Buffalo Commons

McCOOK, Neb. — USA! USA! After you have voted the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee invites you to attend their First Tuesday event Nov. 5 from 7 to 8 p.m. at Embers Bakery and Café. Your red, white and blue spirit will be warmed by stories about the Olympics and Paralympics...

McCOOK, Neb. — It takes a special kind of athlete to run the hilly streets of McCook day in and day out. The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee will spotlight these dedicated runners at a First Tuesday event Oct. 1 from 7 – 8 pm at Embers Bakery...

McCOOK, Neb. — Veteran storm chaser Greg Tetley was the featured speaker at this month’s Buffalo Commons First Tuesday gathering at Embers Café. He recounted his decades-long career tracking severe weather across Tornado Alley. With over 30 years of experience, Tetley has chased storms from the Dakotas to Texas, encountering both awe-inspiring weather phenomena and life-threatening tornadoes...

McCOOK, Neb. — They say if you don’t like the weather in Nebraska, wait a few minutes and it will change. Whether or not this is true, the unpredictable weather certainly makes for interesting stories. To that end, the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee will start this year’s First Tuesday series with weather stories on September 3 from 7 to 8 p.m. at Embers Bakery and Café...

McCOOK, Neb. — As part of the Buffalo Commons Storytelling Cestival, participants were taken on a tour of stained glass displays in communities around the area.  McCook Community College has been sponsoring bus tours in conjunction with the festival for several years, with McCook High School providing the bus this year...

McCOOK, Neb. — Flowers, hay fever medicine and jockey silks are sure signs of spring. The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee will feature horse racing stories at their First Tuesday event May 7 from 7 – 8 pm at the Biéroc Café. Featured speaker Bob Gaulke will be on hand to share his expertise and knowledge of the sport. In honor of the Kentucky Derby, mint juleps will be available for purchase...

McCOOK, Neb. — National Library Week is early in April. With that in mind the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival Planning committee will feature local authors at their First Tuesday event April 2 from 7 – 8 pm at the Bieroc Café. Christian romance author and self-proclaimed coffee addict, pickleball enthusiast, storyteller and friend, Jennifer Rodewald, will be the featured speaker and explain how she came to write and be published. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee invites the public to their first Tuesday event March 5 from 7 – 8 pm at the Bieroc Café. The topic is McCook as a Creative District and will be of interest to those involved with the project, those curious about the project, or those with ideas for the project. Matt Sehnert, Kate Wheeler, and Ronda Graff are expected to be the main speakers...

McCOOK, Neb. — The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee is opening the 2024 First Tuesday schedule with an international flair. Tuesday, Feb. 6 from 7 – 8 pm at the Bieroc Café will feature Patricia Cale, an MHS biology teacher from the Philippines. She plans to attend in native costume and talk about her country as well as the education system there...

McCOOK, Neb. — The 2023-24 season of First Tuesday Buffalo Commons events begins Oct. 3 with a radio personalities round table at the Biéroc Café from 7 – 8 pm. The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee is expecting familiar voices from both High Plains Radio group and Hometown Family Radio to participate. For the new season, organizers are offering a new twist. Light snacks and beverages will be available...

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook Community College is still accepting registration for this year’s community tour as part of the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival. Seats are limited. The Boots, Bronc, and Branding Irons tour is set for Friday, June 9 from 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m...

Buffalo Commons saddling up for ‘Lassos & Legends’ McCOOK, Neb. — An old west theme ties together the 26th annual Buffalo Commons Storytelling & Music Festival, set June 9-11 in McCook. “Lassos & Legends — Where History Happens and Traditions are Born” is headlined by musicians and storytellers like Brigid and Johnny Reedy, Andy Hedges, Brandon Bailey and R. P. Smith...

McCOOK, Neb. — The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee will wrap up this year’s First Tuesday series with local musicians on the Bieroc stage on May 2. Scheduled to share their solo talents are Ginger ten Bensel, Tyler McCarty and Adam Wolford...

McCOOK, Neb. — The popular escape room craze has come to McCook in the form of Pandora’s Puzzle. The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee is pleased to announce that owner Josiah Hegwood will be the featured speaker at their First Tuesday event March 7 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Bieroc Café...

