Summer Fun Breaking Out All Over; VBS To Start

Good morning! Here are upcoming events bringing us through the middle of June, already!

Swimming lessons are starting up now and soon all over the area and so are sessions of VBS.

The Harrisburg Community Church will hold VBS beginning the 24th of this month. Several posters are planted around town and invitations are being sent out to those who were involved in Kids Club but everyone is welcome!

Today, Thursday, June 13th, the group from Omaha, the Frontier Strings, will be performing a free concert in Centennial Park in Scottsbluff. This will begin at 10 a.m. and is open to the public and for all ages.

In Gering at 11 a.m. the 2024 Panhandle Classic 18 U wood bat baseball tournament will be held at 800 13th street. At noon and until 6 p.m., the Scottsbluff Stand Down will take place at 1601 E 27, hosted by WNCC. Service information on VA benefits, housing referrals, employment, clothing, and legal assistance will be available. Lunch will also be on site, and if interested you need to bring a copy of your DD 214, dependent information, and your ID. More information is available at 605-206-0046, or 605-890-3406.

As part of the children’s summer series the Midwest Theater will show “Robin Hood” at 1:30 p.m. and at 6 p.m.

It is Christian Skate Night at the Zwetzig Skate & Bounce House. In my day they didn’t have bounce houses ... they had bounce on the bed and hope you didn’t get caught, but we had a really great skating rink in Kimball that we went to about every weekend.

Bands on Broadway will also begin 6 that evening at the 18th Street Plaza in Scottsbluff, and through the 30th the Western Nebraska Arts Center will have works by Ginny Butcher and Karen Henneck on display. These two ladies are from Wyoming and their show is titled “Captivated by the Landscape.”

If you have any flags that you need to retire, on the 13th bring them to the Sallows Military Museum in Alliance and there will be a Flag Retirement the following morning (on Flag Day) at 9 a.m. More information is available by calling 308-762-2384.

Also on the 14th at 1:30 p.m., the Midwest Theater will play “Fall Guy.” That evening is also Late Night on Broadway, with several businesses staying open later than usual, and “Fall Guy” will play again at 7 p.m. This movie also will play on the 15th & 16th at 7 p.m.

More movies on the 14th, but this one is as close to the drive-in as we get nowadays. At 7:30 p.m. at Frank Park, 2804 2nd Avenue, in Scottsbluff, they will play “The Wizard of Oz.” That movie came on once a year when I was a kid and those flying monkeys never bothered me – until I was a young teen, and then they gave me nightmares, and I was over it.

On Saturday, June 15th, at the fairgrounds in Mitchell, the 2024 Festival of Hope will begin with a 5K run/walk at 7 a.m., with breakfast by the Knights of Columbus also at 7 a.m. There will also be music, an auction, and the release of the wall of hope butterflies.

Also at 7 a.m. that morning there will be a Pancake Feed at the Five Rocks Amphitheater at 7 a.m. followed by the High Plains Auto Club Rock n Roll Father’s Day Classic Car Show from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Participants need to register on the 14th at 2 p.m. and more information on that is available by calling 308-672-6650, or 308-641-4849. There will also be an award banquet that evening.

Across the border, the folks in Chugwater will be having their 38th annual Chili Cook-Off and Roundup. Besides the chili they will have samples of salsa, live music, and bronc riding. This will all begin at 9 a.m. in the Staats Park. Up in Alliance from 1-10 p.m. at Laing Lake & Park, 200 Bumham Drive, the Berean Church will host the “Sandhills Awaken” music festival. Artists featured are Aaron Shust and from American Idol, Megan Danielle, plus local artists, food and kid’s activities! Sounds very similar to what happens in Rapid City!

Back in Scottsbluff, at the Midwest at 1:30 p.m. the monthly classic movie will be “Godzilla,” celebrating the 70th year of that one.

Ending out the week, on the 19th, the NPNRD, hosted by the Greener Garden’s Green House, will hold a session titled “IPM Basics.” This will begin at 9 a.m. at the NPNRD in Scottsbluff. If you are like me you have no clue as to what IPM stands for, looked it up to save you time; it is Integrated Pest Management.

That evening, the 19th, the Wild Cat Hills Nature Center will host “Man’s Night Out” beginning at 5 p.m. with burgers, pellet guns, archery and more.

Well, that’s all for now. Have a great week and enjoy this weather. Take care until next time. Barb Cross at 436-7152.