FinnFest 2013

Wow...FinnFest is almost here, and with it come a whole host of working-class Finn activities. I'm involved in three events and would like to outline them here:

1) Thursday, June 20, 2013, Finnish Immigrant Working Class Places and Spaces Bus Tour.

I've posted a little on this tour, but would like to include the tour schedule below. I'm excited that the tour has passed its capacity requirement, and we're looking forward to a fun, educational, and reflective day.

The tour schedule:

9.00. Board bus MTU Student Development Complex
9.15. Arrive Dodgeville Temperance Society Hall
10.00. Arrive South Range Hall
10.45. Arrive Kansankoti Hall/Tyomies site
11.30. Arrive Osceola Mine fire site
12.00. Arrive Keweenaw National Historical Park Calumet Visitors Center
12.45-1.30. Lunch on own
1.30. Meet outside Michigan House walk to Italian Hall site for preliminary interpretation
2.00. Italian Hall site ceremony
3.00. End tour at Italian Hall site, stay at Calumet Days, or take bus back to SDC

And, in true working class fashion, instead of the plush tour buses being used by other tours, we'll be using a sturdy, yellow school bus to take us around to these sites.

2) Hanka Day at FinnFest, Friday, June 21, 2013

I volunteer at the Hanka Finnish Immigrant Homestead Museum in Askel, Michigan, and we have a hum-dinger of a time planned. I'll be taking tickets for entrance to the homestead at the old wooden gate, but other volunteers and board members will be dressed as historical interpreters providing the public a glimpse of what life was like on the farm circa 1920. The day will include demonstrations by a black smith, cooking demonstrations, farm animals, music and folk dancing. Big bill if fare for the day and we are expecting anywhere from 300-400 people to visit this great historic site.

3) Saturday, June 22, 2013, presentation, "Wage-slaves and Radicals: Finnish Immigrants in the 1913-14 Copper Strike"

This presentation will highlight the extraordinary part Finns played in the Michigan Copper Strike, and will also include relevant new research on Italian Hall.

Finn Hall Band at Hanka Homestead

View of Hanka Homestead looking south: savu sauna left, house center, barn complex on right

Been a while since the last post, but really enjoying the beautiful Keweenaw summer. Been out berry picking (the wild blueberries are incredible this year), fishing, playing some league softball, and just generally getting out and having a great time. Festivals are abundant and everything from the pasty to the strawberry is celebrated this time of year, as fellow residents of the Keweenaw try to pack as much activity into the warm summer before the snow begins to fly.

Also, there is a FinnGrandFest occurring in the Canadian Soo this year. The event is a coming together of Finns from the United States and Canada, and promises to be a great time.

As part of all this great summer activity, a really unique experience is coming up quickly. On Monday, August 2 from 6-9, (the Monday after FinnGrandFest ends) Finn Hall Band and the Finnish American comedy troupe Nyt Naura are going to be performing a live, outdoor concert at Hanka Homestead in Michigan's beautiful Copper Country. Hanka is calling it, "Music in the Meadow," and the event promises to be a great event.

Finn Hall Band is one of the last actual Finnish folk music groups left in the U.S. Reflecting the incredible history of music in the Finnish American working class, Finn Hall Band echoes the cultural history of the important place hall culture occupied in Finnish American lives.

Hope to see some of you there. For directions to, and information on Hanka Homestead, please visit: http://hunts-upguide.com/keweenaw_bay_hanka_homestead.html.