If you’ve never visited the Finland Historical site on County Road 6 just up from Hwy 61, the upcoming Tori Music Festival is a great day for a visit! The historical site is located on a beautiful 40 acre parcel that was originally the John Pine homestead. There on the old homestead you will find the original cabin of John Pine, a museum full of historical objects and the stories behind them, a one room school house, blacksmith shop, sauna, visitors center, gift shop, trails that meander through the forest with informational plaques helping to point out the flora and fauna and more!
What is a Tori? The word Tori means Market in Finnish and the event has been happening in August since 1999. The Tori Music and Marketplace festival is free to enter and runs from 10am to 5pm on Saturday, August 8th. The event will have live music from several bands including the local Northern Stars, a ukulele group from Two Harbors named THUG, and the Bare Bones Band from Minneapolis. There will be all kinds of food available for purchase, local artists and crafters, Blacksmithing demos, museum and site tours, make and take crafts, a silent auction, $1500 in cash raffles, kids activities, and more! This event is for the community and all are welcome and encouraged to come!
The Historical site has some exciting future plans in place as well. For many years the site sets up a very large 30’x40’ tent before events, which is not a small task. It takes about 20 volunteers to help hold poles and work together to raise the tent every time. Not only has the tent gotten worn out but a lot of the original volunteers that have helped with raising it over the last 20 years have worn out as well. Thinking into the future, the board has been exploring a more permanent solution to the issue of setting up this big tent. Their solution? A beautiful timber frame pavilion built by local timber framer Jenna Pollard. The pavilion will be a permanent solution that will stand for the next hundred plus years and will continue to provide the necessary shade and cover for vendors and events to happen at the site. The pavilion footprint will be 30’x30’ and when the day comes to raise the frame the Historical Site would like to invite the general public and community to come be a part of it! If you’ve ever wanted to learn more and have hands-on experience with timber frames, this is a great opportunity. Keep an eye out for a future raising day date.
The Historical site is currently fundraising for the project and Thrivent is able to DOUBLE donations up to $5000. So if you donate $1000, that $1000 would turn into $3000 toward the project! Cant beat that! The Historical site is a special place for the community to gather and has hosted many events including weddings, family reunions etc… If you would like to donate to the Pavillion project, please contact Bonnie at 218-353-7550 or mail checks to: Finland Minnesota Historical Society, PO Box 583, Finland, MN 55603.
But for now, this year the 30’x40’ tent must be raised again. Hopefully, for the last time. The site is looking for volunteers to come help with the tent raising on August 6th at 4pm. Volunteering consists of rolling out the tent, holding poles/ ropes or helping hammer in stakes. If you or someone you know might be able to swing by the site on the afternoon of the 6th, please give Bonnie a call and let her know you can make it.
Don’t think the party ends on the 8th. Sunday, August 9th, the site is also hosting a community pancake breakfast the day after the Tori. The Pancake breakfast will start at 8am and go until 11am. It costs $10 for anyone aged 13 and over and $5 for kids under 12. Breakfast includes pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee.
Both the Tori and the pancake breakfast help to raise funds for the Historical Site’s continued grounds maintenance and upkeep. You may also want to consider becoming a member of the Finland Historical Society with a $20 dollar annual fee for an individual or $25 dollar annual fee for a family. The membership entitles you to a discount at the gift shop and shows that you help support an initiative to preserve local history.
This September is going to mark the 40th year anniversary of the site. September 12th from 2-6pm there will be a celebration of local history with live music, food, games.
So, mark your calendar and stop by to enjoy the Finland Historical Site this season.
