Michigan Tech’s Consumer Product Manufacturing (CPM) Enterprise recently announced a new recycling initiative in partnership with Kimberly-Clark. The project is designed to recycle No. 4 type plastics, commonly called flexible film plastics. These plastics cannot be recycled at a recycling facility due to their elastic nature.

No. 4 plastics, or Low-Density Polyethylenes (LDPE), can be identified by a number 4 inside a triangle somewhere on the item or through a flex test: if it stretches and does not tear, then it is likely a flex film plastic. Examples include plastic shopping bags, toilet paper overwrap, and six-pack can rings. 

Instead of throwing these plastics in the trash, individuals can bring them to Michigan Tech’s campus, where CPM has provided various drop-off locations. Clean and dry items can be deposited in their purple recycling containers in the North Coast Grill and Deli in the MUB or at the CPM office in the basement of Chem Sci. The collection bins will remain on campus until the end of the spring semester.  

According to CPM’s website, another goal for the project is designing an in-home collection system for consumers, so they can easily separate, store, and return their flex films. The team will also be working on an approach to incentivize consumers to save and recycle these products, and a collection service that brings the recycled items back to the producers in a way that they can use them. 

Students that participate in CPM leave Michigan Tech with the skills necessary for a career in manufacturing. Some of their other projects include the Mr. Lid team, who is working with dining services on implementing a returnable food packaging process, and the Commercial Keg Cleaner team, who has partnered with the Keweenaw Brewing Company to create a semi-automated keg cleaner, suitable for microbreweries. 

More information on CPM and their new recycling program can be found on their website at cpmenterprise.org. 

All events are free unless otherwise noted

Thursday, Nov. 11

Gender and Higher Education: Exploring Women’s Experiences

10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

MUB Ballroom A1

Men Allies for Gender Equity

10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

MUB Ballroom B

Folding of the American Flag by Young Americans for Freedom

11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Walker Lawn

ICC Human-Centered Computing Keynote Lecture: Dr. Rick Wash

2 p.m.

Virtual Event

Physics Colloquium – Dr. Moritz Linkmann

4 – 5 p.m.

Virtual Event

Managing Finances as a Graduate Student by GSG

4 – 6 p.m.

MEEM 111

Prototype Your Innovation by Husky Innovate

5:30 – 7 p.m.

MUB Alley Makerspace

Summer Youth Programs Hiring Info Session

6 – 7 p.m.

MUB Alumni Lounge

Veterans’ Art Exhibit Opening Reception

6 – 8 p.m.

Calumet Art Center, Calumet

League of Women Voters Presentation

6:30 p.m.

Portage Lake District Library Community Room, Houghton 

Celebrating our Veterans by Young Americans for Freedom

7 – 8 p.m.

Fisher 135

Range Day by Pistol Club

7 – 9 p .m.

SDC Shooting Range

The Arsonists by Tech Theatre Company

7:30 p.m.

McArdle Theatre

$15 Adult, $5 Youth, Free to MTU Students

Friday, Nov. 12

Gender and Higher Education: Exploring Women’s Experiences

8:30 – 10:30 a.m.

MUB Ballroom A1

Men Allies for Gender Equity

8:30 – 10:30 a.m.

MUB Ballroom B

Husky Innovate Talk with Dr. Brad King

12 – 1 p.m.

Virtual Event

CS New Faculty Lecture: Dr. Briana Bettin

3 p.m.

Rekhi 214

KIP Seminar: Treatment of Traumatic Shock, Then and Now

3 – 4 p.m.

Virtual Event

SDH Open House

5 – 7 p.m.

Sustainability Demonstration House

Film Board –  The Suicide Squad

Showtimes: 5:30, 8:30, 11:30 p.m.

Fisher 135

Tickets: $3

Range Day by Pistol Club

7 – 9 p .m.

SDC Shooting Range

Buffalo Galaxy

Doors open at 7 p.m.; show starts at 8 p.m.

Orpheum Theater, Hancock

Tickets: $10

Men’s Hockey vs. Northern Michigan University

7:07 p.m.

SDC Ice Arena

Reserved Cost: $20 Adult, $18 Faculty & Staff, $10 Youth, Free to MTU Students

The Arsonists by Tech Theatre Company

7:30 p.m.

