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.