McCOOK, Neb. — The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee announce an evening of theater stories at their First Tuesday event on Oct. 4 beginning at 7 p.m. at the Biéroc Café. Local playwright and director, Kevin Cochran, will be the featured speaker. SWNCTA actors and actresses will join him with tales of both scripted and improvisational performances. Anyone with their own stories of being on stage is also encouraged to participate...

McCOOK, Neb. — The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee announces an evening of theater stories at their First Tuesday event on Oct. 4 beginning at 7 p.m. at the Biéroc Café. Local playwright and director, Kevin Cochran, will be the featured speaker. SWNCTA actors and actresses will join him with tales of both scripted and improvisational performances. Anyone with their own stories of being on stage is also encouraged to participate...

Professional storytellers Kevin Kling, center left, and Shonto Begay were in fine form for a Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival warm-up Thursday night at the Bieroc Cafe, but they had nothing on local storytelling stalwart John Hubert, top left, who brought back memories and perhaps a few tears with a poem about festival founders, as well as laughs about his experience shopping for a talking dog named Gabby. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — A couple of brothers raised in the Imperial area, are one of the headliners at this year’s 25th Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival in McCook June 10-12 Originally from Imperial, The Talbott Brothers are an alternative/indie-rock duo that combines honest songwriting with down-to-earth messages that prove to be prevalent in today’s world. Nick and Tyler Talbott are now based in Portland, Oregon...

McCOOK, Neb. — The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee will wrap up this year’s First Tuesday series with Job Vigil on the Biéroc stage on May 3. Classically trained in piano, violin and voice, Job has been performing for five decades and is a favorite of the Biéroc crowd. This year he will be joined by Lisa Bortner...

McCOOK, Neb. — Across Southwest Nebraska many fans and athletes have attended state-level competitions. However, there is another side to those coveted season culminations. The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee will feature stories from those selected as officials at state tournaments at a First Tuesday event April 5 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Biéroc Café...

McCOOK, Neb. — The pickleball rage is sweeping the nation for those who want to stay fit or just have fun. Southwest Nebraska is certainly no exception. The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee will host pickleball stories at their First Tuesday event Jan. ...

First Tuesday to honor Driftwood Feeders, county fair McCOOK, Neb. — The Red Willow County Fair and the Driftwood Feeders 4-H Club each celebrated 100 years in 2021. The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee will honor both at a First Tuesday event on Oct. 5 from 7 – 8 p.m. at the Biéroc Café...

Clockwise from upper left, Kim Weitkamp enlists her singing voice and guitar to spin a tale at Thursday night’s preview of the “24th 1/2 annual” Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival. Continuing from top right, Chuck Peek serves as host, Linda Crandall related a story about her grandmother’s artistry on the clothes line, and Walt Sehnert, celebrating his 70th wedding anniversary with his wife, Jean, recalled wedding night adventures in a tornado-tossed trailer. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Live music and entertainment is back this summer and a full slate of events is set for this weekend during the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival. Storyteller, singer-songwriter, Kim Weitkamp headlines the lineup this year that also includes Colorado music group FY5 along with Nebraska State Poet Matt Mason and artist Chuck Schroeder, a native of Palisade...

McCOOK, Neb. – History’s Mysteries – a long time part of the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival – will park the busses this year and instead explore historic downtown McCook by foot. In an effort to meet directed health measures related to coronavirus concerns, organizers opted to set up a bus-free tour this year, while keeping the momentum of exploring local history and Friday’s adventure will delve into the history of McCook’s downtown area...

McCOOK, Neb . -- The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee will kick off the New Year at their First Tuesday event on Jan. 7 at the Bieroc Café. The program will feature Cal Siegfried and Lonnie Weyeneth as they reminisce about music on the radio from times past...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Bah humbug, or Ho Ho Ho? The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee invites you to celebrate the Christmas season at their First Tuesday event on December 3. Ebenezer Scrooge along with Don Harpst and a few friends will be featured speakers from 7 – 8 pm at the Bieroc Café. Anyone with stories of Christmases past, present or future is encouraged to take the stage. As always, listeners are welcome as well...