McArdle Theatre

$15 Adult, $5 Youth, Free to MTU Students

Saturday, Nov. 13

Refill U.P. Grand Opening

10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Refill U.P., Hancock

Woodcutting with Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly by Students for Life

10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Houghton County Memorial Airport

Science Carnival by Mind Trekkers and MUB Board

1 – 3 p.m.

MUB Commons

Men’s Football vs. Saginaw Valley State University

1 p.m.

Kearly Stadium

$12 Adult, $5 Youth, Free to MTU Students

Hockey vs NMU Pre-Game Gathering

3:30 – 6:15 p.m.

Blackrocks Brewery, Marquette

RSVP by 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12

Film Board –  The Suicide Squad

Showtimes: 5:30, 8:30, 11:30 p.m.

Fisher 135

Tickets: $3

MTU vs. NMU Hockey Watch Party by MUB Board

6 – 9 p.m.

SDC Ice Arena

The Arsonists by Tech Theatre Company

7:30 p.m.

McArdle Theatre

$15 Adult, $5 Youth, Free to MTU Students

Anchorage World Premiere by Abarukas Dance Company

7:30 p.m.

Rozsa Center

$20 Adult, $10 Youth, Free to MTU Students

Monday, Nov. 15

Biocomputing and Digital Health Lecture Series: Yousef Darestani, CEGE

12 – 1 p.m.

Rekhi 214

Lessons Learned from Two Decades of Research on Uncovering Emerging Contaminants and their Ecological Impacts

3 p.m.

GLRC 202

EPSSI Seminar: Jin Pan, Virginia Tech

4 – 5 p.m.

Virtual Event

Husky Bites: What’s Next, NEXTCAR?

6 p.m.

Virtual Event

NEA Big Read: Joy Harjo 

6 – 8 p.m.

Portage Lake District Library Community Room, Houghton

Breaking Stereotypes for Women Engineers by Society for Women Engineers

7 – 9 p.m.

MUB Ballroom A

Tuesday, Nov. 16

HuskyLead: Campus Resources You Are NOT Using

4 – 5 p.m.

MUB Ballroom A1

Coded Bias: There is no Algorithm for Truth

7 – 9 p.m.

Virtual Event

Wednesday, Nov. 17

Suicide Prevention & Substance Use Education by Student Health & Wellness

7 – 8 p.m.

MUB Ballroom A

Thursday, Nov. 4

41 North Film Festival – (Dis) Locations*

5:30 – 6:30 p.m. 

41 North Film Festival – All Light, Everywhere*

7 – 9:30 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 5

41 North Film Festival – Family Matters*

3 – 4:30 p.m.

41 North Film Festival – Storm Lake*

7:30 – 9:30 p.m.

41 North Film Festival – El Planeta*

10 – 11:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 6

41 North Film Festival – The Lake at the Bottom of the World*

12 – 1:45 p.m.

41 North Film Festival – Television Event*

2 – 3:30 p.m.

41 North Film Festival – Writing with Fire*

4 – 5:45 p.m.

41 North Film Festival – The Velvet Queen*

7:30 – 9:15 p.m.

41 North Film Festival – No Straight Lines*

10 – 11:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 7

41 North Film Festival – The Mole Agent*

12:30 – 2 p.m.

41 North Film Festival – Lily Topples the World*

2:30 – 4 p.m.

41 North Film Festival – Musical Propositions*

4:30 – 6 p.m.

41 North Film Festival – Summer of Soul*

7 – 9 p.m.

*41 North Film Festival Notes: All films are free to attend at the Rozsa. Please reserve a ticket through the Michigan Tech Box Office. This can be done either online, by phone (906-487-2073), or in person at the SDC. 

Social distancing, though effective in limiting the spread of contagions, can be an often boring and tedious time. Just when we’ve gotten over the cabin fever of winter, we’re stuck inside once more for the protection of public health. Thankfully, in our internet world, there are lots of ways to get out and see things without leaving the comfort of your bedroom. Museums, aquariums and other attractions from around the world have free, online features that allow you to view their exhibits virtually. 

Even after we get out of this mess, these virtual tours are still useful for those of us that do not have time time, opportunity or money to travel the world. Can’t get off of work to take a trip to Greece? Tour the Parthenon online. Can’t afford tickets to Mexico City? View their plethora of cultural museums online. 

