54 NEBRASKAland • APRIL 2016
I
t started as a simple event with community
members teaching kids about the outdoors.
Now, 10 years later, the Kearny Outdoor Expo
has grown to a three-day celebration connecting
thousands to the great outdoors. With the goal of
wanting to empower youth, the first two days of
this year's expo will educate over 2,500 fourth,
fifth and sixth grade students about fishing,
archery, kayaking, camping, outdoor cooking
and other activities, while also teaching about
Nebraska's fish and wildlife species. Steadily
expanding each year, now over 115 pre-registered
classrooms will travel as far as 200 miles for this
fun, interactive day at the park.
On Saturday, the public day has become the
headline event for more than 30,000 outdoor lovers
of all ages. Over the past nine years, the Expo
has expanded to more than 50 hands-on learning
activities and featured exhibitors. The event has
evolved into a memorable experience for the entire
family, as more than 300 volunteers make this
event possible.
We are excited to bring the community together
every May to revel in the wealth of outdoor
opportunities we have right here in Nebraska. ■
By Julia Plugge, Outdoor Education Specialist
A boy eats a s'more at the Fort Kearny
Outdoor Expo, one of the many "hands-
on" activities the event has to offer
participants of all ages.
PHOTO
BY
ERIC
FOWLER
Fort Kearny SRA
The Fort Kearny Outdoor Expo is located
at Fort Kearny near Minden, and will
become one of Nebraska's largest towns
on the weekend of the Expo, May 5-6.
An Expo for
the Outdoors
Celebrating 10 Years at Fort Kearny
