Photo by Madscenery by Kevin Madson, provided by Visit Keweenaw The Polar Plunge scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed due to the weahter.

HANCOCK — Just hours after announcing the popular Polar Plunge would take place in the Portage Canal as planned Saturday, organizers declared the event would, indeed, not take place.

In a statement released shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday, Jesse Wiederhold, managing director of Visit Keweenaw, issued the following statement: “After reviewing the latest weather forecasts, Visit Keweenaw, City of Hancock, Takka Saunas, and Small Craft have made the decision to postpone this weekend’s Polar Plunge.”

Wiederhold said the plunge will not take place during Heikinpäivä but has been moved to Feb. 7. “With temperatures currently trending closer to the 20s and 30s that weekend, the new date will allow for a safer and more enjoyable experience. Moving the plunge to Winter Carnival weekend also gives attendees another fun way to take in the area’s winter wonders.

Earlier, when announcing the event will go on, he said precautions had been made to ensure the safety of participants despite the bitter cold. “We understand the biggest challenge is going to be getting people right into the warm-up,” but we will be able to do that,” Wiederhold said. “It would about a 30-60-second walk to the saunas, so as people are out of the water – and we will be there to help folks in and out – they will be able to warm up immediately after.”

Wiederhold said the postponement decision was not made lightly. “Our core partners have worked closely with medical and meteorological experts over the past two weeks to closely monitor conditions. With temperatures expected to dip well below zero and wind chills approaching -40°F Saturday morning, safety had to remain the top priority.”

Acknowledging the anticipation of brining the popular Polar Plunge back, Wiederhold is confident the event will be successful in the same location, outside Takka Saunas along the Hancock boardwalk, but on a new date. “We know many people were looking forward to the plunge, and we remain fully committed to hosting it. Unfortunately, the incoming arctic weather made it unfeasible this weekend. We encourage everyone to stay warm and still enjoy other Heikinpäivä festivities.

About three hours after declaring most other Heikinpäivä activities would go on as scheduled, Wiederhold issued a statement from Jim Kurtti, of Copper Country Finns and Friends, with changes to the Heikinpäivä schedule.

“The officers of CCF&F met via Zoom this evening regarding the weather conditions, which aren’t going to let up until late Saturday morning, Kurtti wrote. “Some of us have been receiving calls and cancellations from concerned folks. And, weighing in the fact that the area schools, including MTU are closed on Friday, we have concluded it is prudent to cancel the following outdoor events:

• Parade

• Games (kicksleds, wife-carrying)

• The Bear Spiral

Kurtti said in addition to the Polar Plunge, Club Finndigo at the Calumet Theater, slated for tonight, will be rescheduled and the Snowshoe event at Haasto Hiihto has been canceled.

However, despite the weather, Kurtti said other events will go on as planned:

• Snow Sculpting Invitational – 23-25 Jan – Hancock’s Green

• The two tori markets – Finnish American Heritage Center & the United Methodist Church

• The lectures “The Magic of Sauna Textiles” (1:30) with Lisa Steinmann and Karen Rue, and “Finno-Ugric World Tour”

• Animal Life: Art from the Kalevala (Community Art Center)

• Iltamat (evening of dance and light buffet) — Finnish American Heritage Center

• Sauna Stories (oral histories) – 25-30 Jan.

• Sauna Week Tours – 31 Jan (Sat.) – 10am – 3pm. Tickets available at North Wind Books.

“Whether there will be an event marking the passing of the Tsirk, the wooden bird symbolizing Finno-Ugrians at Heikinpäivä is to be determined” Kurtti said. adding that Pavel Ivlov, the representative from Narva, Estonia has also cancelled his trip since he would be flying from New Jersey.