UPDATED: Heikinpäivä Mid-Winter Festival continues in Hancock

The Heikinpäivä parade is one of the main events of the annual Mid-Winter Festival in Hancock. This year's parade will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

HANCOCK -- Whether or not you attended the Heikinpäivä enrichment classes and workshops at Finlandia's Finnish American Heritage Center, don't miss the events still to come this week in Hancock's Mid-Winter Festival. The celebration’s themes are taken from Finnish folk sayings associated with the name day for Heikki (Henrik’s day - 19 January).

Each year the Finnish Theme Committee of Hancock selects a Hankookin Heikki (The Heikki of Hancock), who then presides over the Heikinpäivä festivities. This year Mary Pekkala was chosen for this honor because of her contributions to the preservation and enhancement of Finnish-American cultural life in the Copper Country.

Mary Pekkala, the 2020 Hankookin Heikki, is pictured here at the Dec. 6, 2019, Finnish Independence Day celebration, where she received her award and crown. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

Mary has been a volunteer in the Archives at the Finnish American Heritage Center (FAHC) of Finlandia University and a long-time member of the Finnish Theme Committee. Mary joined the Finnish Council of America in 2012, working on the Folk Music Camps the three years it held the camp and serving as its Vice President since 2017.

Her main event task is to ride what is the arguably the world’s largest kick sled, a crowd favorite at Heikinpäivä, donning the traditional Hankooki Heikki robes and crown, and waving the copper scepter in the festival’s mid-winter parade.

Here is the schedule for the remaining events through Jan. 28:

UPDATED: Thursday, January 23
5:30 p.m. -- The Joy of Singing Finnish Favorites music workshop with Ralph and Jaana Tuttila, Finnish American Heritage Center (FAHC). FREE!

Ralph and Jaana Tuttila of Minneapolis, Minnesota. (File photo courtesy Ralph and Jaana Tuttila)

Saturday, January 25

Note: Due to lack of a suitable site, the Heikinpäivä Polar Bear Dive has been cancelled.

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. -- Tori Market, FAHC and First United Methodist Church, Hancock.

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. -- Vipukelkka (Whipsled), kicksleds, and plenty of outdoor fun! Quincy Green.

Young children love riding the Vipukelkka (Whipsled). (Keweenaw Now file photo)

11 a.m. -- Parade, downtown Hancock. Line up at La Cantina restaurant at 10:30 a.m. Prizes.

Following parade -- Wife-carrying, kicksled races, whipsled, and more! Quincy Green. Prizes.

1 p.m. -- Book talk, "Kotimaa" with author Mark Munger, North Wind Books, Hancock.

UPDATED: 3 p.m. -- Reception for "Animal Life: Art from the Kalevala," Community Arts Center, Hancock. See our right-hand column for details.

7 p.m. -- Heikinpäivä iltamat (hors d’oeuvres, dance), Finnish American Heritage Center. Silent auction during dance. $15 per person.

Sunday, January 26

2 p.m. -- Finnish Hymn Sing and Concert, Zion Lutheran Church, Hancock. Open to the public.

Tuesday, January 28

6:45 p.m. -- Contra Dancing, Finnish American Heritage Center. Call (818) 606-0065 for info.

Editor's Note: For more details visit the Heikinpäivä Web site or their Facebook page.