So, grab your laptop and check out eight of my personal favorites. 

Metropolitan Museum of Art – New York, NY

While you can’t pose on the Met steps a la Gossip Girl through the museum’s virtual features, you can still check out some of their breathtaking collections. Through their Met 360° Project, you can view almost every aspect of some of their most famous exhibits. Also, if you didn’t get my Gossip Girl reference, binging the show on Netflix could be another way to spend your time. View the Met’s collections at www.metmuseum.org/art/online-features. 

National Women’s History Museum – Alexandria, VA

Celebrate what’s left of Women’s History Month and take a virtual step into this museum that honors all things feminine. They’ve got virtual exhibits on female athletes, women in STEM, suffragettes and more. Click through their collections at www.womenshistory.org/exhibits. 

National Museum of Anthropology – Mexico City, Mexico

Take a step into Latin America’s indiginous history with this museum’s digital exhibit via Google Arts and Culture. Take a virtual stroll through their physical halls, where the images are clear enough to even read the signs on the walls. You can also click on individual artifacts, and the page will take you to their exact location within the museum. Check it out at www.artsandculture.google.com/partner/museo-nacional-de-antropologia-mexico. 

Johnson Space Center – Houston, TX

Virtually walk through NASA’s Houston Space Center, all through the comfort of your phone! With an audio-guided tour, you can get up close and personal with their collections. Step into the past with their Space Race exhibits, or into the future with their Mission Mars one. Take a look for yourself by downloading the Space Center Houston app on the App Store or Google Play. 

The Dalí Museum – St. Petersburg, FL

Step into the museum of one of the most eclectic artists of the twentieth century. Boasting one of the largest collections of artwork by Salvador Dalí, the museum’s virtual tour gives you an intimate view of some of Dalí’s most impressive pieces, and an outside view of the incredible building they are housed in. Check them out by visiting www.thedali.org/virtual-tour. 

The Acropolis – Athens, Greece

If you obsessed over the Percy Jackson series in your earlier years, then you probably went through an Ancient Greece interest phase. Tour Greece’s Acropolis, Parthenon, Athena Nike monuments and more through their virtual tour site. Take a stroll through one of Greece’s most famous monuments by visiting www.acropolisvirtualtour.gr or download their app. 

U.S. National Archives – Washington, D.C.

Google Arts and Culture offers an exclusive look into the nation’s official record keeper. View thousands of historical images and documents, along with their carefully curated online exhibits, such as their current one on Women’s Suffrage and the 19th Amendment. See them at www.artsandculture.google.com/partner/u-s-national-archives. 

Van Gogh Museum — Amsterdam, Netherlands

Housing the world’s largest collection of works by Vincent van Gogh, this museum includes paintings, drawings and letters from the famed artist, perhaps best remembered for cutting off his own ear. See all of these and tour the museum through Google Arts and Culture by visiting www.artsandculture.google.com/partner/van-gogh-museum. 

Michigan Tech Archives – Houghton, MI

Did you know that Michigan Tech has its own university archives? Located in the garden level of the library, they house an impressive collection of MTU and Copper Country documents and other artifacts. They offer a great online selection of photos through their Copper Country Historical Images collection, along with some online exhibits curated by archives staff. Visit their site at www.mtu.edu/library/archives. 

When one thinks of Michigan Tech, certain things come to mind. Engineering, technology, science, hockey and snow are just a few words commonly associated with our university. Despite having a plethora of gifted performers, talented artists and incredible musicians within our student population, the arts and humanities often go underappreciated.

We are especially lucky to have two amazing and talented choirs on campus, both of which will be performing this Sunday, March 1, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lake Linden. Their concert, “Music for a Sacred Space,” will feature a variety of songs performed in the church building, which has the perfect acoustic atmosphere for which the songs were written.

The Michigan Tech Concert Choir features 60 gifted voices that include students, current and retired faculty, staff and community members. The concert choir appears regularly with the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra, another ensemble of talented musicians. The other ensemble, conScience: Michigan Tech Chamber Singers, is a smaller group made of 24 Michigan Tech students. Both groups typically perform a variety of music, from traditional, Renaissance pieces to contemporary songs.

According to Jared Anderson, Department Chair of the Visual and Performing Arts department and director of the two choirs, the concert will focus on performances of sacred choral repertoire from different traditions and will feature music from all over the world, including the United States, Russia and Germany.

