By Tucker Henderson

Reporter

As one of the busiest weeks of the year in East Otter Tail County, one weekend-long event that area residents won’t want to miss out on is the annual Finn Creek Festival south of New York Mills on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 17-18.

Saturday will begin with a pancake and pannukakku (Finnish oven pancake) breakfast in the pavilion at 7 a.m. while crafters, vendors, farmer’s market, and the petting barn set up for their all-day availability. At 9 a.m. modern-day Finnish activities will be highlighted in the Finland in a Suitcase program followed by folk music by Kip Peltoniemi, a big name in the Finnish-American community.

A children’s tractor pull will take place at 10:30 a.m. followed by an accordion presentation by Kip Peltoniemi in the schoolhouse at 11:15 a.m. The fan-favorite Puppet Pageant will begin at 12 p.m. outside the pavilion with community members from all around taking part in the annual performance of an homage to the Kalevala, Finland’s national epic.

Make sure to stop by the schoolhouse yard to play a classic game of mölkky, a Finnish version of lawn bowling. The Amerikkan Poijat, a Finnish brass septet will be performing their tunes at 1:30 p.m.

Returning by popular demand is the Jäger Battalion Living History Group who live, breath, and reenact Finnish history on the Museum grounds.

Sunday morning begins with coffee, rolls and conversation in the pavilion followed by another round of Finland in a Suitcase at 9 a.m. A Finnish/English Ecumenical Service will be held at the chapel with a translated sermon by Jacob Aho at 9:30 a.m.

Another Finnish-American hit, Steve Solkela from Duluth will be performing at 11 a.m. in the pavilion.

If you can’t make it to the children’s tractor pull on Saturday, take them to the big time antique tractor pull on Sunday at 12 p.m.

A live auction will be held at 1 p.m. by the Perala Bros. Auctioneers in front of the store. Items from Finnish flags, goodies, and hand crafted items will be available for bid.

Local group The Silver Foxes will have a performance at 1:30 p.m. in the pavilion, followed by some children’s activities at 2 p.m. at the petting barn.

At 2 p.m., the Jäger Battalion Living History Group will give another reenactment of Finnish history outdoors.

Steve Solkela will return to the stage at 3 p.m. and the Finn Creek raffle prize drawing will take place at 4 p.m. to announce all the lucky winners.

A gate donation of $5 per person daily will be asked, while children under 16 years of age are free. Finnish food, goodies, candy and cultural items are available all weekend both at the general store and in the pavilion at either kitchen.

Other highlights from the Festival are ongoing blacksmithing, lumber milling, the steam engine, self-guided tours around the open air museum and quiet visits to the creek.