Saturday, March 1
Rodeo Grand Island, 7:30 p.m., Heartland Events; doors open an hour before the show). Top PRCA contestants will compete in all seven rodeo events: bareback, tie down, saddle bronc, steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing and bull riding. Tickets run from $28 to $48 (plus fees); ticketmaster.com
Weekend of Wheels, presented by Knucklehead Garage, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Pinnacle Bank Expo Center, Fonner Park. Event will feature everything from classic cars, muscle cars and race cars to street rods, trucks and more. Admission is $12; children 11 and younger admitted free when accompanied by an adult; www.weekendofwheelsgi.com
Mountain Oyster Feed, 30th annual, hosted by Sons of the American Legion #$53, 5 to 8 p.m., United Veterans Club, 1914 W. Capital. Menu includes mountain oysters, ham, baked beans, coleslaw; $25 for adults, $10 for children 6-12, children 5 and younger eat for free. Karaoke will follow; 308- 381-1555.
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Good Life Rescue Chili Cookoff, 6 p.m., Wine, Beer & Spirits, 1111 Allen Drive. Prizes awarded; thegoodliferescue.com/
Waterfowl Migration Hike, 7 to 9 a.m., Bader Park, 898 Bader Park Road, Chapman. Join us for an early bird hike at Bader Park! Late February into early March is the perfect time to get out and experience migrating waterfowl along the Platte; meet at the office near the park entrance. Warm beverages available after the hike; free; 308-986-2522 or baderpark73@yahoo.com
Lumpen Ball, rag-tag ball celebrating “Mardi Gras German style,” featuring Angie Kriz and the Polkatoons, 7 to 11 p.m., the Liederkranz, 401 W. First St. Forget the fancy clothes; raggedy clothes are “required.” Admission is $5 for members and $10 for non-members; 308-382-9337 or giliederkranz.org.
“This Random World,” presented by the Hastings College Theater, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Scott Studio Theater, Hastings College. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for seniors and non-Hastings College students; reserve by emailing tickets@hastings.edu.
“Godspell,“ a musical by Stephen Schwartz presented by Kearney Community Theatre, 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Kearney Community Theatre, 83 Plaza Blvd., Kearney. (continues March 6-9). Tickets are $13; 308-234-1529 or KearneyCommunityTheatre.com
“Sips & Dips,” celebrating the opening of “Cranes and Other Cool Birds,” 4 to 7 p.m., Wildflower Gallery, 108-110 W. Ninth St., Wood River. Along with refreshments artist and owner Carol Hines will have pottery, paintings, jewelry, purses and much more art that reflects the cranes and other treasures of central Nebraska. The exhibit will remain on display through April. Gallery hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; 308-440-1008.
Merrick County drive-thru food bank, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. (or until food is gone), Central City Municipal Airport, 1346 Ormsby Road, Central City. Perishable and nonperishable food provided by Food Bank for the Heartland in Omaha will be available. Drivers should stay in their vehicles and volunteers will put the food in the trunk or backseat; 308-946-2853.
Sunday, March 2
Pancake feed, sponsored by Wood River Fire and Rescue, 8 a.m. to noon, Wood River Fire Station, 610 W. Green St., Wood River. Menu includes pancakes, sausage and drinks; freewill donations will be used to update PPE for firefighters; www.woodriverfire.com
Soup and pie supper, hosted by First Presbyterian Youth, 5 to 7 p.m., 2103 W. Anna. Menu includes chicken noodle soup, lasagna soup and Zuppa Tuscana, plus a variety of pies; freewill donations will support youth trips and retreats.
Knights of Columbus free throw contest, for boys and girls ages 9 to 14, Central Catholic gym, 1200 N. Ruby. Registration begins at 1 p.m.; proof of age required; free. Steve Martin, 308-380-9472 or stephenmichalmartin@gmail.com
University of Nebraska at Kearney Choirs Concert, 3 p.m., St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 2304 Second Ave., Kearney. Free; 308-865-8618; box office: 308-865-8417; UNK.edu.
Bingo, 2 p.m., United Veterans Club, 1914 W. Capital, Grand Island. Doors open at 1; open to the public; 308-381-1555.
Bingo, hosted by Knights of Columbus, Council No. 1159, 7:30 p.m., St. Mary’s Cathedral Square, 112 S. Cedar.
Tuesday, March 4
Scout Troop 114 pancake feed, 4:30 to 7 p.m., First-Faith Methodist Church, 4190 W. Capital Ave. All-you-can-eat pancake tickets (dine-in only) are $8 for adults, $15 for two and $20 for a family. “To-go” boxes, including four pancakes and three sausage links are $8 each or two for $15.
