St. Urho’s Dinner Dance celebrates Finnish community

FITCHBURG — The Finnish Center at Saima Park’s Annual St. Urho’s Dinner Dance brought laughter, music, and plenty of purple and green decorations as guests gathered to celebrate the beloved fictional saint.

The hall was festively decorated with grapes and grasshoppers – symbols of the St. Urho legend — and guests wore creative hats to match the theme.

Longtime emcee Linda Byrne, who started the tradition years ago, was missed at this year’s celebration. In her absence, vice president and acting president of the Finnish Center at Saima Park, Mike Potsaid, stepped in to lead the festivities, assisted by his grandson Xavier Dress, who helped call tables for dinner and amused guests by offering roasted crickets from a small bucket perched atop his hat.

The evening began with a social hour featuring appetizers prepared by board members. To keep the admission price affordable, organizers chose not to hire a caterer and instead prepared the meal themselves under Potsaid’s leadership.

Dinner included Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, pickled beets, cranberry sauce, rolls and butter. Vegetarian meatballs were also available. The meal concluded with a beautifully decorated cake for dessert.

Guests who wore hats proudly paraded their creations around the dance floor, with Sally Cragin selecting winners in several categories.

The evening also featured a lively game chosen by Byrne. Inspired by an activity she recently participated in at Fairlawn Rehab, three teams of five participants formed circles and volleyed balloons, competing to keep them in the air the longest. The winning team earned free breakfasts for each member. Mike Cappello served as game host.

Music filled the hall as members of the Central Mass Accordion Club performed, with Revontulet director Leila Luopa encouraging many guests to take to the dance floor. Accordionists Dan Mackowiak, Arthur Richard and Jane French closed the evening by playing “God Bless America” and “America the Beautiful,” with attendees joining in song.