The 79th Annual Finnish Grand Festival took place outdoors and in venues near Thunder Bay’s Waverley Park with its brand-new bandstand. We featured local and international musicians and choirs, folk dancing, a game of street hockey, two evening dances, a banquet at Trinity Hall with the Finnish Ambassador Roy Eriksson in attendance, a children’s bicycle race, and a series of lectures. Our Tori marketplace and tasty Finnish food was hosted at St Paul’s United Church, 11 presenters gave lectures that were held at the Lakehead University Law School (PACI). Sunday activities at the Hilldale Lutheran church included a final concert, a luncheon and service.
An annual celebration of Finnish culture and heritage. First held in 1940, it takes place in a different North American community each year, and brings together Finnish Canadians from across Canada, Finland, and U.S.A. for unique cultural celebrations.
The Mission
1.To act as a non-political co-ordinator between associations,
congregations, clubs, and other groups of Finnish ethnic background
in Canada
2.To promote Finnish culture and ethnic customs in Canada
3.To promote Finland and Canadians of Finnish origin within Canada
and also to promote Canada and its Finnish ethnic community in
Finland
4. To act as a co-ordinator in arranging Finnish cultural visits in Canada
To represent the Canadians of Finnish origin within other ethnic groups and as the need arises, to
bring their views to the attention of Canadian authorities
5.To actively support the Finnish Canadian Grand Festival in co-ordination with the local organizing
committee, and endeavour toward the continuation of these annual Festivities