Beyond the wonderful music, this concert provides a great opportunity to support the Copper Country community. By attending the concert, you can support the dedicated musicians of Michigan Tech that are oftentimes overshadowed by the university’s scientists, engineers and athletes, but are extremely talented nonetheless.

“Performing in spaces off campus provides opportunities for a wider audience to experience a Michigan Tech concert,” Anderson says as to the importance of having events like this concert in the community. “The choirs really love singing in that space, and audiences are always pleased with the performances.”

Donations will be accepted at the door, with all proceeds going directly to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. This is a charity that provides many great services directly to the poor and needy in the local community. Beyond supporting the musicians, concert goers can also support the less fortunate in the community. For more information on St. Vincent de Paul’s charity services in the Upper Peninsula, please visit https://www.svdpup.org/.

Plus, if you’ve never gotten the chance to explore Lake Linden before, this is a great chance to do so! Grab dinner at a local restaurant before the show or take a stroll alongside Torch Lake at the village park. Afterwards, you have the opportunity to take in a great concert at the historic and beautiful St. Joseph’s church, with its stunning and intricately decorated interior, tall, acoustic ceiling and Jacobsville sandstone exterior that is reminiscent of the Copper Country’s past.

Music for a Sacred Space will take place at St. Joseph Catholic Church, located at 701 Calumet Street in Lake Linden. It will be this Sunday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m., with a run time of approximately two hours. This concert is free to attend for students and community members with free-will donations appreciated but not required. For more information, you can visit the MTU events calendar or contact the Visual and Performing Arts department by phone at (906) 487-2067 or by email at vpa@mtu.edu.

The mid-semester rush is upon us, and while it seems like every professor is loading us up with exams, reports and miscellaneous assignments, this doesn’t mean we have to give up and slip into a mid-semester slump. The Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra, under the brilliant direction of longtime musical director Joel Neves and guest director Xun Sun, will be presenting a concert on Feb. 29 in the Rozsa Center.

Timeless pieces from the likes of Alexander Borodin and Pyotr Iliych Tchaikovsky will be featured as Neves and Sun share the podium for a concert that will no doubt be one of the best the Rozsa has seen all year.

Whether you listen to it in a concert setting, such as the KSO’s performance, or if it’s in your study playlist when you work on homework, classical music has been proven to have loads of benefits, such as improving sleep quality and spiking creativity. It’s also been known to relieve symptoms of anxiety and increase productivity, perks that almost any college student could use during a stressful semester.

Classical music is a beautiful genre with a variety of forms that has been altered and perfected for generations. Michigan Tech is lucky to have such a talented group of musicians in the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra, which is made up of students, staff, faculty and community members.

Alexander Borodin’s “Polovtsian Dances” was featured at the end of the second act of his opera Prince Igor. Borodin worked on the opera for over a decade, yet it remained incomplete when he died in 1887.

Composers Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov finished the opera in 1890, and a few other editions of Prince Igor exist as well. “Polovtsian Dances” has continued to be celebrated by the classical music world and pop culture alike, with the 1953 musical Kismet being adapted from Borodin’s work.

Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 4 in F Minor,” a favorite piece of many classical music lovers, was first performed in Moscow in 1878. It received negative reviews at first, but over time has become known as one of Tchaikovsky’s greatest works.

It has also been featured numerous times in popular culture, such as its brief appearance in Pink Floyd’s 1975 song “Wish You Were Here” and in the soundtrack of the 2014 film Birdman, which starred Michael Keaton and Zach Galifianakis.

Tickets will cost $19 for adults and $6 for children, while Michigan Tech students get in free with their Husky Card. Why not make use of that $90 we pay each semester with the Experience Tech Fee and actually go out and experience Tech? Michigan Tech has so much to offer in terms of entertainment, from hockey or football games at the SDC and Sherman Field to comedians in the MUB Ballroom and concerts in the Rozsa.

Whether you haven’t made use of your Experience Tech Fee yet, or if you’ve attended every Rozsa show since your first semester on campus, I encourage you either way to attend the KSO’s show next Saturday, Feb. 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts. This will certainly be a concert worth coming out in the cold to see. Supporting local artists as well as enjoying the classical music that envelops and changes our lives and the lives of those around us in a fresh new setting are sure to bring joy, peace and serenity to any listener.

