17th Annual Kalevala Puppet Pageant Brings Finnish Folklore to Life 

Friday 8/21 at NYM VFW & Saturday 8/22 at Finn Creek

NEW YORK MILLS, MN, August 14, 2026— The New York Mills Regional Cultural Center invites the public to experience the 17th annual Kalevala Puppet Pageant, a lively, large-scale street theater production inspired by Finland’s national epic, The Kalevala.

This year’s original production, “How the Finns Found Their Sisu,” will be performed Friday, August 21, at the New York Mills VFW and Saturday, August 22, at the Finn Creek Open Air Museum.

Written and narrated by Creative Director Anne Sawyer, the annual Puppet Pageant brings together youth and community members from the New York Mills region to create and perform an original story featuring larger-than-life puppets, costumes, music, and stilt-walking. Participants spend two weeks learning artistic and performance skills while creating many of the puppets and props used in the production.

This year’s story explores the Finnish concept of sisu—courage, strength, and endurance in the face of difficulty. When an evil giant invades Finland and places a spell on the country’s rulers, Väinämöinen the Bard and the Dame of Pohjola, the kingdom’s animals and magical creatures must find a way to save their friends and defeat the giant.

“At its heart, sisu embraces courage with heart,” says Sawyer. “We are stronger together when we stand up for one another and use our gifts for the greater good. Sisu also embraces hope, love, and the desire for peace.”

The Kalevala Puppet Pageant is a unique annual community theater project produced by the Cultural Center that introduces participants and audiences to Finnish culture and heritage while creating opportunities for people of all ages to connect, learn, and make art together.

Audience members have two opportunities to see this year’s performance:

• Friday, August 21 at 7:00 p.m. — New York Mills VFW Post 3289, during the New York Mills Civic & Commerce Corn Feed (Corn Feed begins at 4:00 p.m.)

• Saturday, August 22 at 12:00 p.m. — Finn Creek Open Air Museum, during the Finn Creek Festival (Festival runs both Saturday & Sunday at Finn Creek)

Both performances are free and open to the public. The Friday performance at the VFW is free to attend. For Saturday’s performance, there is a $5 adult gate donation to enter the Finn Creek Festival; children under 16 are free. Freewill donations will be collected at both performances to help support this community program.

The 2026 Kalevala Puppet Pageant is made possible in part by a grant from Finlandia Foundation National as well as annual support from the NYM Civic & Commerce Association. The Cultural Center is also grateful to the many local businesses, individuals, volunteers, families, and community partners whose support makes this annual tradition possible.

For more information, call the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center at 218-385-3339 or visit kulcher.org(opens in new tab).

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About the Cultural Center

The New York Mills Regional Cultural Center is a rural hub for creativity, community vitality, and lifelong learning in the arts. The Center offers visitors intimate opportunities to encounter art and artists in its 80-seat concert listening room, visual art gallery in a historic building, gift store featuring local artists, artist residency program, sculpture park, and a variety of opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive. Since its incorporation in 1990, the Cultural Center has been passionate about connecting people to artists and rich cultural experiences in rural Minnesota, celebrating the local and being a window to the world. For more information, call 218-385-3339, or visit www.kulcher.org(opens in new tab).