Wednesday, March 5
Ash Wednesday
“Boom” presented by the University of Nebraska at Kearney, 7:30 p.m. through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, Miriam Drake Theatre, UNK Fine Arts Building. General admission is $15 for adults and UNK faculty and staff; $10 for seniors 55 and older and non-UNK students; $5 for youth 5-12; $3 for UNK students with ID; and $9 per person for groups of 10 or more. Box office: 308-865-8417; boxoffice@unk.edu
“A Perk and a Prayer,” 7-9 a.m., free drive-thru coffee, First-Faith United Methodist Church parking lot, 4190 W. Capital Ave., Grand Island (weather permitting); 308-384-5620.
Bingo, 1 p.m., Grand Generation Center, 304 E. Third St., Grand Island; 308-385-5308.
Thursday, March 6
Pitch Party for Seniors, 2-3:30 p.m., The Heritage at Sagewood, 1920 Sagewood Ave., Grand Island. Parties usually offered the first Thursday of the month; Erica Long, 308-398-8005.
Happy Landing, an American folk band from Oxford, Mississippi, 7:30 p.m., the Listening Room at the Lark, 809 W. Second St., Hastings. General admission tickets are $35 (plus fees); 402-469-5446 or thelarkdowntown.com
“Godspell,“ a musical by Stephen Schwartz presented by Kearney Community Theatre, 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Kearney Community Theatre, 83 Plaza Blvd., Kearney. Tickets are $13; 308-234-1529 or KearneyCommunityTheatre.com
Tabitha’s Closet, free clothing giveaway, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Stolley Park Church of Christ, 2822 W. Stolley Park Road, Grand Island. Clothing donations accepted; no housewares; 308-384-2613.
Coloring with Friends, 2 p.m., the Chocolate Bar, 116 W. Third St., Grand Island. Adult coloring get-together led by Trinity United Methodist Church most Thursday afternoons; 308-382-1952.
Bingo, 7 p.m., United Veterans Club, 1914 W. Capital, Grand Island. Doors open at 6; open to the public; 308-381-1555.
Friday, March 7
Knights of Columbus Lenten fish fry, 5 to 7:30 p.m., St. Michael’s Catholic Church parish hall, 2004 24th St., Central City. Menu will include fried and baked fish, sides, dessert and beverage; $15 per person, $8 for children 4-11; children 3 and younger eat for free; eat in, drive thru (south side of parish hall) or carry-out available. Event will continue every Friday through April 11; 308-946-2214.
“A Tour of the Planets,” 7 and 8 p.m., presented as part of the UNK Planetarium “Astro Friday” series, Bruner Hall of Science, 2401 11th Ave., Kearney. Show features a topical science talk combined with a projector that simulates views of the sky including stars, planets, constellations and deep-sky objects. Admission is free, but tickets must be reserved in advance at https://unk-planetarium.ticketleap.com/. (Walk-ins accepted if open seats remain five minutes before showtime.); Adam Jensen, 308-865-8878 or jensenag@unk.edu.
Saturday, March 8
Conductors Table pancake feed, hosted by the Tri-City Model Railroad Association, 7 a.m. to noon, Burlington Station, Sixth and Plum streets. All you can eat; $7 for adults, $4 for kids 11 and younger. Model trains in the station freight house will be open for viewing during this event.
Greater Things Craft Fair, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Destiny Church, 4306 W. Highway 30. Event includes art and jewelry, seasonal craft items, food vendors and more. Kids activities from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Hiro Panda meet and greet, noon to 1 p.m.; no admission charge; Hollysj,212@gmail.com of DestinyChurchGI.com/events
“Journey to Freedom: Uncovering the Grayson Sisters Escape from Nebraska Territory” by Gail Shaffer Blankenau, a Bygone Book Club discussion led by: Michelle Setlik, 11:30 a.m., Grand Island Public Library, 1124 W. Second St. In 1858 two enslaved Black women escaped in southeastern Nebraska. John Williamson, a man of African American and Cherokee descent from Iowa, guided them through the dark to the Missouri River, where they boarded a skiff and crossed the icy waters, heading for their first stop on the Underground Railroad at Civil Bend, Iowa. The Bygone Book Club is a partnership between the library and the Hall County Historical Society; free; 308-385-5333.
Red Cross Chili Cook-Off, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Pinnacle Bank Expo Center, Fonner Park. Event also includes a craft fair and silent auction. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children 4-12; children 3 and younger admitted free. All proceeds from the event will benefit the American Red Cross of Central and Western Nebraska.
