August-September 2025 • Nebraskaland 35
said. The gap year in 2020 broke 15
years of momentum, but the expo team
forged ahead in 2021 under the park's
new superintendent Scott Oligmueller,
and they were glad they did. Crowds
have returned, but at more manageable
sizes than the peak years when 20,000
people attended, lines were long and
patience was short.
"People are enjoying it again," Fields
said. "That's critical to keeping these
events going — making sure it's a
quality experience for the staff and the
volunteers, along with the public."
Behind the Scenes
In November 2024, Katie Leware
was named Ponca State Park's
superintendent, and the 2025 event
will be her fi fth expo. At the helm, she
and new expo coordinator, Jessica Rich,
are in the thick of meeting with expo
board members and sponsors, working
on contracts and making bids with
vendors. Leware feels the weight of the
20th anniversary on her shoulders.
"I guess what's daunting going
into 20 years is the expectation of
this event and what's going to be new
and diff erent," Leware said. "To be
honest with you, we've had almost full
turnover of permanent staff here at the
park in the last year and a half and so,
we've got a fairly new team, which is
really great because there are tons of
Kayaking on Ponca State Park's pond is one of the Missouri River Outdoor Expo's
most popular activities. ERIC FOWLER, NEBRASKALAND
