UPDATE: The State Fair Board of Directors made a decision Tuesday during a special meeting, that there will be a youth showcase held during the State Fair dates this year. Other fair activities are being canceled, with board members keeping open the possibility of adding other events as fair dates approach. Any still remaining scheduled concerts are among the events canceled.
Husker Harvest Days near Grand Island has announced on that the 2020 event will be cancelled. Organizers are planning a virtual Husker Harvest Days event online.
TODAY The Grand Island Library is reopening with some restrictions in place.
TODAY: Nebraska High school sports programs can practice without restrictions. What teams did last summer is legal according to NSAA Executive Director Jay Bellar. NSAA schools may sponsor camps and clinics, conduct a conditioning program, have open gym and have teams participate in summer leagues from July 1 through July 31.
The Grand Island Parks and Recreation Department has made an update on facilities reopening in the community.
The following facilities will be open TODAY July 1:
- Outdoor park basketball courts
- Skate Park in Pier Park
- Futsal Court in Lions Club Park
- Gaga Ball Court in George Park
Lincoln Park Swimming Pool opens TODAY July 1:
Park Facilities and Programs Closed or Cancelled for the Summer:
- Island Oasis Water Park
- Stolley Train
- Summer Concert Series
- Wading Pools – Pier, Lincoln, Stolley, and Grace Abbott Parks
- Swimming Lessons, Children’s Park Camps, and Children’s Theater
Kearney Cinema 8 has reopened after being closed for more than three months due to the pandemic. For movie listings go to www.kearneycinema.com
NEBRASKA GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE GOOD LIFE:
The Hastings Museum is open NOW exclusively for members. The museum will open to the general public on July 14.
The Kearney Area Children’s Museum is carrying on with their summer camps. The museum has made some adjustments to their camps due to the coronavirus but they are still trying to fit in 42 days of summer camps before the middle of August and they are about halfway already. Winscot said this is an opportunity for the kids to express their creative side while seeing old friends and making new ones because interaction is important during this time.
Tom Dinsdale Automotive Nebraska Greats Golf Classic presented by 1st State Bank at Riverside Country Club, Grand Island is on July 24. The Nebraska Greats Foundation provides emergency medical and financial assistance to any former athletics letter winner from ANY of the 16 4-year schools in the state. These are former sports heroes from Nebraska to Chadron State who need emergency medical attention and can’t afford it. Please sign up a foursome (space is limited) to play. The donation is $325 per person which includes golf, cart, lunch, prizes, awards, dinner, special gifts at Riverside and a chance to play with a celebrity. Among the celebrities committed are former Huskers Eric Crouch, Johnny Rodgers, Mike Rozier, Johnny Dorn, Jared Crick, Brendan Stai and Jay Moore.For non golfers, there is a limited amount of space available (to comply with social distancing) for the evening DINNER event which includes a celebration of all 16 member schools, unique auction items and a Q/A with each of the celebrity former athletes. Sign up at www.negreats.org.
UNK’s combined 2020 Spring and Summer Commencement will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 31. To support COVID-19 directed health response, it is being planned as an outdoor event on Foster Field at Cope Stadium. The event will begin at 10 a.m. In support of current safety protocol and to meet facility capacity requirements, in-person attendance will be limited to no more than three invited guests per graduate.
Drive-in movies in Kearney will continue at sundown when The World Theatre will team up with the Buffalo County Fairgrounds. The World plans to book family-oriented films and old drive-in favorites, such as “Goonies,” “E.T.” and “Grease.” The World will sell advance tickets, the cost which has not been determined, for $20 or $25 per car. Gates will open at 8 p.m. and the movie will begin at sundown. Films will be shown Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights through the summer.
Enjoy an outdoor adventure with family or friends. and engage in healthy recreation — and possibly win prizes. The Great Park Pursuit is a free program encouraging participants to visit up to 20 official sites across the state, consisting of community, regional, state and federal parks. Participants register a team of up to 10 people online and then follow clues from the website or Great Park Pursuit mobile app to find a program post located somewhere within a park area. Once they find the post, the team can use the mobile app to mark their visit, or make a pencil impression of the post to prove they were there. A number of prizes are up for grabs, including Nebraska state park entry permits for 2021, an iPad and the grand prize, an outdoor recreation package valued at $1,500. Prizes and entry into drawings are based on the number of post impressions that teams collect, or the number of park visits they mark on the mobile app. For more information and to register, visit negpp.org. The Great Park Pursuit app is available at the Apple iStore and on Google Play for Android.
The Nebraska Passport for 2020 program is underway. Travelers will have through October 31 to visit attractions and receive stamps, according to Nebraska Tourism. Due to COVID-19 some stops have had to adjust their business hours so check for updates before beginning your travels. Passports are available at participating stops or can be ordered at NebraskaPassport.com.
The Archway in Kearney has will reopened to visitors. The hours will be 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sundays. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the opening of The Archway.
The Sumner 4th of July Celebration is still on with revisions due to COVID-19. The whole celebration will kick off on Saturday, June 27th with the traditional Co-Ed Sand Volleyball Tournament and the 2nd Annual Cornhole Tournament. On Sunday the 28th, we will have the Commercial Club Dinner (Picnic), Toad & Turtle Race and Ice Cream Social with the Sumner EMT’s. Cool off with the SEM Cross Country team during the Splash Run 5k and 1 mile at 5 pm on the 28th. An evening cruise night on the 4th (starts at 6 pm) we hope you will come cruise and stick around for the Fireworks! There are two performances of the Rodeo on the 3rd at 7:30 pm and on the 4th at 1:30 pm. The afternoon of the 4th starting at 3 pm there will be Bingo at the Community Hall and Live Entertainment in Sumner Park. And FOOD TRUCKS – BBQ and FUNNEL CAKES The celebration will wrap up with the Fireworks at the Sumner Ball Field at dusk. There will be concessions from Kappel Electric 8-9:30. Visit their Facebook for more.
Keep yourself safe in these times, show your Husker spirit, AND help Nebraska Food Banks. Husker Face Masks are on sale right now at the shop at NRG sister property huskermax.com. The masks are handmade, available in four styles! GO HERE: http://www.shophuskermax.com/houndsmax-huskers-ma