“Cranes, Conservation and Communities,” presented Dr. Adalbert Aine-Omucunguzi, East Africa Regional Director for the International Crane Foundation & Endangered Wildlife Trust Partnership, noon; and “Raptors,” with Deb Miller, certified Nebraska Master Naturalist and volunteer for Raptor Recovery, 2 p.m., Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center, 9325 S. Alda Road (just south of the I-80 interchange at Alda). Presented as part of the center’s Speaker Series; no admission charge; 308-382-1820 or www.cranetrust.org
Military Relics & Weapons Show, presented by Nebraska Militaria Collectors, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to noon Sunday, Adams County Fairgrounds, 947 S. Baltimore Ave., Hastings. Admission is $5; free to children 12 and younger; 402-366-4243.
Soups for Strays, to benefit the Good Life Rescue, 6 to 8 p.m. Eagles Club, 17 W. 24th St., Kearney Four kinds of soup will be available for a freewill donation. Bread and dessert will also be on the menu. Event also includes raffles and a silent auction; thegoodliferescue@gmail.com or check online at thegoodliferescue.com.
Japanese Festival, 24th annual event hosted by the Japanese Association at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Nebraskan Student Union Ponderosa Room, 1013 W. 27th St., Kearney. Festival includes food, entertainment, demonstration and other activities; free.
“Chamber Music at the Lark,” presented by the Hastings Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday, the Lark, 809 W. Second St., Hastings. Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors 60 and older; students admitted free; available at the door or online at www.hastingssymphony.com
Drive-thru mobile food pantry, sponsored by the Loaves & Fishes ministry of Trinity United Methodist Church, 9:30 a.m., College Park, 3180 Highway 34, Grand Island; do not arrive before 7:30 a.m. (best time is between 9 and 11 a.m.); enter on Tech Drive. No income or ID requirements, but some information will be requested (number in household, ages, etc.). Boxes are from Food Bank for the Heartland in Omaha, an equal opportunity provider; FoodBankHeartand.org; Trinity UMC, 308-382-1952.
Sunday, March 9
Daylight Saving Time begins
“Raptors,” with Deb Miller, certified Nebraska Master Naturalist and volunteer for Raptor Recovery, 2 p.m., Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center, 9325 S. Alda Road (just south of the I-80 interchange at Alda). Presented as part of the center’s Speaker Series; no admission charge; 308-382-1820 or www.cranetrust.org
“Educate, Enlighten, Encourage, Advance: Grand Island’s AAUW Chapter History,” a Hall County Historical Society “Voices of the Past” program presented by Sue Clement and Michelle Setlik, 2 p.m. Burlington Station, Sixth and Plum streets. In 1924, the Grand Island branch of the American Association of University Women was formed. Clement and Setlik will share their research of the AAUW record books entrusted to the HCHS by former board member, AAUW officer and political trailblazer, Irene Abernethy. Admission for non-members if $5; 308-380-4480.
Paddywhack, an “energetic group” who wants to “bring out the Irish in us all,” 2:30 p.m., Wood River High School Performing Arts Center, Wood River. No admission charge, but freewill donations are always welcome; Vince Boudreau, 308-379-7612.
Knights of Columbus annual spaghetti feed, 4:30 to 7 p.m., St. Mary’s Parish Hall, 1420 Ninth St., Aurora. Menu includes spaghetti and meatballs, side salad, garlic bread and ice cream; $10 for teens and adults, $6 for kids, family pass $35. Dine in or carry out; proceeds will benefit the group’s scholarship fund.
UNK Choirs Concert, 3 p.m., University of Nebraska at Kearney Fine Arts Recital Hall, 2506 12th Ave., Kearney. Free; 308-865-8618; box office: 308-865-8417; UNK.edu.
Bingo, 2 p.m., United Veterans Club, 1914 W. Capital, Grand Island. Doors open at 1; open to the public; 308-381-1555.
On Display
“Weathering the Storm: The Weather Events that Shaped Central Nebraska,” March 8 through May 25, Stuhr Museum. Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Admission for nonmembers is $14 for adults, $13 for seniors and $12 for children 6-12; 308-385-5316 or www.stuhrmuseum.org
Artwork by Dorothy Lambert, through March 7, Grand Island Public Library, 1124 W. Second St. Library hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday; 308-385-5333 or www.gilibrary.org
“California Clay,” featuring more than 25 works by contemporary ceramic masters, including pieces by Peter Voulkos, Jun Kaneko, Viola Frey, Akio Takamori and Robert Arneson, through March 28, Jackson Dinsdale Art Center, 700 E. 12th St., Hastings. Gallery hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 3 p.m. Sunday; no admission charge.
“Nebraska Framed,” featuring photographs by John Prince, Minden native and current North Carolina resident, through April 30, Minden Opera House Gallery, 322 E. Fifth St., Minden. Gallery hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 308-832-0588 or info@mindenoperahouse.com
