SPRING 2026 Events:
FOOD, DANCE, WALKS, CELEBRATIONS, LANGUAGE CLASSES,
and FFN FINNPOSIA (Please read down)
At SAIMA PARK, 67 Scott Rd, FITCHBURG MA :
Tuesday, May 19, 5:30pm. “Every Wildflower has a Story“: Walk through Saima Park with Mike Potsaid as he explains the structure of many of its wildflowers, their interactions with other organisms, and how they have been used by humans throughout history. Finnish Center at Saima Park, 67 Scott Rd, Fitchburg. Facebook Friends of Saima Park; https://saima-park.org/
Tuesday, May 19, 6:30-8pm: Fitchburg State University Community Orchestra open rehearsal under the Pavilion. Bring a picnic, sit at a picnic table or BYO lawn chair, enjoy the music, and dance! Weather permitting (no thunder storms). Free and open to the public. Donations welcome. Finnish Center at Saima Park, 67 Scott Rd, Fitchburg. Fitchburg. Facebook Friends of Saima Park; https://saima-park.org/ ***********
Saturday, May 23, 8-10am. Pannukakku Breakfast: Finnish oven pancake, bacon, sausage, fruit, juice, Finnish coffee bread, coffee/tea/cocoa. $13 or 2/$25. Loaves of coffee bread for sale. Vendors of crafts and honeybee products. 10-noon: Visit our Library/Museum to see our collection of Finnish and Finnish-American books and artifacts. Finnish Center at Saima Park, 67 Scott Rd, Fitchburg. Facebook Friends of Saima Park; https://saima-park.org/ 10-noon: Visit our Library/Museum to see our collection of Finnish and Finnish-American books and artifacts. Please note that there is no breakfast in June or September.
********
Tuesday, May 26, 6:30-8pm: Fitchburg State University Community Orchestra open rehearsal under the Pavilion. Bring a picnic, sit at a picnic table or BYO lawn chair, enjoy the music, and dance! Weather permitting (no thunder storms). Free and open to the public. Donations welcome. Finnish Center at Saima Park, 67 Scott Rd, Fitchburg. Fitchburg. Facebook Friends of Saima Park; https://saima-park.org/ ********
Sunday, June 28, 10am-3pm. Kesäjuhla/Summer Festival -Please Mark Your Calendar and watch for details (Separate Section)
Revontulet: All are welcome to dance on most first and third Fridays of the month. For more information, contact Leila at 603-831-0836.
Summer Finnish Languish Classes with Saija: On line, at Saima Park, and at Suomi-koulu of New England & Scandinavian Cultural Center – West Newton, MA.:
From Saija: Here is the list of Finnish classes for June and July. Please fill the registration form attached (below) and email it back to Saija.
There will be no classes in August 8/7-8/31
Suomi-koulu of New England and Saima Park are starting in September. The dates for those groups are below for you to plan your Fall classes ahead.
On SUNDAYS in June 6/7-6/28
Listen & Understand at 7:00-7:30 PM EST
– Listen and fill in the missing words and answer the questions.
Sanakirja – Dictionary at 7:30-8:00 PM EST
– Make sentences in Finnish, speaking, not writing.
On TUESDAYS in June 6/9-6/30
Aamukahvi – Morning Coffee at 8:30-9:30 AM EST
– Have a cup of coffee and ask questions you need clarification on. Let’s practice what you want to focus on. (And if you have no idea, no worries, I always have topics in my mind)
On WEDNESDAYS in June 6/10-7/1
Kyselytunti – Question Hour at 6:00-7:00 PM EST
– Prepare questions in Finnish, receive answers and find yourself having a conversation!
On WEDNESDAYS in June and July 6/10-7/22
Suomi-kertaus – Finnish Review Book #2 at 7:00-8:00 PM EST
– Reviewing book #2 topics; grammar
On THURSDAYS in June and July 6/11-7/23
Suomi-kertaus – Finnish Review Book #1 at 7:30-8:30 PM EST
– Reviewing book #1 topics; grammar
On MONDAYS in July 7/6-7/27
Kyselytunti – Question Hour at 6:00-7:00 PM EST
– Prepare questions in Finnish, receive answers and find yourself having a conversation!
