This year, North Platte celebrates its sixtieth year of NebraskaLand Days. Over 100,000 people from across the country travel to attend – listening to country icons, feasting on delicious family-owned food trucks, and riding carnival rides.
David Fudge, who has managed NebraskaLand Days for the last 20 years, will retire after this year’s celebration.
As a significantly less populated town, Fudge feels North Platte is a unique choice for the celebration.
“I think North Platte has this history and tradition of being really welcoming to visitors from outside,” he said. “People really do go out of their way to make people feel welcome here and have a good time while they’re in North Platte.”
I think North Platte has this history and tradition of being really welcoming to visitors from outside,” he said. “People really do go out of their way to make people feel welcome here and have a good time while they’re in North Platte. — David Fudge, former NebraskaLand Days Manager
As for this year’s music talent, Cody Johnson and Jason Aldean will be performing their new country anthems. Johnson, former professional bull-rider turned singer, was thrown under the spotlight in 2021 due to the release of his double album, “Human”.
This year, he secured his place as a promising up-and-comer in the country genre by winning the CMT Music Award for “Performance of the Year.”
Jason Aldean is not shy to fame either. He holds 27 No. 1 hits, and has the most Top 10 songs on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, more than anyone else. His newly released “Wolf Moon Straight Bourbon Whiskey, an 80-proof that’s marketed as “Passion in a Bottle” is sure to accompany a night of dancing and listening to his new album “Highway Desperado” which will be released Nov. 3.
In addition to the music, attendees can also look forward to the food.
“I like to try things you can’t get here in North Platte,” Fudge said. “We had a gentleman last year who did Greek food that I thought was really good. Our barbecue is always top notch, too. I don’t know if you can go wrong with any of that stuff.”
NebraskaLand Days serves as a major revenue stream for North Platte.
“The festival has about 21 and half, or $22 million dollar impact on the community over the course of that time, too,” Fudge said.
Through the years, Fudge has developed a personal connection with the festival. As a kid, he’d always enjoy going and hoped to be a part of it.
“I grew up in North Platte, went to North Platte High School and started volunteering with the festival when I was a kid,” he said. “When I got a chance to join the organization as a volunteer again on the board of directors back in the early 2000s, it was really kind of a privilege to be able to do that.”