Parade of Nations, Hancock Rotary Club Bring International Taste Treats to the Keweenaw

Wines and food from around the world are on the menu during Parade of Nations Week this year. The 26^th annual Parade of Nations and Multicultural Festival are on Saturday, Sept. 19, and the Hancock Rotary Club is sponsoring its second annual fall wine tasting event on Thursday, Sept. 17 at the Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock.

Wines from France, Italy and Argentina, as well as a Michigan wine and a Michigan ale, will be paired with cuisine from those countries. The Michigan ale is Dragon’s Milk, a fitting choice for the Parade of Nations 2015 theme: World of Lore and Legends.

The wine tasting benefits the Hancock Rotary’s local and international programs and celebrates the international character of the local community. Students who have gone on Rotary international exchanges in France, Brazil and Thailand will be on hand to talk about their experiences.

There will be a silent auction before the wine and food tasting. Tickets are $40 per person or $320 for a corporate table seating eight. Tickets are available at Michigan Tech’s International Programs and Services office or online.

Parade of Nations & Multicultural Festival

The Parade of Nations begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, making its way from Hancock across the Portage Lake Lift Bridge to Houghton’s Dee Stadium, where a Multicultural Festival will feature authentic foods for sale representing nearly 20 nations and a variety of crafts booths. Admission to the Dee is free.

Parade Marshal will be Kevin Manninen, dean of Finlandia University’s International School of Business and president of the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce. Float judges are Jason Sullivan, registrar at Finlandia; Bonnie Gorman, dean of students at Michigan Tech; and Rick Buis, director of Canterbury House. There is a total of $500 in cash prizes for floats, including $200 for the top student float, $200 for the top community float and $100 for the second-place student float. There will also be a Family Getaway drawing at the Dee.

The entire community is welcome to march in the parade, carry flags or wear traditional clothing of their national or cultural heritage.

Children's Art & Entertainment

Children’s art from Chassell Elementary and E. B. Holman Elementary School in Stanton Township, reflecting the Parade of Nations theme, will be on display at the Dee.

Entertainment, with emcees Mark Wilcox and Kris Kyro will feature an international display of talent, with the Kivajat Dancers, Woodland Drum and Dancers (Native American), a Tai Kwon Do demonstration by the Michigan Tech Tai Kwon Do Club, the Copper Country Cloggers, and Bollywood dancers from Michigan Tech’s Indian Students Association. Performances by members of Tech’s African Student Organization, Iranian Community and Chinese Students and Scholars Association, singer-songwriter Jan Arnold and the Michigan Tech Dancers are also on the program. Singer Karen Colbert will sing the National Anthem and give a short performance.

Parade of Nations is sponsored by Michigan Tech, Finlandia, and community businesses and residents. It is a celebration of our international heritage. Wines and food from around the world are on the menu during Parade of Nations Week this year. The 26^th annual Parade of Nations and Multicultural Festival are on Saturday, Sept. 19, and the Hancock Rotary Club is sponsoring its second annual fall wine tasting event on Thursday, Sept. 17 at the Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock.

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to nearly 7,500 students from more than 60 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan’s flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.