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Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Music, dance to highlight Finnish Independence Day celebration Dec. 6

The Kivajat Dancers -- directed by Kay Seppälä, right -- perform at the Heikinpäivä Tori in the Finnish American Heritage Center. The dance group will entertain at the Finnish Independence Day celebration Saturday, Dec. 6. Donations to support their trip to a dance event in Finland will be welcome. (Keweenaw Now file photo © 2007 Michele Bourdieu)

HANCOCK -- Finlandia University will present its 91st annual Finnish Independence Day program at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008, at the Finnish American Heritage Center, Hancock. The program features variety of local performers on fiddles and kanteles, as well as solos and folk dances.

"Take a break from Christmas shopping and craft shows and stop in at the Finnish American Heritage Center to rest your feet, have an aromatic cup of Finnish coffee, enjoy the entertainment and help a group of young people travel to Finland," urges Jim Kurtti, director of the Heritage Center.

Guests are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy refreshments provided by the Kivajat Dancers, a children's Finnish folk dance troupe led by Kay Seppälä. Beginning at 1 p.m., and also following the program, the group will serve a variety of traditional Finnish treats; a free-will donation will support the dancers' efforts to represent the Copper Country next summer at a dance
event in Finland.

Finnish Independence Day celebrates the date in 1917 when Finland achieved independence from Russia.

For more information about this year's Finnish Independence Day program, please contact Jim Kurtti at 906-487-7302.

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