APRIL

MAY

26-28
NEBRASKA RENAISSANCE FAIR & MEDIEVAL PAGEANT
Celebration of times past with 5 stages of entertainment, children's activities, authentic horseback jousting tournaments and more. 641-357-5177, http://www.nebfair.com.. Omaha

26
LOUISVILLE DAZ
Come celebrate Louisville's 150th Anni-versary with crafters, food, games, 2:00 parade and entertainment. Fireworks follow at dusk. http://www.louisvillenebraska.com. Louisville

31-JUNE 3
LAVISTA DAYS
A festival for all ages. Parade, craft fair, carnival, karaoke competition, eating contest, and many more events. 402-339- 2078, http://www.lavistachamber.org. LaVista

JUNE

1-2
SPRINGFIELD DAYS
Pancake feed, parade, craft show, BBQ, fi reworks, contests, and street dance. 402-707-7240. http://www.springfieldchamber.org. Springfield

2
DESOT0 FEST
All-day festival for the entire family. Carp fishing tournament, demonstrations, boat tours, children's games and other activities. 712-642-5401. Blair

2-3
NEBRASKA STATE CHILI COOKOFF
Cooking competition, public tastings, and live entertainment. 402-572-1479, http://www.chilicookoff.com. Omaha

2-4
SWEDISH FESTIVAL
An outstanding, award-winning ethnic festival. Dancers, concerts, arts and crafts, antique show, Swedish foods and more. 402-685-5215, http://www.ci.oakland.ne.us. Oakland

7-9
SWEDISH FESTIVAL
GATEWAY TO THE WEST DAYS Jazz in the Park, carnival, Taste of Blair, Blair Com-munity Band Concert, waterfi ght, parade, street dance and beer garden. http://www.blairchamber.org. Blair

8-9
NORTHEAST NEBRASKA ETHNIC FESTIVAL
Two days of music, dance, crafts and food from around the world. Children receive a passport and stamps from country booths while learning about the world. 402-649-3724. Norfolk

8-10
TASTE OF OMAHA
A festival of great foods and entertainment. 402- 346-8003, http://www.showofficeonline.com. Omaha

8-9
NORTHEAST NEBRASKA ETHNIC FESTIVAL
Two days of music, dance, crafts and food from around the world. Children receive a passport and stamps from country booths while learning about the world. 402-649-3724. Norfolk

8-9
14-17 PAPILLION DAYS
Celebration for everyone including live bands, BBQ contest, Papillion idol, dance, fi reworks, carnival, and parades. 402- 331-3917, http://www.papillionfoundation.org. Papillion

30
INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION
Pancake breakfast, baseball, music, ice cream social, fi reworks display, dance and more. 308-873-2061, http://www.nebraskacity.com. Nebraska City

30
BIG BANG BOOM
Inflatable midway, water fights, live music, food and northeast Nebraska's largest fireworks display choreographed to music simulcast on local radio stations. 402-371-7526, http://www.bigbangboom.org. . Norfolk

JULY

4
NEBRASKA'S OFFICIAL 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION
Award-winning family event featuring a grand parade, airshow, car show, food alley, live entertainment, craft show, fireworks and more. Seward

13-15
JOHN C.FREMONT DAYS
Celebration of the town's history with something for everyone including living history encampments, rodeo, and car show. 402-427-9428, http://www.johncfremontdays.com. Fremont

20-21
RIVERFEST
Good food, great music and amazing fi reworks in a great setting. 402-898-3000, http://www.bellevuenebraska.com. Bellevue

21
GERMAN FEST
Featuring a wide variety of activities ranging from a car show to softball and basketball tournaments. Music, food, and entertainment all day long. http://www.syracusene.com. Syracuse

21-22
GRETNA DAYS
Parade, tractor pull, dance, car show, and hog roast. 402-332-4808. Gretna

21-22
CAMP CREEK ANTIQUE MACHINERY AND THRESHING SHOW
Steam engines, trains and threshing machines come to life. Blacksmithing, flea market, crafts, pancake feed and demonstrations. 402-427-7417, http:// www.ccthreshers.org. Waverly

29
LAST HOT SUNDAY IN JULY
Festival featuring music, food, and a show-and-shine car and truck show. 402-234-3715, http://www.louisvillenebraska.com. Louisville

AUGUST

3-5
46TH ANNUAL WILBER CZECH FESTIVAL
This weekend event celebrates Czech history in Wilber. The streets of the entire business district take on a carnival atmo-sphere, with arts and crafts, food and drink, games, music, and other amusements. Czech musicians and dancers are featured in three daily parades. 888-494-5237, http://www.ci.wilber.ne.us.. Wilber

5
42ND ANNUAL NEIHARDT DAY CELEBRATION
Outdoor celebration of the life and work of Nebraska's Poet Laureate. Historical re-enactors, poetry, Native American arts, music and food. 402-648-3388, http://www.neihardtcenter.org . Bancroft

9-12
SEWARD COUNTY FAIR
Exhibits, entertainment, carnival and more. 402-641-6404, http://www.sewardcountyfair.org. Seward

24-SEPT. 3
NEBRASKA STATE FAIR
A showcase of Nebraska products, people and talents. 402- 473-4102, http://www.statefair.org. Lincoln

SEPTEMBER

8-9
25 TH ANNUAL OLD TRUSTY ANTIQUE ENGINE &COLLECTORS SHOW
Featuring steam and gas engines, antique cars and trucks, draft horses and farm equipment. Also, check out the trac-tor pulls and heritage craftsmen. 402-726-2487, http://www.oldtrusty.org. . Clay Center

15-16
39TH ANNUAL APPLEJACK FESTIVAL
Celebrate apple harvest with apple pie, cider and plenty of events including a parade, craft shows and more. 800-514- 9113, http://www.nebraskacity.com . Nebraska City.

15
OKTOBERFEST
Traditional Bavarian festival in honor of King Ludwig's wed-ding. Plenty of live entertainment, a keg opening, good food and good times. 402-333-8099, http://www.germanamericansociety.org. Omaha

Gov. Heineman Presents Gov. Heineman Presents 2006 Tourism Awards 2006 Tourism Awards

The Missouri River Valley Explorer would like to congratu-late the winners of the 2006 Nebraska Tourism awards.Gov-ernor Heineman presented the following awards: The Friend of Tourism AwardÑNebraska Czechs of Wilber. Since 1962, the Nebraska Czechs of Wilber has worked to boost the community's economy, develop tourism, maintain and support the area's Czech heritage and culture, and help host the annual Wilber Czech Days, which attracts thousands of people during the three-day celebration. Thanks in part to the group's efforts, Wilber Czech Days has gained national attention and recognition as one of the best Czech festivals in the U.S.

The Outstanding Event Award in a Community With a Population Less than 5,000Nebraska's Junk Jaunt. Dur-ing the last full weekend in September, 15- 20,000 people travel a 220-mile stretch of roadway in central Nebraska in search of fl ea market bargains and antiques. Encompassing 40 communities in 10 counties, the Junk Jaunt provides a welcome boost to the area's economy and helps shoppers discover hard-to-fi nd treasures.

The Outstanding Event Award in a Community With a Population of 5,000- 20,000Seward's Fourth of July Celebration. One of the largest Fourth of July celebrations to take place anywhere occurs in Seward, Nebraska's lovely town square and has done so since 1868. Every year, new events mesh with the old tried and true: horseshoe pitching, pie eating contest, carnival rides, antique car show, old-fashioned water fi ght between local fi re departments, and the list goes on and on. Visitors show their patrio-tism by having letters and cards stamped with a special "Seward... The 4th of July City" postal stamp.

The Outstanding Event Award in a Community With a Population Greater Than 20,000-Kool-Aid Days in Hastings, Neb. In 1927, young Edwin Perkins from Hendley, Ne-braska, created the fruit-fl avored powder that would became a bever-age phenomenon in households throughout the worldÑKool-Aid. The Perkins family move to Hastings provided them with their fi rst real Kool-Aid production facility and the rest is history. To say that Kool-Aid Days has successfully promoted the fun-loving beverage and fond memories of generations of consumers is an understate-ment. Attendance nearly tripled from 6,000 in 2004 to 16,000 in 2006. The event even earned a nomination on the American Bus Association's "Top 100 Events" list. This year's Days featured the "World's Largest Kool-Aid Stand," performer Richie Havens, and a new Kardboard Boat Race on Lake Hastings. "Kool-Aid Days Kol-lectibles," including T-shirts, towels and mugs sold out the fi rst day.

The Outstanding New EventShannon Trail's $500 Reward for Finding Private Shannon. Made up of 16 communities and two American Indian Tribes in northeast Nebraska, the Shannon Trail was named for private George Shannon, the youngest member of Lewis and Clark's Expedition. Shannon became separated from his crewmates for 16 days while the Expedition explored modern day northeast Nebraska along the Missouri River. Shannon Trail found-ers created a fun scavenger hunt that encourages visitors to visit the various communities and reservations in search of clues located on National Park Service interpretive wayside signs. Those who collect-ed stamps from 106 participating businesses and interpretive signs were eligible for a $500 "reward." More than 250 entries from fi ve states, including Oregon and California were received. A 10-year-old from Hartington, Nebraska, won the reward. Source: www.visitnebraska.org.