Listen & Understand at 7:00-7:30 PM EST
– Listen and fill in the missing words and answer the questions.
Sanakirja – Dictionary at 7:30-8:00 PM EST
– Make sentences in Finnish, speaking, not writing.
On TUESDAYS in July 7/7-7/28
Aamukahvi – Morning Coffee at 8:30-9:30 AM EST
– Have a cup of coffee and ask questions you need clarification on. Let’s practice what you want to focus on. (And if you have no idea, no worries, I always have topics in my mind)
On WEDNESDAYS in July 7/8-7/29
Pronunciation – Ääntäminen at 5:30-6:30 PM EST
– Practice your pronunciation
FINNISH BASICS – Intensive 8 days in July-August at 6.30-7.30 PM EST
Tuesday 7/28, Wednesday 7/29, Thursday 7/30, Friday 7/31, Monday 8/3, Tuesday 8/4, Wednesday 8/5, Thursday 8/6
– Dive into Finnish to learn sentence structure, word order, locations, object (total object, partitive), verb tenses and conjugation.
September comes sooner than we think so it’s good to have these starting dates already in your calendar:
SAIMA PARK in person classes in Fitchburg MA start on Monday 9/14. Class runs for 10 Mondays until 11/16 Books are also available from: Ruslania (Helsinki), Finnlectura, or Amazon: a. Beginners and Intermediate will use Uudistettu Suomen mestari 1 – Suomea aikuisillefinnlectura.fi b.Advanced will use :Suomen mestari 2finnlectura.fi c. Next Fall Advanced and Intermediate will both use this: Uudistettu Suomen mestari 2 – Suomea aikuisille
SUOMI-KOULU of NEW ENGLAND lessons on ZOOM start Wednesday 9/16 Class runs for 13 Wednesdays until 12/16.
Depending on interest the Sunday spots continue 9/13-12/13On Monday mornings AAMUKAHVI at 9-10am
On Sunday evenings SANAKIRJA at 7-7.30pm and SYTYCF at 7.30-8.00pm
On Sunday afternoons and evenings Suomi-koulu of New England adults
at 3.30-4.30pm SKNE adult Advanced Beginners, book #2
at 5-6pm SKNE adult Beginners starting chapters 1-4, book #1
at 6-7pm SKNE adult Beginners VOL 2 starting chapter 7 book #1
Aamukahvi
Join a relaxed class to practice Finnish and get answers to your questions. Each Aamukahvi-month is tailored to the participants so you get to request the topics you need the most practice.
Sanakirja
30 minute weekly class about vocabulary given, making your own sentences. You will be given sentences in English and you will translate them in Finnish.
So you think you can Finnish; SYTYCF
You will get the beginning of the sentence in Finnish (and in English) and you need to finish it. Or you will hear a question in Finnish and you can respond in Finnish (or in English, based on your desired level) Everyone gets the same start sentence; the trick is to finish it differently each time, if you can. Challenge accepted? Join to have fun!
Listen & Understand
30 minute weekly class with listening exercises, texts and/or questions provided a week ahead. You will hear the same text 3-4 times, and then you can answer the questions.
Easy Reading
New texts with syllables helping your pronunciation and getting your emphasis right when speaking Finnish.
Saija Laurla will teach all classes.
REGISTRATION FORMS ARE LINKED HERE:
https://suomeasaijankanssa.home.blog/2025/07/31/syksyn-kurssit/
–***********************************************************
Now Also On Line Forest Finn Finnposium and others recorded and posted thru FFN Finlandia Foundation National, in partnership with FinnFest, invites you to join the online “Finnposium” webinars that continue in 2024, highlighting the nationally recognized Forest Finn minority abroad and their current affairs in both Norway and Sweden. The webinar is moderated by Sarah Kammlah from Facebook’s Forest Finns in America, …. . Missed it? Tune in to the recorded sessions: https://finfoundation.wpengine.com/programs/welcome-to-finnposium/
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
*Sovittaja Park,
Finn Park Road, Rutland, MA.:
Come back to check often
*********************************************************************************
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
05.2026*