FinnFest USA
FinnFest USA is an annual festival, typically held in the summer, in locations throughout the United States of America. Aiming to celebrate Finland, Finnish America, and Finnish culture, the festival is organized by a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a national office maintained by its president, located presently in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The inaugural festival was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1983 with approximately 1,000 people attending. Subsequent festivals have taken place in locations throughout the country, typically hosted by communities with connections to Finnish-American cultural history. Attendance has varied from 2,000 to 7,000, depending on the location . Many attendants, performers and lecturers also include visitors from Finland. Festival events include lectures, classes, concerts, films, theatrical performances, dances, exhibitions and ceremonies. The festivals are financed by registration fees, event tickets, raffles, and many forms of donation and sponsorship. With 2020 and 2021 being held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 38th is deferred to 2022 at the earliest.