After the parade, the “soup off” will be judged. Not just any soup, it’s a contest for Kalamojakka – or fish chowder. Entries must be made by Thursday, March 13 by calling Danielle at The Hill, 659-9220, for the rules and ingredient list. Caution: the soup must be edible since the memorable year the winning entry was a bowl of water containing two rutabagas and two live bullheads.

Both Friday and Saturday evenings The Hill will also host Johnny V and the Beezzzz for live music.

The event is a fund raiser for the Squaw Lake Fire Department.

St. Urho’s Day

In mid March, green wardrobe choices might be expected...but purple?

In Squaw Lake, there will be both green and purple along the parade route on March 15. It is the annual St. Urho’s Day celebration, and the green and purple represent the grape leaves and fruit of the Finnish crop saved by the legendary figure.

Not normally associated with Finland, vineyards flourished before the Ice Age, according to the story. And the plague that threatened them were a horde of grasshoppers.

The story of St. Urho was actually born on the Iron Range in the 1950s where a local department store manager, Richard Mattson, created him as the Finnish counterpart to St. Patrick. Later, Bemidji State University professor Dr. Havumaki picked up the legend. In his class was Bruce Leino, and the family restaurant, The Hill, became a site for an annual observance.

This year the parade will start at 5 p.m. at Mertes Garage for the short route to The Hill. Anyone is welcome to enter a float, entries should be at the garage by 4:45 p.m. and a humorous Finnish theme is encouraged.

After the parade, the “soup off” will be judged. Not just any soup, it’s a contest for Kalamojakka – or fish chowder. Entries must be made by Thursday, March 13 by calling Danielle at The Hill, 659-9220, for the rules and ingredient list. Caution: the soup must be edible since the memorable year the winning entry was a bowl of water containing two rutabagas and two live bullheads.

Both Friday and Saturday evenings The Hill will also host Johnny V and the Beezzzz for live music.