HANCOCK — In 2017, Scott Dianda, then a state representative, introduced House Resolution 7, in the Lansing Legislature. The resolution’s intention was to declare January as Finnish-American Heritage Month. The resolution won approval in the House on Jan. 12.

A similar resolution, House Resolution No. 16, was adopted again last year, on January 26, 2023.

While January is, in fact, Finnish-American Heritage Month in Michigan, Heikinpäivä is the main event to celebrate the month, and Finnish heritage in the state.

By the time Dianda introduced the resolution in 2017, Heikinpäivä was already more than 10 years old.

In a 2023 interview, Jim Kurrti, then the director (retired) of the Finnish American Heritage Center, in Hancock, said the origins of the festival in Hancock date back to the early 1980s, when the Hancock City Council appointed 12 residents to the new Finnish Theme Committee, a group that was directed to preserve and promote Finnish heritage and to utilize Finnish themes for community development.

The committee in 1999 created a new Finnish-American celebration of winter, Heikinpäivä.

“The celebration’s themes are taken from Finnish folk saying associated with the name day for Heikki (Henrik’s) day,” said Dave Maki, Finnish American Heritage Center director. “Even though Heikinpäivä is set for the 25th, Henrik’s Day is on January 19th.”

Over the years, the number of events of Heikinpäivä has grown, most of them recognizing some aspect of traditional Finnish culture, including arts and crafts, music and food. Some of the events focus on fun, while others demonstrate traditional skills, such as birch bark sheath making, rag rug making, and traditional Finnish dances and songs.

Although the festival is billed as a single day event, it actually includes a wide array of events that take place throughout the month. Events include enrichment classes, such as Introduction to Jouhikko, a traditional two-three stringed bow lyre form Finland and Karelia. There is also a folk school course, Introduction to the 5-string Kantele, another traditional instrument.

January 25 will a busy day on Quincy Street, in Hancock. The festivities will include Tori Markets, at the Finnish American Heritage Center and United Methodist Church; and a parade at 11 a.m.

After the parade, there are also the Spiral Bear Dance and outside games that include kick sled races and wife carrying contests.