Spanish Fork to hold Icelandic Days

SPANISH FORK — The Icelandic Association of Utah was founded in 1897 and will hold this year's Iceland Days from June 25 to June 27.

Spanish Fork was the first Icelandic settlement in the United States, after Icelanders who joined the Mormon church were expelled from that country, said association spokesman Glenn Grossman. Although other nationalities helped found the town, under colonizer Brigham Young, Icelanders kept their identity and celebrate it with their culture every year during the three-day event.

The association picked June because Icelandic Independence Day, or National Day, is June 17.

Workshops begin June 25, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel, 300 E. Center, at 7 p.m.

On Saturday, the event moves to the city park, 100 S. Main, for the Icelandic Days Family Fair, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year the association is participating in a program to restore the puffin bird to its natural Maine habitat. See www.projectpuffin.org/AdoptAPuffin.html for more information.

The event concludes Sunday, at 7 p.m. with a fireside at the chapel with Fred Woods, a BYU professor, as the main speaker.

— Rodger L. Hardy