar with it, but just were blown away by how cool it all is. Reykjavík is a great little town of a couple hundred thousand people with 50 music venues, and you can walk to everything. It’s like no place on earth, because it’s so volcanic, and the geology of the place is spectacular. There is a belief that fairies live under rocks, you don’t mess with them, when you're there you see why. But because it’s a relatively small island in terms of population, in order to survive and thrive they’ve reached out to the world for different Icelandic culture events. They'd gone to Seattle and Chicago, so we said: Come to Minneapolis!"

And so it is happening.

If free concerts of great bands are not your bag, maybe your thing will be Iceland's premiere film festival, Shortfish, transported here to Minneapolis at the Trylon? I've posted details from the press release below if you want to find even more cool stuff, there's tons.

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For me, I'm extremely interested in the Icelandic food portion of the event, which will take place at the Red Stag. On four running nights, May 2-5, the Red Stag's chef Joe Holmes will be working with Icelandic superstar chef Viktor Örn Andrésson to produce a four-course menu including all sorts of interesting things I've never tasted, like Icelandic wasabi, and crowberry sauce. (Full menu here.) It will be paired with interesting wines, and there should be a never before seen cocktail by Icelandic bar-star Tota who is also doing an event at the Hewing. When are you gonna get the chance to eat as if you're in Reykjavík, folks? "Chef Viktor is having a lot of the ingredients shipped over directly from Iceland," Joe Holmes of Red Stag told me. "When it comes to seafood, that's what I'm most excited to try, the colder the water the more pristine it should be, and these Icelandic scallops and langoustines, they never come here. Anytime I get to work with new ingredients it’s always a fun day, so this should be a fun week."

Yes! Never before have we gotten this chance to take an Icelandic vacation without flying past Greenland, so if you don't avail yourself don't think it'll come around again. In parting, clear your calendar, get on out there, and if you really want to be friendly go and learn some essential phrases of Icelandic, something that sounds like 'hi hi' is how you say hello, though it's written "Hæ hæ”.

Hæ hæ, Icelanders, welcome!

Schedule of Events

May 2 - 5: Icelandic Menu at Red Stag Supperclub

May 2: Icelandic Cocktail Class at the Hewing Hotel [Free]

May 3: International Water Discussion at Water Bar [Free]

May 3: Reykjavík Calling Concert at the Fine Line [Free, 18+]

May 4: Icelandic Film Festival at Trylon Cinema [Free]

May 5: Icelandic Literature Event at Open Book [Free]

Event Details

Icelandic Menu at Red Stag Supperclub

May 2-5 | Thursday 5 - 10 PM; Friday & Saturday 5 - 10:30 PM; Sunday 5 - 10 PM | Red Stag Supperclub | 509 1st Avenue NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413

Icelanders are among the world’s healthiest, happiest and longest-living people - and many believe their pure, natural diet is the reason for this. From May 2-5, experience delicious Icelandic cuisine with a special Icelandic menu at Red Stag Supperclub. Icelandic chef Viktor Örn Andrésson will fly to Minneapolis to collaborate with American chef Joseph Holmes to create a prix fixe Icelandic dinner menu. Pair your meal with delicious Reyka Vodka and Brennivin cocktails crafted by one of Iceland’s top mixologists Tóta. Reserve your seat for this unique dining experience on Resy. Click here to view the Facebook event.

Chef Viktor Örn Andrésson is one of Iceland's most prestigious culinary experts. A member of the Icelandic National Culinary team from 2009 to 2015, he has received many awards including Iceland Chef of the Year (2013), Nordic Chef of the Year (2014) and two gold medals at the 2014 Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg. Most recently, Chef Viktor Örn Andrésson led the Iceland team to a bronze medal in the prestigious Bocuse d'Or 2017 Finale, and earned special recognition for preparing the best fish of the Bocuse d'Or 2016 competition

Icelandic Cocktail Class at the Hewing Hotel

May 2 | 5 - 7 PM | Rooftop at the Hewing Hotel | 300 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401

Experience traditional Icelandic cocktails with the Taste of Iceland cocktail class at the rooftop of the Hewing Hotel! Join renowned Icelandic mixologist Tóta for a special cocktail class at the Rooftop at the Hewing Hotel. Learn about the flavors that make a cocktail uniquely Icelandic using Reyka Vodka and Brennivin. Learn a few tips and tricks about how to make a delicious cocktail! Click here to view the Facebook event.

On Time and Water: A Call to a New Scientific Revolution at Water Bar

May 3 | 4 PM | Water Bar & Public Studio | 2518 Central Avenue NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418

Global Minnesota convenes an international panel discussion and Q&A that includes award-winning author Andri Snær Magnason who will present the impact and importance of climate change based on his book On Time and Water: A Call to a New Scientific Revolution. The evening of discussion begins with a ceremonial blessing by members of the Dakota community, and also includes Bjorgvin Saevarsson, expert on regenerative development and the circular economy, a representative from the Honorary Consulate of Iceland in Minnesota, and a Water Bar representative.

Reykjavík Calling Concert at Fine Line

May 3 | Doors at 8 PM, Concert at 9 PM | Fine Line | 318 N 1st Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401

Reykjavík Calling concert, sponsored by The Current, comes to Minneapolis on Friday, May 3 at the Fine Line! This free concert features a lineup of Icelandic artists including Mammút, a Reykjavík-based rock band nominated for six Icelandic Music Awards and winner of Album of the Year; Kælan Mikla, a dark wave/synth punk all-female band whose fanbase includes The Cure’s Robert Smith. They will be joined by Minneapolis’ own The Bad Man, named one of the Best New Bands by City Pages for their high octane funk rock shows and sound.

Admission is free and will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Must be 18+. Click here to view the Facebook event.

Shortfish: Iceland’s Premier Short Film Festival at Trylon Cinema

May 4 | 2:30 PM | Trylon Cinema | 2820 E 33rd St, Minneapolis, MN 55406

Enjoy an afternoon of Icelandic films at Trylon Cinema. The screening will short films from the 2018 Shortfish competition (the short film division of Iceland’s premier film festival, Stockfish). The program will run approximately 90 minutes. There are no age restrictions on these films, however, they are not recommended for children. Doors open at 2:30 p.m.; program starts at 3:00 p.m. Admission is free and will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here to view the Facebook event.

‘Iceland’s Thriving Literary Scene with Author Andri Snær Magnason’ with Rain Taxi at Open Book

May 5 | 3 - 5 PM | Open Book | 1011 S Washington Ave #101, Minneapolis, MN 55415

Author Andri Snær Magnason will discuss his wide ranging work that includes supermarket poetry, science fiction, and critical writings about current issues in Iceland. Andri is one of Iceland's leading literary voices and his novel LoveStar won the leading science fiction awards in France 2016 – Le Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire, and a Philip K. Dick Citation of Excellence in the United States. Andri has won the Icelandic literary awards for fiction, non-fiction and YA/childrens’ books. His next book, The Casket of Time, comes out in April 2019. Andri is also currently the chairman of Reykjavík, Unesco City of Literature. The event with be hosted by Eric Lorberer of Rain Taxi literature journal. Click here to view the Facebook event.

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