Taste of Iceland Festival Kicks Off U.S. Tour in Washington, D.C., March 8-9

The festival will transport visitors to Iceland through free events inspired by, and in celebration of, the best of Icelandic culture.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Taste of Iceland 2024, organized by Inspired by Iceland, returns to Washington, D.C., Friday, March 8 and Saturday, March 9. The cultural festival celebrates the land of fire and ice with events across the city showcasing the best of Icelandic culture, including food and beverage, music, nature, literature, art and design, wellness, and more.

Taste of Iceland celebrates and shares the traditions and culture of Iceland with the people of North America. In partnership with local businesses and Taste of Iceland’s official partners, featured events will be hosted at Brasserie Beck, Eaton DC, Mind Your Body Oasis, Old School Hardware, Songbyrd, and Wild Days.

Most events are free and open to the public. Event tickets are required, and guests are encouraged to arrive promptly to guarantee entry. Tickets are available on the Taste of Iceland Website. Reservations are required for the prix-fixe Icelandic dinner through the Taste of Iceland Website.

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Friday, March 8 – Saturday, March 9

• Icelandic Menu at Brasserie Beck: Brian McBride, Partner-Chef at Brasserie Beck, in collaboration with Bjarki Snær Thorsteinsson, Chef on Iceland’s National Culinary Team, will prepare a pop-up menu inspired by Icelandic flavors and ingredients, including seafood, lamb, and skyr. 4:00 PM – 9:45 PM at Brasserie Beck. Reservations for the prix fixe menu are available through the Taste of Iceland Website.
  
  
• Wheel of Prizes Presented by Icelandair: March 8-9 at various events during the Taste of Iceland festival in Washington, D.C., selected participants will have the opportunity to win various prizes, including a trip for two to Iceland! Click here for more information.
  • March 8, 5:00 PM at Wild Days before the Cocktail Class with Iceland’s Reyka Vodka
  • March 9, 3:00 PM at Eaton DC, Beverly Snow before Icelandia Presents: Geology with Helga
  • March 9, 7:00 PM at Songbyrd, during and after Reykjavik Presents: Iceland Airwaves Off-Venue

Icelandair is also offering special sales on roundtrip flights to Iceland from Washington, D.C. Learn more here. 

Friday, March 8

• Pizza Time with Flétta and Ýrúrarí: Join us for a slice of creativity! Emerging arts supporter, D.C.-based Transformer is thrilled to co-present Pizza Time, an event where Icelandic designers craft unique slices. Designers Flétta and Ýrúrarí are opening a unique pizza place, serving up freshly felted wool pizza slices crafted from Icelandic wool industry leftovers. Guests can select toppings to customize their order and bring home a wool pizza slice as a one-of-a-kind art piece. Pizza Time was first exhibited at Iceland’s premier global design festival, DesignMarch, in 2023, and was awarded Project of the Year at the Icelandic Design Awards. 4:00 PM at Old School Hardware (next to Ellē). Click here for more information. 
  
  
• Cocktail Class with Iceland’s Reyka Vodka:  Join a free cocktail class with Reyka Vodka where brand ambassador and mixologist, Jeff Naples, will shake up some tasty Iceland-inspired cocktails and teach attendees how to make these drinks at home. DJ Hermigervill,  a longtime heavyweight of the Icelandic music scene, will welcome guests with tunes curated by experts at Iceland Music. Guests must be 21 years old with a valid ID to attend. 5:00 PM at Wild Days. Click here for more information.

Saturday, March 9

• Elemental Sound Bath with Blue Lagoon Iceland and Icelandic Provisions Skyr Bar: Join Icelandic energy healer Jósa Goodlife for an hour of inner peace and healing meditation. Sound Bath attendees will receive a complimentary Blue Lagoon Iceland yoga mat, an Icelandic Provisions beanie, an Icelandair blanket, Icelandic Glacial water, and a Blue Lagoon Iceland Skincare gift. After the Sound Bath, guests are invited to an Icelandic Provisions Skyr Bar. 11:00 AM at Mind Your Body Oasis. Click here for more information.
  
  
• Iceland’s Crime Fiction Royalty: A Conversation with Ragnar Jónasson and Yrsa Sigurðardóttir: Join global bestselling Icelandic authors Ragnar Jónasson and Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, known as the Queen and King of Icelandic crime fiction, for a conversation about their recent novels, literature, and life in general. Ragnar Jónasson will discuss, “Reykjavík,” his recent crime novel co-authored with Icelandic Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir. Yrsa Sigurðardóttir will discuss, “The Legacy,” the first in her popular crime series that has won numerous literature awards. 1:00 PM at Eaton DC, Beverly Snow. Click here for more information.
  
  
• Taste of Iceland Cooking Class: Chefs Haflidi Halldorsson and Bjarki Snær Thorsteinsson will present and teach how to prepare the main ingredients on the Taste of Iceland menu. Learn how to prepare and cook the wild Icelandic cod starter, the Icelandic Lamb main course, and naturally a delicious dessert of the Icelandic Provisions skyr. The group will then sit down and enjoy the fruits of their labor with the chefs. 2:00 PM at Brasserie Beck. Click here for more information.
  
  
• Icelandia Presents: Geology with Helga: Join volcanologist Helga Kristin Torfadottir to learn about Iceland’s fascinating volcanology, including current geological activities in Iceland. Helga specializes in the evolution of magma and the structure of volcanoes and is actively studying Iceland’s most significant volcano, Öræfajökull. Guests will also be invited to participate in a VR experience where they can explore Icelandia‘s tour offerings, such as their Glacier Hike and ATV tours. Prepare to be transported to vast glaciers and black sand beaches! 3:00 PM at Eaton DC, Beverly Snow. Click here for more information.
  
  
• Reykjavik Presents: Iceland Airwaves Off-Venue: The City of Reykjavík, in collaboration with Iceland Airwaves and Iceland Music, will host a free concert featuring Icelandic artists, singer-songwriter Axel Flóvent, multi-instrumentalist JFDR, and punk trio GRÓA. DJ Hermigervill, a longtime heavyweight of the Icelandic music scene, will host the evening. Doors open at 7:00 PM at Songbyrd. Click here for more information.

Taste of Iceland is an annual festival that celebrates Iceland’s vibrant culture. The festival is organized by Inspired by Iceland, which promotes Iceland and Icelandic products. It is presented in partnership and with support from Icelandair, Visit Reykjavík, Icelandic Seafood, Business Iceland, Reyka Vodka, Blue Lagoon Iceland, Icelandia, Iceland Music, Icelandic Provisions, Icelandic Lamb, Icelandic Glacial, Landsvirkjun, and Isavia Keflavik International Airport. Additional Taste of Iceland 2024 events will be held in Denver, CO (May 9-11), New York, NY (September 5-7), and Seattle, WA (October 3-5).

For more information about Inspired by Iceland and Taste of Iceland, visit www.inspiredbyiceland.com.

To learn more about Business Iceland, visit www.business iceland.is.

For media inquiries or to attend Taste of Iceland events, contact [email protected].

CONTACT: Elizabeth Whitman
703.915.5830 | [email protected]

SOURCE Taste of Iceland