Photo provided by Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture The symbolic bird for the Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture, the Tsirk, a wooden sculpture representing a mythological World-Bird, will be passed to representatives of Hancock’s Heikinpäivä. Hancock is this year’s Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture, the first city in North America to receive the honor.

HANCOCK – With predicted highs of 0-5 degrees, Saturday, Jan. 24, will be an ideal day for the annual Heikinpäivä celebration. For nearly three decades, Hancock’s annual Heikinpäivä festival has celebrated the midpoint of winter in the Copper Country.

This year, however, Heikinpäivä is a little more special than previous years, according to Dave Maki, of the Finnish American Heritage Center. This January the regional celebration of Finnish heritage and family fun also celebrates the start of a special year of cultural activities, including Hancock’s selection as the world’s Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture for 2026.

Jim Kurtti. Honorary Consul of Finland for the Upper Peninsula and chair of Copper Country Finns, said the Heikinpäivä parade this year will feature a historic event.

“We have a special guest coming presenting the previous Capital of Culture,” Kurtti said, “and he will be arriving on Friday.”

The special guest is Narva, Estonia native Pavel Ivlev, representative of the 2025 Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture, which was Narva.

“He is the person who passes the torch.” Kurtti said. “What is he is actually passing is a wooden sculpture of a symbolic bird. He will be in the parade, and after the parade, we’re going to have some sort of short ceremony, and with this weather, it will be shorter than even planned.”

The sculpture, the symbolic bird for the Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture, is the Tsirk, a wooden sculpture representing a mythological World-Bird, according to the Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture. The symbolic bird is central to creation stories where it lays eggs that become the world. Each feather on the Tsirk symbolizes one of the 26 Finno-Ugric peoples, with its spread wings signifying hope and the shared heritage of these related cultures, as seen in its handover to Hancock, Michigan for 2026

Kurtti said Ivlev will pass the torch to the 2026 Cultural Capital planners, which will include Kurtti.

There will also be something special at the iltamet (evening dance), from 7-10 p.m. at the Finnish American Heritage Center, on Quincy Street.

Kurtti said there will be representatives from Hungary and Estonia at the dance on Saturday evening.

“We always have a light buffet there, and this year, we’ll have a taste of Hungary and Estonia included.’