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HELMIKUU / FEBRUARY 2026
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Dear friends and readers,
As this month’s newsletter reaches you, we’re coming off the warmth and energy of our most successful National Sauna Week to date. Together, we reached hundreds of thousands of people around the world—with nearly one million views across our platforms—as folks from around the world tuned in to learn, reflect, laugh, and sweat alongside us.
The recordings are available on our website: NationalSaunaWeek.com.
This year’s sessions were deeply meaningful: rich with cultural insight, technical knowledge on how to build and design sauna, and thoughtful conversations about physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Events were hosted across the country, partner saunas offered discounts, and communities gathered in person and online to share stories, heat, and connection. We’re still basking in the glow of this gathering!
Sauna, however, is only one focus of our extensive cultural work at Finlandia Foundation National. Finnish culture is expansive, layered, and alive, and the months ahead reflect that beautifully. March brings Laskiainen (Shrove Tuesday) and Minna Canth Day (March 19)—a national flag day honoring equality, literature, and social progress through the legacy of one of Finland’s most influential thinkers.
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We are also already looking ahead to Juhannus, which will be celebrated this year in Hancock, Michigan, designated as the Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture. The Finnish American Heritage Center team is preparing to welcome dignitaries and cultural partners from neighboring Finno-Ugric communities, marking a truly historic moment for Finnish-American culture in the United States.
Behind the scenes, our committees are hard at work reviewing applications and selecting recipients for this year’s grants and scholarships, continuing the mission we’ve upheld since 1953—supporting the people and projects that keep Finnish heritage vibrant and visible nationwide. Our Lecturer of the Year Jay Smith and Performer of the Year Ruut have begun their tours, sharing stories of John Morton and ancient Finnish women’s wisdom with audiences across borders. (If you're in DC, you can catch Jay on March 14th at their annual Kalevala Dinner!)
As always, much of what you see online and on social media from Finlandia Foundation comes directly from our community—from coast to coast, desert to mountain, city to countryside. If you’re looking for Finnish-American life today, you’ll find it here.
Thank you for being part of this community. We’re honored to serve you, and we look forward to all that’s still to come.
With gratitude,
Thomas Flanagan
Executive Director
Finlandia Foundation National
| | Thank you to our Silver sponsors for making this National Sauna Week a success! | |
Deadline Extended to March 1
JOB OPENING:
Development Director
FFN is seeking an experienced Development Director to lead and expand our philanthropic initiatives. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, this role is instrumental in leading a comprehensive fundraising strategy to support the FFN’s mission and expand our impact.
The Development Director will be a frontline position. The ideal candidate will bring expertise in major gift fundraising, moves management, event planning, planned giving, Board and volunteer management, and annual giving. Additionally, the Development Director will have experience crafting compelling donor communications and marketing materials.
Learn more or apply here.
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Winner of the National Sauna Week giveaway!
🎉 We have a winner! We’re excited to announce the winner of our National Sauna Week giveaway, randomly selected through a random drawing from all eligible entries.
Congratulations to Nicolle Littrell of Belfast, Maine!
Just over a month ago, Nicolle opened the first-ever wood-fired sauna on the waterfront in Belfast, bringing authentic sauna heat and community connection to coastal Maine. In addition to her sauna work, she also guides tours on her traditional wooden dory — blending craftsmanship, place, and tradition in everything she does. Nicolle will be traveling to Finland to attend the World Sauna Forum in Jyväskylä, where she’s excited to connect with sauna operators from around the world and deepen her understanding of Finnish sauna culture at its source.
👏 Congratulations and onnea Nicolle — we can’t wait to follow your journey!
A heartfelt thank you to Sauna from Finland, hosts of the World Sauna Forum, and to Finnair for making this opportunity possible and for supporting sauna culture across borders.
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Grant Recipient Spotlight: Keiju Kollektiv in Concert
We’re delighted to share that Keiju Kollektiv, a recent FFN grant recipient, will be presenting a live performance in Pasadena, California on March 7th.
Keiju Kollektiv is a professional vocal ensemble dedicated to Nordic folk music, bringing ancient songs and stories into a contemporary concert setting. Their program, Tales of the North, reimagines traditional Nordic music that honors peace, nature, humanity, and the deep cultural roots of the region.
📅 Saturday, March 7, 2026, 7:30 p.m.
📍 Pasadena, CA
🎟 Free admission (freewill offering welcomed)
We’re proud to support artists like Keiju Kollektiv whose work keeps Nordic and Finnish cultural traditions vibrant, accessible, and alive in communities across the United States.
Learn more.
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Juhannus is coming! Join us in celebrating the 2026 Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture designation during the annual Juhannus (Midsummer) festivities June 18-21!
Mark your calendars. It's going to be a very Finnish summer.
| | Midnight Sun Festival Happening This Weekend in Lake Worth, Florida! | | |
Come have fun and celebrate the rich Finnish heritage of Lake Worth area at the Midnight Sun Festival! Enjoy the best musical entertainment directly from Finland, arts and crafts, great food, ice-cold lemonade and beer!
Everyone is welcome!
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What’s the Oldest Item in Our Collection? You’ll Never Guess
Hint: it’s not Finnish — and it’s much older than you think. Open this month’s article from the Finnish American Heritage Center Historical Archive to discover a surprising story that reaches back more than 4,000 years. . .
Read the full story on our blog.
| | | | The Finnish American Reporter turns 40 this year! | | We're proud to be able to share news of Finnish America, in print, with over 4,000 happy readers. Subscribe today, while it's still only $40! | | |
Is planned giving in your future?
Join the Finlandia Legacy Society today!
| | Our legacy is our people. What’s yours? Learn more about our Finlandia Legacy Society by emailing: office@finlandiafoundation.org | | | | |
