13 Unique Fall Festivals In Nebraska You Won't Find Anywhere Else
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Delana Lefevers
Author
In Nebraska, fall means several things. First and foremost is harvest time – and second comes party time. We love a good celebration and we hardly need a reason for one, but these festivals all celebrate the changing of the season and the last warm days of summer.
This is not in any way meant to be a complete list. It’s just a little sample of the festivals that are happening in the coming days and weeks. For a more complete list, take a look at the one compiled by Midwest Messenger.
This is definitely one of Nebraska's top fall festivals, and once you experience it you'll understand why it draws crowds of 60,000 to 80,000 people every year. This year's festival is September 16th-18th and will feature every type of apple food you can imagine (and some you would never think of), craft fairs, a classic car show, street dancing, live music, an awesome three-day carnival...and much, much more. Find out more here.
This little town goes all out for their fall festival. There are sports, tons of food, music, dancing, games, a parade...and did we mention the food? Get your raffle tickets for a chance to win the grand prize of $500. The festival runs from September 16th-18th. Find out more here.
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That's quite a mouthful, isn't it? The two events are being held on September 17th, and both will offer a look back into life long ago in Nebraska. There is, of course, the hand corn husking championship, but you'll also be able to enjoy a parade, a kiddie pedal pull, food and drinks, antique farm implements, and the Husker game on a big screen. Find out more here.
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What's that you say? You live for those salty, crispy little strips of heaven? Lucky for you, BaconFest is taking place Sunday September 18, from 1 to 5 pm, and you can sample all kinds of bacon goodies while playing games and enjoying other festivities. BaconFest is at the Kroc Center, 2825 Y Street, Omaha, NE 68107. Find out more here.
Head to the CenturyLink Center September 22-25 for a country livestock show and rodeo in the big city. A heritage festival is being held in conjunction with the stock show and rodeo on the 23rd and 24th, so even if you aren't into checking out the animals, you can enjoy kids' activities, a beer garden, music, dancing, and great food. Find out more here.
In Nebraska's early days, settlers, trappers, and other various folks used to gather in the Ogallala area at the end of summer to celebrate the bounty of the season before the weather began to turn cold. More than 30 years ago, Ogallala residents revived the tradition and now folks come together to celebrate their heritage with music, food, games, and so much more. This year's gathering is September 22nd-24th. Find out more here.
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For junkers, collectors, and lovers of all things vintage, the Junk Jaunt is a dream come true. Find all kinds of deals September 23rd-25th along a 300-mile route with more than 500 vendors. Can you get to them all in three days? Probably not...but you can have fun trying. Find out more here.
Going strong for more than 40 years now, McCook Heritage Days is a celebration of the past, present, and future of McCook. Family entertainment and activities, a craft fair, a 5k run/walk, and lots of food will all make the weekend fun. But the real star of the show, of course, is the parade on Saturday. This year's Heritage Days Festival is September 23rd-25th. Find out more here.
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If you've never been to the huge flea market in tiny Brownville, you don't know what you're missing. The entire town is turned into one huge treasure-hunter's paradise with more than 300 vendors. That's twice the size of the town's population, by the way. The fall flea market will be held on September 24th and 25th. Find out more here.
The Cheyenne County Fairgrounds plays host to this fun three-day event. Live music and dancing, a car show, wiener dog races, a beer garden, ethnic food, and a parade will keep you entertained all weekend. The event goes from September 30th to October 2nd. Find out more here.
This month-long festival celebrates the best season of the year and everyone's favorite orange gourd. Get ready to pet the farm animals, ride on the hay wagon, pick your own pumpkins, enjoy some tasty treats, and play until you drop. The festival takes place Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from October 1st to October 30th, 10am to 6pm each day. Find out more here.
For one epic day, gather up the family and take them out to this fun-filled festival in Hemingford. This year's festival is on Saturday, October 15th; you can look forward to crafts, games, train rides for the kids, a scarecrow competition, and lots more. Find out more here.
This sweet little town reaches for the sky once a year with this fun three-day festival. There are four balloon launches over the weekend along with a street faire, a car show, a parade, and lots of other festivities. The celebration is October 14th-16th. Find out more here.
There are so many fantastic fall festivals all throughout the state. If you don’t see your favorite here, don’t worry – just add it in the comments to let other readers know about it!
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