NEBRASKAland DAYS in Lincoln and North Platte

June brings with it the annual NEBRASKAland DAYS festival in North Platte. These days, the events span ten days, including a parade, musical performances, meals, and the Buffalo Bill Rodeo. In addition to looking towards this year’s festivities, here is a look back at the NEBRASKAland DAYS of the past.

History Nebraska’s NEBRASKAland DAYS collection contains recordings from the first festival in 1965 to 1987. The festival initially occurred in Lincoln and moved to North Platte in 1968. Much of the footage is of the parades, which include floats promoting Nebraska cities and towns, bands, pageant winners, cultural groups, and more. There are also many floats focusing on the history of Nebraska, such as the Oregon Trail and homesteading, some of which depict Native Americans in insensitive ways.

In the broadcast from the 1966 parade, a car with actor Charlton Heston stops in front of a stage positioned along the route. First Lady Lady Bird Johnson steps up to the microphone onstage. She gives a short speech about her enjoyment of the parade before introducing Heston. He then accepts the 1966 Buffalo Bill Award, given to a film or television star who created important Western media. Take a look at the clip from this broadcast below.

Another important part of the festivities is the Buffalo Bill Rodeo. Though the rodeo was not initially connected with NEBRASKAland DAYS, the two events merged after the festival moved to North Platte. One of the films in this collection shows the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in 1959 before the first NEBRASKAland DAYS took place. Take a look at some rodeo footage from 1959 below.

Explore the NEBRASKAland DAYS collection here to see even more footage from NEBRASKAland DAYS and the Buffalo Bill Rodeo. Beyond the parade and rodeo, other events recorded include the Miss NEBRASKAland DAYS pageant, dances, performances, picnics, and church services.

Become a Member!

Our members make history happen.

Join Now

You May Also Enjoy

Check Your Bags? Scenes from the Ogallala Depot

Check Your Bags? Scenes from the Ogallala Depot

Nebraska History Spotlight: the Pennsylvania Colony Historical Society of Nebrsaka

Nebraska History Spotlight: the Pennsylvania Colony Historical Society of Nebrsaka

Philander DeForest Thompson: A Legacy at Neligh Mill

Philander DeForest Thompson: A Legacy at Neligh Mill

About NSHS

The Nebraska State Historical Society was founded in 1878 by citizens who recognized Nebraska was going through great changes and they sought to record the stories of both indigenous and immigrant peoples. It was designated a state institution and began receiving funds from the legislature in 1883. Legislation in 1994 changed NSHS from a state institution to a state agency. The division is headed by Interim Director Cindy Drake. They are assisted by an administrative staff responsible for financial and personnel functions, museum store services, security, and facilities maintenance for NSHS.

Explore Nebraska

Discover the real places and people of our past at these NSHS sites.

Upcoming Events

View our new and upcoming events to see how you can get involved.

Become a Member

The work we do to discover, preserve, and share Nebraska's history wouldn't be possible without the support of NSHS members.

NSHS Education

Learn more about the educational programs provided at our museums, sites, and online.

Education Digital Learning Resources

Find games, lists, and more to enhance your history education curriculum.

Latest Hall of Fame Inductee

The Nebraska Hall of Fame was established in 1961 to officially recognize prominent Nebraskans.

Listen to our Podcast

Listen to the articles and authors published in the Nebraska History Magazine with our new Nebraska History Podcast!

Nebraska Collections

NSHS's mission is to collect, preserve, and open our shared history to all Nebraskans.

Our YouTube Video Collection

Get a closer look at Nebraska's history through your own eyes, with our extensive video collections.

Additional Research Resources

NSHS's Research and Reference Services help connect you to the material we collect and preserve.

NSHS Services

Digital Resources

Find all of our digital resources, files, videos, and more, all in one easy-to-search page!

Support The Historical Society

Make a cash donation to help us acquire, preserve, and interpret Nebraska’s history. Gifts to the Nebraska State Historical Society help leave a legacy and may help your taxes, too! Support the work of NSHS.

Volunteers are the heroes of NSHS. So much history, so little time! Your work helps us share access to Nebraska’s stories at our museums and sites, the reference room, and online.