For more information, contact the Rozsa Center Ticket Office at (906) 487-3200 or visit the Michigan Tech Events Calendar at www.events.mtu.edu. Hope to see you there!

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or a snow bank, which is more likely in Houghton) then you know that Michigan Tech celebrated its annual Winter Carnival this past week. Included in the festivities were the annual Winter Carnival Queen contest, broomball games, a beard competition and, perhaps the most well-known aspect, the snow sculptures. While a few groups participate in the month long contest, many more choose to participate in the All-Nighter. These groups had from 4 p.m. Wednesday afternoon until 9 a.m. Thursday morning to build, sculpt and perfect their masterpieces of ice and snow.

The Lode staff is never one to back down from some fun, so  this year we decided to join in one the challenge. I’d never personally participated in the All-Nighter, and it was the first time building a snow sculpture for many of the other Lode members, too. Equipped with too few shovels, three buckets and a machete, we set to work building Sid from the Ice Age movies.

Some teams set out with a strict agenda on the night of the All-Nighter with victory in mind. They came with buckets, shovels, irons, plywood, machetes and blueprints in hopes of taking home one of the top titles. They’ve spent weeks planning out their statues, perfecting every minuscule detail so that everything goes just right, and their efforts certainly paid off! The Lode staff didn’t put quite that much time and effort into the statue, but then again, we were there to have fun and enjoy a Michigan Tech tradition, not bask in the glory of our winning snow statue.

Beyond the statue contest, campus had much more going on during All-Nighter. Carnival goers gathered near the makeshift mosh pit situated near the M&M building with its giant snow-encapsulated speakers that blasted music for everyone to hear. While my friends and I found the music taste hard to enjoy, many other students seemed to be having a good time and it certainly livened up the frosty atmosphere.

Other students gathered near the IRHC broomball Cocoa Shack for their free hot chocolate, provided in a souvenir IRHC mug for students with their MTU ID. Many students (like myself) also didn’t have time to catch dinner between their Wednesday afternoon classes and the beginning of the statue building, but lots of student organizations were on campus selling a variety of foods that are much better than anything we’d find in a dining hall. Everything from the easy-to-eat walking tacos sold by the Society of Women Engineers to Triangle Fraternity’s hot, delectable pasties to the ROTC all-night pancake buffet were available for enjoyment.

While it was undoubtedly chilly during the All-Nighter, the weather for 2020’s Winter Carnival was pretty great overall! A warm hat to cover your ears (thanks, Bonnie) and a free cup of IRHC hot cocoa combined with the physical task of building a snow sculpture was pretty good at holding the cold off. Also, many buildings on campus were available as warming stations so students and other Carnival visitors didn’t get stuck out in the cold. As the familiar lake effect snow and Keweenawan winds held off decently during Winter Carnival, the weather didn’t put a damper on the fun of the All-Nighter. Despite the few controversies that surrounded this year’s Winter Carnival, one would be hard pressed to find someone not enjoying the best Wednesday of the year during the All-Nighter.

Beyond the winter sporting activities and snow sculptures, the Friday night comedian show is one of the favorite traditions amongst Michigan Tech students. This year’s headliner is Aaron Kominos-Smith, a stand up comedian from Brooklyn, NY.

Kominos-Smith has a lot to live up to before he takes the Rozsa stage Friday night, as past Winter Carnival comedians include Jaboukie Young-White (2019), Bo Burnham (2012) and John Oliver (2010). With performances on Comedy Central and MTV under his belt, Kominos-Smith will no doubt bring energy and laughter to his comedy show at the Rozsa.

While studying architecture at Cornell, Kominos-Smith balanced his studies with his love of comedy by performing in shows when he had the chance. After graduation and a brief stint as a professional architect, he decided that building design wasn’t for him and transitioned to being a full time comedian. He’s made a career out of making people laugh ever since!

Self-described on his website as “the College Comic,” Kominos-Smith’s vibrant energy and quick wit will definitely resonate with his audience of college students here at Michigan Tech. He’s performed at such universities like Harvard, Princeton and UCLA, so he will no doubt make Tech students and Winter Carnival visitors alike laugh their socks off Friday night!

