Finn news

What does winter in Finland consist of? Snow. Cold. Dark. But, if you really look, there’s more to Finland’s winter.

Snow ... but with the excitement of skiing, sliding, skating, hiking, winter camping and all kinds of winter sports that Finns enjoy and love.

Cold ... but with the sharing of warmth and connections during sauna time and other gatherings with friends and family.

Dark ... but with the brilliance of the dazzling lights of Revontulet (the Northern Lights) that dance and sway to nature’s music during cold winter nights.

We in northern Minnesota have these in our winter too.

Here are some wonderful and welcome activities coming up that will give you chances to help relieve your cabin fever, to get outside and enjoy our Minnesota winter, or to stay inside and learn more about all things Finnish.

The 83rd annual Laskiainen, or Finnish Sliding Festival, will be celebrated Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 1-2, at the Loon Lake Community Center in Palo (south of Aurora). Get outside and enjoy the sliding, skating, dog sled rides and sleigh/carriage rides. Or go inside to learn about a wide variety of crafts by watching artisan demonstrations. Find a special gift in the tori (marketplace). Learn a little about history in the museum and the old co-op theater. Fill your belly with great food: Mojakka or taco in a bag (Saturday), pea soup (Sunday), and fry bread (both days). Don’t forget to buy some of the fantastic cardamom bread at the bakery. Breakfast is available starting at 7:30 a.m. There’s basketball Saturday afternoon, while Sunday’s closing activity features the well-known bluegrass group, Monroe Crossing.

Runeberg Day on Feb. 5 is a national holiday in Finland. It is a day that honors Johan Ludvig Runeberg, the national poet of Finland who was born on that day in 1804. Runeberg was the author of the lyrics to Vårt land (Our Land, or “Maamme” in Finnish) that became the Finnish National Anthem. To celebrate Runeberg Day this year, the Finlandia Foundation Northland Chapter is sponsoring “An Evening of Poetry with the Finns,” a poetry reading of Finnish, Finnish American, and regional poets at the Zenith Bookstore, 318 N. Central Ave. in Duluth, starting at 7 p.m. Feb. 5.

Included will be poetry by Gary Boelhower, Daniel Oyinloye, James (Jim) Johnson (read by Marlene Wisuri), Sheila Packa, Steve Leppälä, and, of course, Johan Ludvig Runeberg (read by Hanna Erpestad). Admission is free, but donations will be welcomed and appreciated.

Sami National Day will be celebrated at an open house 2-4 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Sami Cultural Center, 4915 E. Superior St., No. 205, Duluth. This event will also feature an opening reception for the new exhibit, “Báiki: A 30 Year Sami American Journey.” A short program at 2:30 p.m. will give attendees an opportunity to learn more about the journey that played such a large part in the North American Sami reawakening as well as to share their experiences with Báiki.

The Sami Cultural Center is also planning a craft project sharing day later in the winter. Watch for more details at the Sami Cultural Center of North America Facebook page or website at http://www.samiculturalcenter.org.

Kalevala Day (aka Finnish Culture Day) will be celebrated in Finland this year on Feb. 28.

On Sunday, Feb. 23, the Ladies of Kaleva Aallottaren Tupa No. 15, Duluth, will celebrate their annual Kalevala Day starting at 1 p.m. at Kenwood Lutheran Church, 2720 Myers Ave., Duluth. The program will include Teresa Aho, of Finland, Minnesota, who will be playing and singing old Finnish songs. After the program, enjoy coffee and conversation along with a variety of goodies, including makkara, pirakka, and pulla. There will also be opportunities to buy baked goods, crafts, and other items at the tori marketplace.

The Knights and Ladies of Kaleva Pohjolaisen Maja No. 25 and Soinnuttaren Tupa No. 32 in Virginia will be celebrating Kalevala Day 2-4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28 at Kaleva Hall, 125 Third St. N., Virginia.

So, here you have a few activities to help you shake off the winter blues and cabin fever. Get out and enjoy the cold of winter, while enjoying outdoor sports, as well as the warmth of winter, while spending time with friends and family. And don’t forget to watch for Revontulet and take the chance to dance with the lights.