PONCA – Following a year off, Ponca State Park officials are looking forward to hosting the 2021 Outdoor Expo in the month of September.
According to a release from the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission, the 16th annual Missouri River Outdoor Expo will make a return to Ponca State Park on Saturday and Sunday, September 18 – 19. A diverse array of family-friendly, hands-on activities will showcase outdoor education, sports and recreation.
Matt Stutzman, the silver medalist in the 2021 Paralympic Games archery competition, pro angler Aaron Petersen, the Gould Brothers, Axe Women Loggers of Maine and the conservation efforts of Wild Encounters just to name a few will be in attendance.
Parkgoers will be able to try their hand at a variety of outdoor activities including monarch tagging, outdoor cooking, kayaking, fishing, leather carving, geode cracking, shooting sports, rock-wall climbing, bow fishing, rope obstacle course and much more.
All activities are free. A complete list of expo activities and events is available at missouririveroutdoorexpo.com.
Also making a return will be the Seventh annual Bob’s Bar Burger Eating Contest on September 19. Pre-registration will take place at 3 p.m. with the contest starting at 3:15 p.m. for 10 contestants of those 18 years and older. The first person to finish eating a Bob’s Burger, pickles with a side of fries and a 20 oz. drink and able to keep it all down will be crowned the “2021 Champion Burger Boss” and receive a certificate for a free two nights stay in a new two-bedroom Ponca State Park Cottage.
The record was set in 2016 of four minutes and 51 seconds and if that is broken, the winner will receive a certificate for a free two nights stay in a four-bedroom Ponca State Park Mini Lodge.
In consideration of public health concerns, all activities will be outdoors. Guests should practice social distancing. Wearing of face masks will be optional. Guests are encouraged to bring their own masks, but masks will be available. There also will be many hand-sanitizing stations and social spacing in vendor areas and upon shuttles.
The Missouri River Outdoor Expo is the largest outdoor expo in the Midwest, averaging 30,000 in attendance annually. Expo weekend begins with a special Expo Invitational School Day, which is attended by numerous schools across the region.
A park permit is required of each vehicle entering the park. Permits may be purchased at the gate or at outdoornebraska.org.
Ponca State Park is located just north of Ponca in northeastern Nebraska’s Dixon County. For more information, contact ngpc.moriverexpo@nebraska.gov or call 402-755-2284.