Beyond his touring shows, Kominos-Smith can be found as host of the podcast “But I Also” and at “The Living Room,” a free comedy show produced by Kominos-Smith at the Postmark Cafe in NYC.

Kominos-Smith’s style of comedy is mostly clean, with more than a few self-deprecating short jokes here and there. At only 5’2”, he boasts the slogan “Big Laughs, Little Guy” on his website.

Rather than relying on ill-mannered jokes that make fun of other people, Kominos-Smith finds the humor in himself, such as his short stature, and in everyday life situations that are relatable to many.

Some of his favorite jokes seem to revolve around his life in the Big Apple, and the many peculiar things and general shenanigans that go on in New York City.

While those big city jokes may not translate so well to small-town Houghton, he’s no doubt going to prepare a set that is worthy of a Winter Carnival Comedian.  Audrey Shelton, the University of iowa, Campus Activities Board Comedy Director says, “Aaron was entertaining and appropriate, whcih can be hard to find in a college-humor comic. CAB was proud to be associated with a comic of such morals and would suggest Aaron to other universities.”

Catch a glimpse of Aaron Kominos-Smith and his quick-witted comedy before the show by visiting his website at www.funnyaaron.com or checking out his past shows on YouTube.

Once again, the comedy show will be Friday, Feb. 7 at 9 p.m. in the Rozsa Center. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $10 or at the door for $15. Michigan Tech students can get in free with their student ID through the Experience Tech Fee. For more information, visit Blue Key’s Winter Carnival website at https://www.mtu.edu/carnival/2020/, check out the MTU Events Calendar or contact the Rozsa Center Box Office.

Beyond the winter sporting activities and snow sculptures, the Friday night comedian show is one of the favorite traditions amongst Michigan Tech students. This year’s headliner is Aaron Kominos-Smith, a stand up comedian from Brooklyn, NY.

Kominos-Smith has a lot to live up to before he takes the Rozsa stage Friday night, as past Winter Carnival comedians include Jaboukie Young-White (2019), Bo Burnham (2012) and John Oliver (2010). With performances on Comedy Central and MTV under his belt, Kominos-Smith will no doubt bring energy and laughter to his comedy show at the Rozsa.

While studying architecture at Cornell, Kominos-Smith balanced his studies with his love of comedy by performing in shows when he had the chance. After graduation and a brief stint as a professional architect, he decided that building design wasn’t for him and transitioned to being a full time comedian. He’s made a career out of making people laugh ever since!

Self-described on his website as “the College Comic,” Kominos-Smith’s vibrant energy and quick wit will definitely resonate with his audience of college students here at Michigan Tech. He’s performed at such universities like Harvard, Princeton and UCLA, so he will no doubt make Tech students and Winter Carnival visitors alike laugh their socks off Friday night!

Beyond his touring shows, Kominos-Smith can be found as host of the podcast “But I Also” and at “The Living Room,” a free comedy show produced by Kominos-Smith at the Postmark Cafe in NYC.

Kominos-Smith’s style of comedy is mostly clean, with more than a few self-deprecating short jokes here and there. At only 5’2”, he boasts the slogan “Big Laughs, Little Guy” on his website.

Rather than relying on ill-mannered jokes that make fun of other people, Kominos-Smith finds the humor in himself, such as his short stature, and in everyday life situations that are relatable to many.

Some of his favorite jokes seem to revolve around his life in the Big Apple, and the many peculiar things and general shenanigans that go on in New York City.

While those big city jokes may not translate so well to small-town Houghton, he’s no doubt going to prepare a set that is worthy of a Winter Carnival Comedian.  Audrey Shelton, the University of iowa, Campus Activities Board Comedy Director says, “Aaron was entertaining and appropriate, whcih can be hard to find in a college-humor comic. CAB was proud to be associated with a comic of such morals and would suggest Aaron to other universities.”

Catch a glimpse of Aaron Kominos-Smith and his quick-witted comedy before the show by visiting his website at www.funnyaaron.com or checking out his past shows on YouTube.

Once again, the comedy show will be Friday, Feb. 7 at 9 p.m. in the Rozsa Center. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $10 or at the door for $15. Michigan Tech students can get in free with their student ID through the Experience Tech Fee. For more information, visit Blue Key’s Winter Carnival website at https://www.mtu.edu/carnival/2020/, check out the MTU Events Calendar or contact the Rozsa Center Box Office.

