‘Taste of Iceland in Boston’ Returns with More Events Than Ever Before, March 16-20, 2017

Bostonians can immerse themselves in Icelandic culture during this
five-day festival of Icelandic food, music, film, art and literature.

BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#Boston—Taste
of Iceland, an annual festival that celebrates Iceland’s vibrant
culture, returns to Boston with a series of events from March 16-20,
2017. Presented by Iceland
Naturally, the five-day festival highlights the best of Icelandic
food, music, art and more giving Bostonians a taste Icelandic culture.
This year’s events include a special Icelandic menu at The Merchant; the
Reykjavik Calling Concert at The Middle East; an Icelandic film
screening at The Brattle Theatre, an Icelandic literature presentation
by the First Lady of Iceland at WBUR; and a discussion of Icelandic
visual arts at The Kingston Gallery at SoWa.

Icelandic Menu at The Merchant
March 17-20 | 4-11PM Daily
| The
Merchant | 60 Franklin Street, Boston, MA 02110
Icelandic
chef Siggi
Helga of Grillið restaurant will fly to Boston with a number of
fresh Icelandic ingredients to collaborate with local Boston chef Steve
Brady of The Merchant. Known for his innovative style, chef Siggi will
bring Icelandic cuisine to The Merchant’s kitchen and work with chef
Brady to create an authentic and fresh dinner menu. Brennivin’s 2015
cocktail champion, mixologist Kári
Sigurðsson, will also make the flight from Iceland to join the
Merchant’s bar manager, Bryan Ames, in mixing unique cocktails featuring
Iceland’s favorite vodka, Reyka
Vodka, and aquavit, Brennivin,
to pair perfectly with your dinner. For reservations call (617) 482-6060
or reserve
online here.

Reykjavik Calling Concert
March 18 | 8PM | The
Middle East | 472 – 480 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139
The
annual Reykjavik Calling concert, sponsored by WERS,
returns to The Middle East. This year’s lineup features Icelandic bands Fufanu,
who just dropped their new album Sports, and Mammut,
winner of the 2014 Icelandic Music Awards’ Album of The Year and Song of
the Year, along with local Boston band The
Dirty Dottys, winner of Best Pop Act at the New England Music
Awards. Admission is free and will be granted on a first-come,
first-served basis. Doors open at 8:00 p.m.; show begins at 9:00 p.m.
Must be 18+. RSVP

The Write Stuff: How Iceland Inspires Lovers of the Written Word
March
16 | 5:30PM | WBUR
| 890 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215
This Icelandic
literature event, sponsored by WBUR, celebrates Iceland’s robust
storytelling culture with a 30-minute presentation from author and
Iceland’s First Lady, Eliza
Reid. A Reykjavik-based writer and editor, Reid co-founded the Iceland
Writers Retreat, an annual gathering for published and aspiring
writers. After her presentation on how Iceland inspires lovers of the
written word, Reid will answer questions, lead a discussion with
attendees, and share details of the Iceland Writers Retreat coming up on
April 5-9, 2017; tickets
are still available! While immersing themselves in Icelandic
literature, guests will also enjoy Icelandic bites and cocktails
prepared by chef Siggi and mixologist Kári, respectively. Admission is
free; registration is required. RSVP

Shortfish: Iceland’s Premier Short Film Festival
March 19
| 12PM | The
Brattle Theatre | 40 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Enjoy
an afternoon of Icelandic short films and popcorn at The Brattle Theater
in Harvard Square. The screening will feature six short films from the
2016 Shortfish
competition (the short film division of Iceland’s premier film festival, Stockfish).
The winner of the 2016 Shortfish competition, Like it’s up to you
by Brynhildur Þórarinsdóttir, will be among the shorts screened. The
program will run for approximately 75-minutes with each short running
between five and twenty minutes. There are no restrictions on these
films, however, they are not recommended for children. Doors open at
11:30 a.m.; program starts at noon. Admission is free and will be
granted on a first-come, first-served basis. RSVP

The Icelandic Art Center Presents: Iceland’s Thriving Contemporary
Visual Arts Scene
March 17 | 5:30PM | The
Kingston Gallery at SoWa | 450 Harrison Avenue, No. 43,
Boston, MA 02218
Join Björg
Stefánsdóttir, director of the Icelandic
Art Center, for a 60-minute presentation and discussion on Icelandic
visual arts. Björg will offer insight into how Iceland (with a
population of 340,000) is able to maintain a thriving contemporary art
scene and spread Icelandic art across the world through its
artist-driven community and The Icelandic Art Center. Admission is free
and will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. RSVP

Media Reception
March 15 | 6PM
A media reception
will be held on Wednesday, March 15 for members of the press who would
like to preview the festival and meet with Icelandic guests before the
events kick off on March 16. Interested media should email iceland@bigfishpr.com
for event details.

Win an Icelandic Prize!
At each Taste of Iceland in Boston
event you attend, make sure to grab an event pin from the entrance of
the venue for your chance to be entered into a drawing for an Icelandic
prize! Enter by tweeting a picture of all your buttons to @IcelandNatural
with the hashtag #TOIBostonChallenge by March 21. The more events you
attend, the more buttons you collect and the greater your chances of
winning!

Stay up-to-date on Taste of Iceland in Boston by following @IcelandNatural
and #TasteofIceland
on Twitter and Instagram, ‘Liking’ Iceland
Naturally on Facebook and
RSVPing
to the Facebook event. Can’t make it to the concert on Saturday
night? Iceland Naturally will be streaming the show via Facebook Live –
tune in at 9 p.m. ET!

To learn more about Taste of Iceland in Boston, visit www.icelandnaturally.com.

About Taste of Iceland in Boston
Taste of Iceland in Boston
is presented by Iceland
Naturally in cooperation with Icelandair,
Reyka
Vodka, Blue
Lagoon, Visit
Reykjavik, Icelandic
Glacial, Promote
Iceland, Ölgerðin
Egill Skallagrímsson, Icelandic
Provisions, Brennivin,
Iceland
Airwaves, WERS,
The
Merchant, The
Middle East, The
Brattle Theatre, WBUR
The
Kingston Gallery and SoWa.

About Iceland Naturally
Iceland Naturally is a cooperative
marketing organization that promotes the services, products and culture
of Iceland. Through events, promotions and online marketing initiatives,
Iceland Naturally introduces Iceland’s creativity and natural wonders to
North Americans. The group is comprised of Iceland’s top companies and
organizations: Icelandair,
Icelandic
Group, Reyka
Vodka, City
of Reykjavik, Icelandic
Glacial Water, Blue
Lagoon, Keflavik
International Airport (KEF), Landsvirkjun,
Ölgerðin
Egill Skallagrímsson, Promote
Iceland, Icelandic
Provisions and the Government
of Iceland.

Contacts

BIGfish Communications for Iceland Naturally
Meredith Chiricosta,
202-609-7622
iceland@bigfishpr.com