FinnFest 2008 | President Halonen Degree Ceremony

I am ashamed to admit that I have NEVER attended a Finnfest event! I have Finnish friends who go every year and report that it's a fabulous affair - in short, a heck of a lot of 'Finn2Finn Fun!' that's been going on all around North America with crowds of up to 7,000 and more every year since 1983!

In fact, the location for Finnfest 2010 is going to be in my own Canadian province - Ontario! I say 'my own' because it's sort of where I grew up; I went to high school and university (where I met my husband) there, and I lived there until I was in my early 20s. Got married and moved to Hong Kong (where I gave birth to twins - a phoenix and a dragon - a girl and a boy!). So...God willing...see you in Sault Ste. Marie in 2010?

Hey, what about Finnfest 2009? Anyone out there reading this know where that is going to be held?

2010 Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
2009 (To be announced)
2008 Duluth MN (University of Minnesota - Duluth)
2007 Ashtabula, OH (Kent State University)
2006 Astoria, OR & Naselle, WA (City of Astoria/Naselle High School)
2005 Marquette, MI (Northern Michigan University)
2004 Lake Worth, FL (Bryant Park)
2003
2002 Minneapolis, MN (University of Minnesota - Twin Cities)
2001 Philadelphia, PA (Villanova University)
2000 Toronto, Ontario (Mel Lastman Square)
1999 Seattle, WA (University of Washington)
1998 Gorham, ME (University of Southern Maine - Gorham)
1997 Minot, ND (Minot Fairgrounds & All Seasons Arena)
1996 Marquette, MI (Northern Michigan University)
1995 Portland, OR (Lewis and Clark College)
1994 DeKalb, IL (Northern Illinois University)
1993 Thousand Oaks, CA (California Lutheran University)
1992 Duluth, MN (University of Minnesota - Duluth)
1991 Lake Worth, FL (Bryant Park)
1990 Hancock, MI (Suomi College-Finlandia University)
1989 Seattle, WA (University of Washington)
1988 Newark, DE (University of Delaware)
1987 Livonia, MI (Schoolcroft Community College)
1986 Berkeley, CA (University of California - Berkeley)
1985 Hancock, MI (Suomi College-Finlandia University)
1984 Fitchburg, MA (Fitchburg State University)
1983 Minneapolis, MN (Leamington Hotel and Loring Park)

Video Gem: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmhwfxGetWA