Annual Chalk Art Festival

April 30, 2025

Get ready to immerse yourself in a world of vibrant color and creativity! The 8th Annual Chalk Art Festival invites local artists to transform the sidewalks around Turner Park into breathtaking chalk masterpieces.

This FREE family-friendly event features:

Live chalk art created throughout the weekend
Local artists showcasing incredible talent
Food and drinks at nearby Midtown Crossing spots
A lively atmosphere perfect for all ages

Come for the art, stay for the neighborhood fun, and enjoy a full weekend surrounded by creativity!

Saturday Highlights include:

11a-1p Face Painting
1p-3p Blues Ed Music

Sunday Highlights include:

11a-1p Face Painting
1p-3p Colin Lee Music

Celebrate CB 2026 – CB On Track

April 30, 2025

Start your Celebrate CB 2026 Parade Day with a delicious stack of pancakes and a side of community spirit! Join for a morning of good food, great company, and hometown pride as we fuel up for an unforgettable day of celebration.

Parade 10:30am

Free Activities in the Park 11:30am-2:00pm

Dundee Day 2026

March 26, 2025

Dundee Day began in the 1950’s as a sidewalk sale and became an official day of events in 1992. Over the years, the event has included a ‘prettiest baby’ contest, appearances by local artists such as cartoonist Jeffrey Koterba, and the celebrated relocation of the Dundee Dell from Dodge Street to Underwood Avenue. Today, presented by Dundee Bank and Dundee Pediatrics, this family-friendly street festival celebrates and highlights the Dundee neighborhood with a parade, 5k run, art and craft vendors, book sale, pancake breakfast, food trucks, live music, live art drawing, and beer garden.

Schedule TBD

Soaring Wings Blues Fest 2025

March 26, 2025

Mark your calendars for the 21st Annual Soaring Wings Blues Fest on Saturday, June 7, 2025—an all-day celebration of soul-stirring blues kicking off in the afternoon and rocking into the night! This year’s lineup brings four incredible bands to the stage, each delivering their own electrifying take on the blues.

Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal, a Lincoln, Nebraska powerhouse formed in 2012, blending raucous funk and real-deal soul with a six-piece ensemble that’s toured 39 states and 9 countries. With influences from Stax and Motown, their latest album *Green Light* won Best Self-Produced Album at the 2022 International Blues Awards, and Hoyer’s gritty voice—featured on NBC’s *The Voice*—leaves it all on the table.

Next up, Tyron Benoit from Houma, Louisiana, brings a lifetime of musical roots—classic country, Cajun folk, and Ray Charles soul—honed through a combat tour in Desert Storm, jam sessions in post-Katrina New Orleans, and festival stages from Telluride to Switzerland.

Piper and the Hard Times, Nashville’s 2024 International Blues Challenge winners, fuse vintage blues flair with modern rock edge, led by Al “Piper” Green’s gospel-infused vocals and a rhythm section that grooves hard, fresh off their #1 Billboard Blues Chart debut *Revelation*.

Dennis Jones—a veteran who’s opened for Johnny Winter and Buddy Guy—delivers sizzling guitar solos and smooth vocals, hot off his 2023 Bobby Rush Blues Entertainer Award win and a nomination for Best Blues Rock Album at the 2025 BMAs with *About Time*. Four bands, one epic day of blues you won’t forget!

Nestled in the scenic Platte River valley, Soaring Wings Winery offers the perfect backdrop to enjoy a day of music, wine, beer, cocktails, food, and stunning sunsets. Savor our award-winning wines, available by the glass or bottle, and pair them with our delicious bites or your own picnic (please note, no outside alcohol is permitted). Bring your lawn chairs or blankets to relax in our amphitheater setting, and let these blues masters—from soulful funk to fiery fretwork—carry you through an unforgettable day.

