Celebrating the city’s selection as the 2026 Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture
By David Maki
HANCOCK, Mich. — One year ago, when the announcement was made that Hancock was selected as the Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture for 2026, very few area residents truly understood what Finno-Ugric meant.
After the Juhannus celebration in honor of that recognition last month, they certainly understand — and will likely never forget. Over a four-day span June 17-20, the city came alive with numerous celebrations of culture — both planned and spontaneous — that revealed the region’s authentic Finnishness, sprinkled with a bit of Estonian, Hungarian, Sami and a few other Finno-Ugric “flavors” that made it extra-special.
The highlight of the weekend was a Friday morning panel of keynote addresses by not one, not two, but three dignitaries representing Finland, Estonia and Hungary. Finland’s Ambassador to the U.S. Leena-Kaisa Mikkola (featured on this month’s cover) was joined by her Estonian counterpart Kristjan Prikk and Charge d’Affaires Balindt Bakondi of the Consulate General of Hungary in Chicago; the trio each offered insights into not only their own cultures, but also how theirs — and others’ — cultures can find and build upon commonality. This was likely the first time in the history of Upper Michigan that three international diplomats from three different countries were in the region at the same time.
In her remarks, Ambassador Mikkola suggested that heritage “can be a bridge, rather than a boundary,” words that resonated through not only the near-capacity audience at the Hancock Middle School auditorium, but also through the entire celebration. The weekend’s activities included a midsummer celebration at the city’s public beach, the raising of a midsummer pole on Quincy Green in the downtown, a pair of exhibit openings at the Finnish American Heritage Center, the display of several Finno-Ugric exhibits at the tori, a daylong series of lectures and presentations at Hancock High School, and plenty of upbeat musical performances across several venues that had toes tapping, hands clapping and the guests from around the world smiling.
While Juhannus was the pinnacle of the Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture year for Hancock, the celebration doesn't end just yet. There are still six months left, and the Finno-Ugric planning committee still has some ideas brewing. Watch for announcements in the months ahead!
