Celebrate Icelandic food, music, literature, and film this week as Taste of Iceland returns to Toronto for a ninth year.

The four-day festival will take place November 14-17 at various locations throughout the city, with a special appearance by the Canadian-born First Lady of Iceland, Eliza Reid. Best of all, many of the events are FREE!

Here are some of the highlights:

Icelandic Menu at Luma: Enjoy a five-course tasting menu at Luma (350 King St. W., 2nd floor) prepared by chef Gísli Matthías Auðunsson, featuring Icelandic ingredients like Arctic char, lamb, and skyr. Make your reservation here.

The Write Stuff: Learn about Iceland’s rich storytelling tradition with a talk by First Lady Eliza Reid at Art Square Café (334 Dundas St. W.) on Thursday from 6-7 p.m. Reid, who co-founded the Iceland Writers Retreat, will discuss what makes Iceland such a unique and inspirational destination for lovers of the written word.

Reykjavik Calling: Head to the Dakota Tavern (249 Ossington Ave.) on Saturday night for a free concert featuring performances by two of Iceland’s most prominent and promising artists, rockers Sólstafir and dark wave/synth punk band Kælan Mikla. Doors open at 6 p.m. and admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Shortfish: On Sunday, the Royal Cinema (608 College St.) will host an afternoon screening of short films by up-and-coming Icelandic filmmakers as part of Iceland’s premier short film festival, Shortfish. The screening starts at 12:30 p.m. and admission is on a first-come, first-served basis.