About Us

Have you seen those cool Brimson Sisu Finnisher T-shirts in Duluth, Two Harbors, or elsewhere in the Northland or even in foreign countries? Now you can get one and you don’t even have to be Finnish or a finisher. Come to the 25th Annual Brimson Sisu in Brimson, Minnesota on Saturday, August 25. What will you do at the Sisu? Well, you can run or walk on a 4.4 mile course through pine and spruce with people of all ages and abilities, those fleet of foot and those who take pride in strolling in last. Or, if you prefer, you can just watch the start, meet other watchers during the run, and watch the finish. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. and the race begins at 10:00 a.m. The registration fee is $15. before August 11 and $17. after and includes the Sisu Finnisher T-shirt which is 100 % organic cotton. The proceeds benefit the Brimson Area Volunteer Fire Department & EMS (BAVFD). The BAVFD provides firefighting and emergency medical services for a 365 square-mile area including several townships in St. Louis and Lake Counties. The name Sisu is Finnish for fortitude or stick-to-itiveness. Sisu was needed by the many Finnish settlers of Brimson to farm the land, to cut the trees, to hold off the mosquitos, and to last the long, cold winters. The Brimson Sisu is held the third or fourth Saturday of every August regardless of the weather. It has been held mostly in pleasantly sunny weather but also in dust and in rain and in heat and in cool. So, it may require a bit of Sisu to “finnish”. The prizes are donations of locally produced crafts and food. The prizes are awarded to both runners and walkers, male and female, in various age groups. Prizes are also awarded to the highest finisher of 100% Finnish ancestry, to the persons who have participated in all the Sisus (currently four), to the person who came the farthest to the Sisu, and to persons who fit many other interesting categories. Other features of the 25th Annual Brimson Sisu will include a farmers market of local organic produce,arts, crafts, and music by local residents. Refreshments will be sold by members of the Volunteer Fire Dept. and will include coffee and pop, sweet corn, hot dogs, Polish sausage, veggie dogs,watermelon and donated baked goods. For more information call 218-848-2442 or 218-848-2894 or visit our website at http://www.brimsonsisu.org.