• Friday-What'sUP January 23 - 07:09 pm

I found a little bit of everything taking place tomorrow for Heikinpäivä, in Daryl Laitila's gallery album named exclusively for that event, starting with the Parade, which starts at 11:00, traveling down the main street of Hancock. You'll see all kinds of folks dressed in Finnish themes or winter fun, like Heikki Lunta who seems to be happily throwing snow around for everyone to enjoy in that second photo.
After the parade, there are a number of contests held on the (snow-covered) lawn of the Hancock Middle School, such as the Boot Throwing Contest and the Wife Carrying Contest.

Of course there's also the ever popular Polar Bear Dive into the icy waters of the Portage Canal. That event starts at 3:00 p.m. and always draws a crowd of spectators who are in awe of the SISU the jumpers have to withstand the freezing air and water temperatures.

You'll find many more activities to celebrate this Finnish-American Mid-Winter Festival on their Schedule of Events. There's fun to be had for everyone!

OMG!! That looks COLD! I hope they have a HOT sauna to go to after they out of the water. Not me, no, never, never! I can't even stand to get into a heated pool!

Besides their SISU, I bet gals in swimsuits in the middle of winter helps to draw in the attraction too!

I think the lifeguard that is keeping an eye (or two) on the young ladies has the best job in town. Where do I sign up?

These pictures are hilarious! A lot of good clean fun for everyone. Wish i was there!

Thanks for a great set of pictures to start the day.

Next year I will have to talk Precious into the wife carrying contest. Can I use my walker and will they move those hay bales so I wont trip? Forty years ago I would have been able to run with her on my back. Now I cringe when she gets on my back about something. Wish I was there to enjoy the festivities. Hope my Hancock relatives are enjoying the time.

Looks like fun!

But Janie T: I'm willing to bet that the gals WITHOUT their swimsuits would draw even more attention...

Speaking of Heikka Lunta, is Dick Storm's song available digitally? I can't play the old 45. I must share this with my girls, who will never be allowed to wear bikinis and jump into a hole in the ice! Have fun everyone.

I watched the videos of the polar bear dives and I laughed and cried. I cried because I wish I was there.

Hi hi from SUOMI!

Very nice photos there in HEIKINPAIVA parade! I live here just place where is ISOTALO and RANNAJARVI ANTTI homes.. ISOTALO home and my home between is 14 kilometres.. RANNANJARVI home place is 4 kilometres!! Also KRUUNUHAAT are intimate matter.

Hi
It does look fun. It's good that your community has that event. It was on the news here that some town in SE Michigan had to cancel a winter event due to lack of funding.

Cindy (Gone2long), I can't stand to get into a heated pool, either---water is supposed to be cool and refreshing ;>) Though I don't think I would be up for a polar bear dip, that's a bit too refreshing.

I am working on our hometown winter festival committee. These are great ideas for future events.The wife carrying contest is the best.

You can find the Heikki Lunta songs here
http://csumc.wisc.ed
u/exhibit/Heikki Lunta/culture/lyrics.html

bea (Ontheriogrande):
"You can find the Heikki Lunta songs here …"}

Corrected link, click → Heikki Lunta music & lyrics

When you reach that site, be aware that you must click on the little speaker icon at the start of each set of printed lyrics to hear the audio. (You may even have to click on that icon a second time if you don't see a visible change in the icon the first time.)

I almost prefer the Conga Se Menne¹ versions vs. the original.

¹: (a deliberate corruption of the "Finglish" phrase: "Kuinka se menne?": "How's it going?")

Jarmo: my thanks to you for your congrats on our new president were deleted, so I am posting them again. Thank you! I know many people around the word, like many of us here, are happy.

Super tough job he faces....

I showed our neighbor the Polar Bear Dive and he just said those people are crazy. I explained what everything meant.

The picture of the finnish hot tub looks like a corner of mesnard st ... if so my aunt's house is in the background and i haven't seen that place in 25-30 years.
jjfuzzy2001@yahoo.com