The Copper Country’s mid-winter celebration takes place this weekend.
Heikinpäivä will feature traditional tori markets beginning tomorrow at 10:00 at the Finnish-American Heritage Center and First United Methodist Church in downtown Hancock.
The parade will begin at 11:00 in front of the Scott Building. David Maki from the Finnish Theme Committee says participants are welcome, and should arrive at 10:30 to line up…
The star of the parade will be this year’s Hankookin Heikki, Mary Pekkala. Pekkala is being honored for many years of service on the Finnish Theme Committee, and much other volunteer work to help keep the area’s Finnish traditions alive.
After the parade, the traditional kids kicksled races and the wife-carrying contest will be held at Quincy Green. Maki says you don’t need to be married to take part in the wife-carrying contest…
Other events scheduled tomorrow include a talk by author Mark Munger at North Wind Books at 1:00, and a reception for the exhibit “Animal Life: Art from the Kalevala” at 3:00 at the Copper Country Community Arts Center.
The annual dance will begin at 7:00 tomorrow evening at the Finnish-American Heritage Center.
The Polar Bear Dive will not be held this year.
The weekend will wrap up with the Finnish Hymn Sing and Concert Sunday at 2:00 at Zion Lutheran Church in Hancock.
See the full Heikinpäivä schedule here.