120 Nebraskaland • April 2021
In 2021, Ponca State Park will celebrate
its 16th Missouri River Expo. The annual
event features more than 90 hands-on,
free activities and demonstrations, made
possible by generous sponsors, educational
exhibitors and hundreds of local volunteers
from the Ponca community and beyond.
Staple attractions include kayaking and
fi shing at the pond; shotgun, archery, .22
and muzzleloader shooting at the Eric
Wiebe Memorial Shooting Complex; rock
climbing; a ropes obstacle course and
more. Demonstrations in trick shooting,
outdoor survival, dog shows, a heritage
encampment, outdoor cooking and the
Axe Women Loggers of Maine also have
dazzled visitors of all ages. The Kid's Cook-
Off Competition and Bob's Burger Eating
Contest draw crowds every year.
Missouri River Outdoor Expo attendance
reaches an average 52,000 people per year,
with more than 26 schools that participate
in the Expo's School Day event, reserved for
fi fth-grade students only.
The Missouri River
Expo
A dog jumps into a pool during a Dock Dogs competition,
a popular attraction at Ponca State Park's Missouri River
Outdoor Expo.
JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND
A monarch butterfl y tagging workshop during
the Expo's School Day, open to fi fth-grade
students only.
JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND
