25 events in Nebraska where you can enjoy nice weather this weekend

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — It seems the weather will be great for outdoor events this weekend, and Omaha, Hastings and North Loup are hosting festivals all weekend long.

The Omaha Greek Festival is giving Nebraskans the chance to imagine spending an afternoon in Santorini.  With live music, entertainment, plenty of food and drinks and so much more, when in Greece, say opa!

Nebraska’s beloved Kool-Aid Days are back in Hastings.  Sample all the flavors available, watch the parade and even see who’s the thirstiest in the “Kwickest Kool-Aid drinking Contest” In Kool-Aid’s hometown.

And North Loup is celebrating another year of Popcorn Days. Bring the whole family and enjoy the carnival and street dancing, and if you can find room for more after all the free popcorn, try some food from the local vendors. This year’s parade theme is “Who’s your Superhero?”

On Saturday, Prairie Pines Farm is hosting its Feast on the Farm, a progressive meal prepared by some of Lincoln’s best chefs.  Spend the evening sipping drinks in the shade of the arboretum, surrounded by live music, while indulging in some seriously delicious food.

The LUX Center for the Arts invites one and all to SummerFest 2022.  From 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, head to LUX to enjoy the art galleries, live music, food vendors, hands-on art activities and even a steamroller demo in the parking lot.

See more on these events and more below.

 

OMAHA:

Nebraska Balloon and Wine Festival – Friday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Saturday, 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Enjoy Nebraska wines, Midwest food and barbecue, area bands and musicians, entertainment, shopping, crafts, fun for the kids and more at this annual event complete with a hot air balloon launch.

Ta-Ha-Zouka Park, Elkhorn Drive

Omaha Greek Festival – Friday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Enjoy an immersive cultural experience featuring authentic Greek food and pastries, imported Greek beers and wines, dance performances, live Greek music, a boutique and more. Sit back, munch on a gyro and savor a Mythos Greek beer while watching Greek live entertainment.  $5 for adults. Students and kids under 12 are free.

St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, 602 Park Ave.

Opera Outdoors – Friday, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Opera Outdoors is a free, family-friendly outdoor concert featuring a sampling of opera’s greatest hits and previews of Opera Omaha’s upcoming season. The concert is open to the public; no tickets are necessary. This year’s event will be hosted in English and Spanish. In addition to spectacular singing, the evening will include pre-concert activities in the free Kids Zone, featuring balloon animals, an arts and crafts station and lawn games for all ages.

Turner Park, 3110 Farnam St.

Power Hour at The Backline Comedy Theatre — Friday, 10 p.m.

The Backline Comedy Theatre’s Power Hour is packed with Nebraska’s greatest comedians doing their best material. Each comedian only has three minutes to impress the crowd and land the chance to come back and close out the show. Enjoy an hour of fast-paced, high-energy comedy hosted by Rachel Ware. 18+ (or under with parent or guardian.) $10 per person.

The Backline Comedy Theatre, 1445 S. 12th St.

Dundee Day – Saturday, 8 a.m. to 11:45 p.m.

The 29th annual summer festival will be held in the beautiful Dundee neighborhood, featuring the 5k Dundee Dash, a pancake breakfast, free yoga, a Kids Zone, and a parade along Underwood Avenue. Shop for unique items at vendors, savor local food, spend time in the beer garden and enjoy live music at this street festival.

Dundee, North 50th Street and Underwood Avenue

 

BELLEVUE:

Hippie Fest – Saturday and Sunday, noon to 7 p.m.

Hippie Fest is a grassroots festival where free-spirited people from across the country gather to celebrate peace, love, and all things groovy. There will be live music, bohemian shopping, a vintage hippie car show, DIY tie-dye, a giant bubble garden, cirque performers, kids activities, drum circles, delicious food, a cocktail bar, beer, dancing and more. All ages welcome. Kids 10 and under are free.

Falconwood Park, 905 Allied Road

 

LINCOLN:

Railyard Rims – Friday evening and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Lincoln’s premier 3-on-3 street basketball tournament is back.  Friday evening is the Company Cup, with an emphasis on fun. Show your company pride.  Perfect for co-workers to come cheer.  21 and older, any gender makeup.  Saturday is the Competitive Cup, a round-robin format followed by double elimination.  18 and older, any gender makeup.

The Railyard, 350 Canopy St.

Feast on the Farm – Saturday, 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Enjoy a meal with locally sourced ingredients from area farmers prepared by Lincoln’s best chefs. Taste local drinks and dishes in the shade of Prairie Pines Farm’s arboretum while listening to live music. Then take a tour of the 5-acre training farm, which include the new Aspegren Family Food Forest and conversations with farmers. The event will also feature a silent auction and raffle to support the farm. Parking is available on-site.

Prairie Pines Farm, 3130 N. 112th St.

SummerFest – Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Enjoy live music, tasty food and art activities for the whole family. There will be a steamroller printing demonstration of the large relief blocks used in the Nine Nebraska Artists Murals. Community members are also welcome to bring their own wood blocks to print on paper or T-shirts.

Lux Center for the Arts, 2601 N. 48th St.

 

NEBRASKA CITY:

Growing Great Kids Adventure Race – Saturday, 9 a.m.

Have some family fun on an adventure course and help raise money for Growing Great Kids.  The family fun Mini Walk/Run Adventure features a nature trail, mud pit, redneck water slide and more.  This is a fundraiser for the Growing Great Kids program, which offers home visitation for expecting and new parents.  Register here for $10 per participant.

Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard, 5995 G Road

 

FALLS CITY:

Cobblestone Festival – All weekend

A long-standing Falls City tradition complete with amusement rides, a parade, a car show, a demolition derby, food and craft vendors and more. 

Downtown

 

NORFOLK:

Harvest & History Festival – Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Come catch a summer vibe at Elkhorn Valley Museum. Start your day at a hot dog feed, taste some Nebraska beer and listen to Nebraska bands. Sign up your team for the bucket pong tournament. Bring the kiddos down to play pioneer games and bounce on the mega bounce houses. Enjoy the skills of a hall of fame trick roper and check out antique tractors.

Elkhorn Valley Museum, 515 Queen Blvd.

 

BATTLE CREEK:

Summer City Fest – All weekend

This community celebration is supported by the City of Battle Creek, the BC Lion’s club, local businesses, vendors, individuals and community organizations.  New this year is a food truck rally and kickball tournament on Friday night and Saturday. There will be a magician on Friday night and a car show on Saturday.

Battle Creek City Park, 901 S. 4th St.

 

WAKEFIELD:

WakeFest – Saturday, 8 a.m. to midnight

WakeFest kicks off in the morning with a parade, followed by a street festival that includes vendors, a car show, a cornhole tournament and fantastic kids activities, and wrapping up in the evening with a BBQ cook-off and live bands that will keep you rocking all night long. It all takes place on Main Street in downtown Wakefield.

Main Street, Wakefield

 

ELMWOOD:

Ice Cream Social – Sunday, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Annual Ice Cream Social in support of the Elmwood G.A.R. Hall Veterans Museum.  The Fremont TriTones, singing a variety of music from the 1940s to 1960s in the close harmony style of the Andrews Sisters, will perform at 7 p.m.  The museum is open all evening.   Freewill donation.  All proceeds will benefit the museum.  Sponsored by American Legion Post 247.

Elmwood G.A.R. Hall Veterans Museum, 124 East D St.

 

MANLEY:

Pillage the Village – Saturday, all day

Join the village of Manley for its Pillage the Village event.  The day starts with a pancake feed at 7 a.m.  The rest of the day is packed full with plenty of events for all ages.  There’s something for everyone in the family.

Various locations, Manley

 

ASHLAND / GREENWOOD:

Greenwood Fun Day – Saturday, all day

Join Greenwood for a pancake feed, 5k run, waterslide, bounce houses, kid fun zone games, a dunk tank, body art, balloons, a jeep show and shine, food trucks, a kiddie tractor pull, a Dr. Oxygen show and more.

Various locations, Greenwood

Nebraska Star Party – Friday, 9 p.m.

Powerful telescopes will be set up at the park’s golf shack for a glimpse of night sky spectaculars.  The event is free to the public, but you will need a valid Nebraska park entry permit for your vehicle. Stargazing will begin at dusk. Remember to bring your camp chairs or blankets.

Mahoney State Park, 28500 West Park Highway, Ashland

 

GRAND ISLAND:

Craft Brew & Sausage Fest – Saturday, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Liederkranz Craft Brew and Sausage Fest is in its seventh year. It will raise funds to preserve, restore and enhance the historic Liederkranz, one of downtown Grand Island’s most prominent landmarks, by bringing together an offering of regional craft brews and meats.

Liederkranz, 403 W. 1st St. 

 

HASTINGS:

Kool-Aid Days – All weekend

Join in on the fun all weekend long. Show off your float in the downtown parade, become a food vendor at the main event or even sign up to run (or walk) the 5K Fun Run.

Adams County Fairgrounds, 947 S. Baltimore Ave.

Growing up Czech in Nebraska – Saturday, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

This presentation features various aspects of Czech-American culture and history, including arts and literature, folk songs and dance, folktales and lore and traditional costumes.

Hastings Public Library, 314 North Denver Ave.

 

KEARNEY:

Little Helper, Big Heart – Friday, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Learn together about helping others. Each child is encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item for local food banks. For ages 3 to 10. $10 for members; $20 for non-members.

Kearney Area Children’s Museum, 5827 4th Ave.

Soda Fountain Sundae – Sunday, 2:30 p.m.

Dan Holtz presents “Nebraska Through Song and Story.” Following the program, enjoy a root beer float. Presented with the support of Humanities Nebraska.

Kearney Archway, 3060 E. 1st St.

Pinnacle Bank presents “National Lampoon’s Vacation” – Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Sunday, 2 p.m.

The World Theatre and Pinnacle Bank bring you the opportunity to see the Griswold family on the big screen.  In this movie, Clark is taking his family on a quest to Walley World theme park for a vacation, but things don’t go exactly as planned.  Tickets are $5, and there are three showings throughout the weekend.

The World Theatre, 2314 Central Ave.

 

NORTH LOUP:

Popcorn Days 2022 – All weekend

Nebraska’s longest continuously running festival. This year, a carnival will take over Highway 11 from Friday to Sunday. We also welcome back many of the events you’ve come to expect at Popcorn Days: team penning and sorting, kids’ games, the men’s slow-pitch softball tournament, a fun run and walk, food from great local vendors, a street dance and much more. The theme of this year’s parade is “Who’s Your Superhero?”

Various locations, North Loup

 

COUNTY FAIRS:

Johnson 

Keya Paha