30 Nebraskaland • August-September 2025
By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
he Missouri River Outdoor
Expo at Ponca State Park
has served over half a million
visitors and provided countless
memories and outdoor recreation
"fi rsts." In 2025, visitors can expect
more than 90 vendors, activities and
demonstrations Sept. 20-21. And on
the school day preceding the public
event, upwards of 700 children from
approximately 35 schools will fi ll the
canyons with laughter. From fi shing
and shooting, kayaking and river boat
rides, to lumberjack demonstrations,
dog shows and the smells of funnel
cake, barbecue and kettle corn — the
atmosphere is like that of a fair for
outdoor lovers.
This annual outdoor event, in this
quiet corner of Nebraska, is the largest
of its kind in the Midwest. Nebraska
Game and Parks staff and volunteers,
and the town of 1,000 that pulls it off
each year, have much to look back on
this vicennial anniversary — and they
have a lot to be proud of.
Challenging Start
The expo is the brainchild of a
small team of staff and local citizens,
including Parks Division Administrator
Jeff Fields, who was then the
superintendent at Ponca State Park,
T
Busloads of children attend the Missouri River Outdoor Expo school day on the
Friday preceding the public event. ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND
Anniversary
Missouri River
th
20
Where
People and
Nature Meet
