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Thursday, June 22, 2017

Local Finns to host Juhannus Mid-Summer Festival in Askel, Hancock, Toivola, Bruce Crossing June 23-25

Juhannus poster courtesy Finlandia University.

HANCOCK -- The Finns of the Copper Country will host the Juhannus Mid-Summer Festival June 23, 24 and 25 -- a celebration of Finnishness and community -- featuring live music, Finnish food, an expanded Tori market, a music camp, plays, dances, a traveling sauna and more. Juhannus '17 is a celebration of the Finnish American presence in the Copper Country in the context of the Republic of Finland's Centennial.

Events will take place in four communities: Askel, Hancock, Toivola and Bruce Crossing. All are welcome.

Here is the schedule:*

Friday, June 23: Annual Hanka Heritage Day (moved from August to June) will take place at the Hanka Finnish Homestead Museum in Askel: Celebrating Finnish farm life
        1 p.m. - 5 p.m. -- Museum open with docents, enactors and farm animals
        1 p.m. - 5 p.m. -- The Traveling Sauna (Finland 100 USA)
        1-p.m. - 5 p.m. -- Live music performance: Ameriikan Poijat and others
        1 p.m. - 5 p.m. -- Representatives from the World’s Largest Greeting Card project on site, collecting signatures
        1 p.m.- 3 p.m. -- Finnish Folk Music Camp class: Arto Järvelä at the caretaker’s cottage
        1 p.m. - 3 p.m. -- Finnish American log buildings lecture by Frank Eld at the horse barn
        3 p.m. -- Flag raising, with remarks by Finland’s Ambassador Kirsti Kauppi
        4 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. -- Kivajat Dancers perform
        5 p.m. - 8 p.m. -- Dance on site with a traditional Finnish tanssilava (outdoor dance floor)

Saturday, June 24 -- Finnish American Heritage Center/Finlandia University, Hancock:
Celebrating bonds between Finland and the U.S. -- Old and New
       9 a.m. -10:30 a.m. -- "Topics in Modern Finnish Genealogy" by Greg Isola – Chapel of St. Matthew
       Midsummer pole (Juhannussalko) dedication
      10 a.m. - 4 p.m. -- The Traveling Sauna
      10 a.m. - 4 p.m. -- Outdoor Tori (Quincy Green), including Tori + art fair, and indoor Finnish Tori (Finnish American Heritage Center’s Martha Wiljanen Hall)
      10 a.m. - 4 p.m. -- Representatives from the World’s Largest Greeting Card project on site, collecting signatures
     11 a.m. -- Flag raising, and remarks from Ambassador Kauppi
     11 a.m. - 1 p.m. -- Music by Ameriikan Poijat and others w/ short performance by Kivajat Dancers
     1 p.m. - 3 p.m. -- Finnish Folk Music Camp class, Chapel, upstairs: Arto Järvelä
     1 p.m. - 3 p.m. -- "A History of the Quincy Hill Scandinavian Church," by Greg Isola, Chapel, downstairs
    4 p.m. -- Tammy Santti-Kero art reception, Community Arts Center. See right-hand column.

Saturday, June 24 -- Agate Beach, Toivola: Celebrating the ancient traditions of Juhannus and the 125th anniversary of the community’s settlement
        1 p.m. -- Registration for Toivola homecoming participants
        1:30 p.m. -- Welcome by 125th anniversary celebration committee
        2:30 p.m. -- Original play "Stories of Oar" by Kris Kyrö
        3:30 p.m. -- Group photo of Toivola 125th anniversary participants
        4 p.m. -- Log building preservation lecture by Frank Eld at Agate Beach Hall
        4 p.m. -- Supper w/food vendors
        6 p.m. -- Raising of Finnish and American flags; greetings by Ambassador Kauppi
        6 p.m. - 10 p.m. -- Traveling Sauna on site
        6 p.m. - 10 p.m. -- Representatives from the World’s Largest Greeting Card project on site, collecting signatures
        6:15 p.m. -- Original play "Stories of Oar" by Kris Kyrö
        7 p.m. - 10 p.m. -- Dance with Ameriikan Poijat and others (Kivajat to perform during intermissions)
        9 p.m. -- Lighting of the Juhannus kokko

Sunday, June 25 -- Settlers’ Co-Op Centennial, Bruce Crossing: Celebrating Finnish American Co-operatives
        1 p.m. - 4 p.m. -- Live music at Settlers' Co-op
        1 p.m. - 6 p.m. -- Traveling Sauna on site
        1 p.m. - 6 p.m. -- Representatives from the World’s Largest Greeting Card project on site, collecting signatures
        3 p.m. -- Kivajat performance
        3:30 p.m. -- Dedication of Heritage Wall
        4 p.m. -- World premiere of Kristin Ojaniemi’s documentary of the Settlers’ Co-Op at VFW Hall
        6 p.m. -- Dance at VFW Hall

* All events subject to change.

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