As Finn account for nearly 40 percent of the population in Hancock alone, Finnish traditions are extremely common in the Keweenaw. The celebration of Heikinpäivä, a Finnish winter festival celebrated annually in Hancock, came to a close this past weekend with all of the pomp, circumstance and sisu that could be riled up on a damp winter day. 

Heikinpäivä is a festival to celebrate St. Henrik, the bishop of Finland who died Jan. 20, 1156. St. The legend states that the Bishop’s killer’s wife falsely claimed that the Bishop had been ungrateful and stolen food, cake, beer and hay and left nothing but ashes. He chased the Bishop down on skis with an axe which he used to cut the Bishop down. According to legend, St. Henrik asked his coachman to gather his body parts together and place it in a  cart drawn by a stallion. When the stallion broke he was to replace it with an ox and where the ox stopped build a church. Here Henrik was buried.

These days, Heikinpäivä is more a celebration of mid-winter than it is a celebration of a murdered Bishop. Events celebrate Finnish tradition, honoring old customs, dances, costumes and music.

Events had been spread out through most of the month of January, with the majority of the fanfare falling this past weekend.

Saturday kicked off with the annual parade, led by a color guard and the Michigan Tech Pep Band, complete with their signature fire-blowing trumpet. Various groups from throughout the community marched in the parade, such as the Finnish Students of Finlandia University, dressed in traditional clothing, and Rise U.P., a group that marched in celebration of one hundred years of women’s suffrage.

So many beautiful and well-crafted costumes were on display by those that marched, from traditional Finnish clothing to intricate animal costumes. One man was even dressed in an impressive swan costume that towered over everybody with its long neck and huge wingspan.

Following the parade was a gathering at Quincy Green, on Finlandia University’s campus. Groups of colorfully-dressed and elaborately-costumed individuals gathered in linked circles, connected by the hand holding, for a traditional-style dance with music. Amongst the dancing, laughing and smiling ensued, adding to the carefree and celebratory atmosphere.

Also present was a Vipukelkka, or whipsled, powered by Finn U’s baseball team. The small sled is connected to a large bar, which the members of the baseball team pushed in order to move the sled. Kids and college students alike boarded the sled for a fast-paced fun winter ride.

Perhaps the most comical activity on Quincy Green was the Wife Race. Aptly named, the Wife Race is a traditional event where the husband carries his wife through a series of small challenges. However, the Wife Race is certainly not just for husbands and wives; any and all participants were encouraged by the judges. Pairs of individuals of all backgrounds, ages, sexes and marital statuses participated in the event. Roommates (like two of my friends that participated), teammates (like two members of Finn U’s baseball team) and of course, husbands and wives, gave their all in the unique challenge. Not only did one of the participants have to carry the other, but they had to go through a series of obstacles dedicated to Finnish lifestyle, such as checkpoints featuring a fake sauna and fake coffee guests. One participant in the wife race even carried his daughter along for the ride, making his run a little more difficult but giving the judges something to laugh at.

Down the street from Quincy Green, at the Finnish American Heritage Center, there were even more festivities going on. Musicians played Finnish tunes while other Heikinpäivä celebrants worked on a traditional Finnish snowflake sewing project. Further inside was an entire market dedicated to the Copper Country and its Finnish inhabitants. Everything from bread and jam to authentic Finnish stationery were available for purchase. To wrap up the celebration, food was available for purchase as well. Warm ham stew (perfect for the damp, snowy day), Finnish pastries, Keweenawan pasties (though they’re not Finnish in heritage, they’re undoubtedly important to U.P. culture) and more were just the kinds of things needed after a happy and fun day celebrating Heikinpäivä.

For someone that knew next to nothing about Finnish culture before moving to the Keweenaw, and still knows very little, I am glad that events like these are present in the community. It gives the people that cherish their Finnish heritage a chance to celebrate it, and for those of us that don’t share any Suomi blood, it creates a wonderful chance to learn about and understand some of the unique beauty exhibited by each and every culture.

Heikinpäivä is celebrated every year in Hancock and attracts attendees from all over the world. This is a wonderful time to bask in the ethnic glory of Finnish tradition and enjoy some delicious food as well. Though the weather wasn’t great, the festival definitely was.