Opening ceremony of Hancock 2026
The 2026 Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture year was opened in Hancock, Michigan on 24 January at Heikinpäivä celebrations.
Hancock, Michigan, is home to a unique festival called Heikinpäivä. Created in 1999, the festival draws inspiration from the culture and folklore brought by Finnish immigrants who came to work in the copper mines of Keweenaw, Michigan, starting in the 1860s. The festival’s website emphasises that Heikinpäivä celebrations are a kind of tribute to Finnish-American identity in Copper County.
Due to extreme weather conditions, most outdoors events were cancelled or rescheduled. The festivities overall did proceed as planned, however, and included a snow sculpting challenge, as well as the handover of Tsirk, the symbol of the Capital of Culture, which arrived in 2025 from Narva, the Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture.
An exhibition of art inspired by the animals of the epic poem Kalevala opened at the Copper Country Community Art Center, and a dance evening (iltamat) was held at the Finnish American Heritage Center.
On 25 January 25, Takka Sauna Center hosted a flow yoga class (Takka Flow Yoga) and sauna sessions, kicking off a week of “Sauna Stories,” during which American Finns’ sauna memories will be recorded.
Fenno-Ugria’s celebration
In parallel with the Hancock events, on 24 January, the club Uus Laine in Tallinn hosted a celebration of the 2026 Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture in honour of Hancock. At the event, Heikipäeva celebration, Finno-Ugric music was played and a documentary film about Finnish Americans (Uusi Aika: Changing Times in Finnish-America) was screened. Video greetings were exchanged during the evening, with Hancock being greeted by project manager Patrick O’Rourke on behalf of Fenno-Ugria.
