News Release

Winter Festival of Prairie Cultures to feature new displays, engaging programs, and a holiday baking contest

Date: November 22, 2023
Contact: Amber Kirkendall, 402-223-3514

BEATRICE, Neb. – Go back in time this holiday season, November 24, thru December 31, at Homestead National Historical Park’s Education Center, to see a beautiful tapestry of winter traditions of those who lived on the Great Plains at the beginning of the Homestead Era. The Homestead Act of 1862 served as an invitation for immigrants to seek free 160-acre homesteads in the United States, resulting in the arrival of a variety of cultural and ethnic traditions to the United States. The Winter Festival of Prairie Cultures remembers this rich heritage and celebrates some of these cultural traditions.

The Winter Festival of Prairie Cultures will feature new exhibits including decorated trees and tabletop displays that reflect the spirit of hope, humor, traditions, and generosity which characterized winter celebrations on the Great Plains.

In addition to the displays, there will be special programs and activities presented on December 3, 10, and 17, 2023. These programs will be at the Education Center. They include:

Sunday, December 3, 2:00 p.m. – Holiday Music: Cortland Opry House Dulcimer Players The Cortland Opry House Dulcimer Players will play a variety of holiday songs on the dulcimer. A dulcimer is a fretted string instrument of the zither family, typically with three or four strings, which are stretched over a body that has no neck. With certain styles being relatively easy to learn to play, dulcimers became another outlet for music and entertainment on the homestead.

Sunday, December 10, 2:00 p.m. – Dr. Bruce Garver: Czech Americans in Nebraska The late 1800s saw the first mass migration of Czechs to Nebraska and other Great Plains states. This program will look at the motivations driving the immigration, and will explore the ways Czech Americans celebrate and remember their heritage.

Sunday, December 17, 2:00 p.m. – Paper Moon Pastries: Holiday Baking Traditions and Palmer-Epard Baking Competition Join Lindsey Oelling of Paper Moon Pastries as she shares holiday baking tips and traditions. The program will be followed by a fun baking competition where all are welcome to bring a food creation that is inspired by the Palmer-Epard cabin; this could be a gingerbread house, a cake, a cookie or food sculpture. Oelling will serve as head judge. The competition will be broken into four categories: Youth 7 and under, youth 8 to 16, people over 16 and businesses. The winners of the individual awards will receive $25 gift cards to Paper Moon Pastries courtesy of the Friends of Homestead and the business winner will get a trophy courtesy of the Friends of Homestead.

Admission to Homestead National Historical Park and all events is free. For information on available accommodations please contact Accessibility Coordinator, Amber Kirkendall at [phone] or [e-mail].

Homestead National Historical Park has an exciting schedule of events to finish out this year and planned for 2024. Keep up with the latest information by following us on Twitter (HomesteadNHP) and Facebook (Homestead National Historical Park).
 

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