Gates open at 1:00 PM, with music starting shortly after and running all day—full schedule to be announced. Tickets go on sale March 14th, required for entry—grab yours early to secure your spot for this milestone 21st Annual Blues Fest. Don’t miss this soul-shaking lineup at Soaring Wings Winery—where great wine meets the heart of the blues!

*Tickets purchased online are non-refundable.

Omaha Art Fair

March 25, 2025

Omaha Art Fair is a vibrant and diverse art fair located at Aksarben Village in Omaha, NE. Over 150 talented artists, from across the country, showcase their work to visitors who can explore a wide range of artistic styles and mediums. With free kids activities, festival food favorites and music all day, there is something for everyone to enjoy!

Sip Nebraska

February 28, 2025

Papillion Days 2026

February 28, 2025

Papillion Days is a time-honored tradition that takes place over Father’s Day weekend in June each year. Dating back to 1947, Papillion Days is the pinnacle summer celebration in town.

Schedule:

Wednesday: Family Fun Night (4:30-8:00pm)

Thursday: Carnival & Market in the Park (4:00-10:00pm)

Friday: Carnival & Market in the Park (4:00-11:00pm), Fireworks at Dark

Saturday: Parade (10:00am), Carnival & Market in the Park (11:00am-10:00pm)

Sunday: Boy Scouts Pancake Breakfast (8:00-11:30am), Carnival & Market in the Park (Noon-6:00pm), PAC Band at SumTur (8:00pm)

Summerfest at River’s Edge

February 26, 2025

Join us for Summerfest 2026! This free, family-friendly event takes place on Friday, June 5, from 6-10 p.m. at Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park, featuring an epic drone show, live music, interactive activities, and fun for all ages.

With thousands of attendees, community partners, and plenty of entertainment, Summerfest is a can’t-miss event to kick off summer in Council Bluffs.

The Drone Show: At dark (around 9:30 p.m.), Fantasy Drone Shows will light up the sky with 300 drones for a 20-minute display unlike anything you’ve seen before! The best place to view the show is around the amphitheater stairs.

Thanks to the Council Bluffs Public Library, Summerfest will have another foam party and giant bubbles!

PACE is setting up a live art area where you can express your creativity.

Parks and Recreation and The Lakin YMCA are working together to provide plenty of recreation opportunities, including baseball, football, soccer, yard games, and more!

The Kiewit Luminarium is bringing a mobile exhibit.

The CB Chamber is hosting the Farmers Market Council Bluffs Summerfest Pop-Up, a summer market with local vendors.

Admission to Summerfest is free!

Food trucks list coming soon!

Live music lineup coming soon!

New this year: The CB Captains soccer team will be hosting a pop-up 3v3 soccer tournament at Summerfest.

You are welcome to bring your lawn chairs, picnic blankets, water bottles, snacks, etc.

Dogs are welcome as long as they are leashed, cleaned up after, and well-behaved.

700 Parking spots are available in the parking garage at 4250 River’s Edge Parkway, plus on-street in the surrounding neighborhoods. Please expect traffic delays (because Summerfest is super fun, and everyone wants to come!).

Want to avoid traffic and parking? Ride your bike! We will have bike parking available. Bring your own lock.

Summerfest is a free event thanks to many community partners including the City of Council Bluffs, the Iowa West Foundation, Back to the River, The Council Bluffs Public Library, Kiewit Luminarium, Charles E Lakin YMCA, The Council Bluffs Chamber, and Pottawattamie Arts, Culture & Entertainment (PACE).

Please note: Any solicitation for vendors in the comment section is spam. If you are interested in being a food vendor, you can apply online at: https://www.councilbluffs-ia.gov/2378/Permits-and-Licenses

Weather note: In case of inclement weather, we will move Summerfest to Saturday, June 6.

Toast Nebraska Wine Festival

February 26, 2025

TOAST 2026 brings together Nebraska’s best wineries for a day of tastings, wine bingo, artisan & food vendors, and all the good vibes you’ve come to love. Sip your way through the state’s finest, grab your tasting glass and wine tote, and spend your wine bucks across the festival.