CLOCKWISE from upper left, Jake Riley gets in touch with his feminine side at the Fox Theatre Saturday night, at the High Plains Museum, Alan Bartels recounts one of his memorable experiences roaming the state as a reporter and editor, the Diamond W Wranglers deliver a dose of western music and R.P. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — Organizers are busy gearing up the the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Musical Festival which begins next weekend Headliners performing Friday night, May 31, dinner cabaret at the Bieroc Café and the Saturday night “How the West Has Fun” stage show include cowboy poets and storytellers Jake Riley and R.P. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — Nationally acclaimed storytellers are once again heading the lineup for this year’s Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival – but this year that national talent is from nearby, and there will be a whole lot the “Old West” in this year’s event...

McCOOK, Neb. — The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee will wrap up this year’s First Tuesday series with Job Vigil on the Bieroc Café stage on May 7. Classically trained in piano, violin, and voice, Job has been performing for five decades...

Tourists at Friday’s McCook Community College History’s Mysteries bus tour of “The Watering Hole” get up close with a herd of 24 bison at one of the stops of the natural resources tour held in conjunction with the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — The spirits spoke during the “Cemetery Tour” Sunday afternoon of McCook’s annual Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival weekend. “Blind Sam,” McCook’s well-known downtown minstrel, sang “You Are My Sunshine” to a group gathered at his gravestone in Riverview Cemetery. “I played the violin as well, but most folks complained it was a bit screechy,” Blind Sam (portrayed by Gabe Sehnert) said...

McCOOK, Neb. — A free “sampler platter” of music and entertainment will be available when the 22nd annual Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival comes to McCook June 8-10. While some of the concerts and shows require admission there are numerous events that are free and open to the public starting Saturday morning and continuing through Sunday afternoon...

McCOOK, Neb. — The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee fires up their First Tuesday events for 2018 on February 6 from 7 – 8 p.m. at the Bieroc Café. Featured speakers will be Chief Bill Elliott and other members of the Red Willow Western Rural Fire Department who are celebrating 40 years of fighting fires and protecting lives, livestock, grassland and property. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee will feature bakery stories in a continuation of the Sehnert’s celebration of 60 years in McCook. The First Tuesday event will be November 7 from 7-8 pm in the Museum of the High Plains. Please note the different location...

McCOOK, Neb. — The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee announces the beginning of their 2017-2018 First Tuesday storytelling events. Tennis stories will be featured on September 5 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Bieroc Café. Life long tennis aficionados Dennis Irwin and Greg Larson are the invited speakers. Both have competed for adult titles, with Dennis being a past National Senior Games Tennis champion...

McCOOK, Neb. — Humanities Nebraska executive director Chris Sommerich will be convening a “listening session” at the Norris Home at 4 p.m. Saturday, for anyone who would like to share their thoughts on community needs in history, culture, and other areas of the humanities...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Public Library will be the site of the fourth Six Corners of Nebraska event from 12:30 to 5 p.m. Sunday. The event is designed to provide an entertaining taste of Nebraska history, as well as promote writing and the appreciation of Nebraska’s rich literary tradition...

McCOOK, Neb. — The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee will highlight area youth at its First Tuesday event April 4 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Bieroc Café. The Creative Writing Club from McCook High School will be featured. Members are Lexi Gross and Kyli Scott, co-presidents, and Courtney Searcey, Adrienne LaBay and Brianna Hazen...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Wish list letters have been sent to Santa. Fisher-Price little people, the swing, and Dungeons and Dragons have been added to the Toy Hall of Fame. Now the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee will be sharing favorite toy and game stories at their First Tuesday event Dec. 6 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Bieroc Café...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee will celebrate driving stories at their First Tuesday event on Oct. 4. Long-time educator and driver's education instructor Warren Everts has taught many in McCook the art of operating a motor vehicle...

McCOOK, Neb. -- One show is a sell-out, seats are filling fast on the "History's Mysteries" bus tour and organizers are making final preparations to celebrate "Twenty Years of Storytelling" when McCook hosts the 20th annual Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival June 10-11...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival will wrap up its First Tuesday series in a big way, bringing Peter, Chuck and Job to the Bieroc Café on Tuesday, May 3. Popular performers in their hometown of North Platte, Nebraska, Job Vigil, Peter Rogers and Chuck Salestrom focus on light rock and pop hits from the 60s and 70s and they have fun doing it. Their last McCook appearance drew a large, sing-along crowd...

McCOOK, Neb. -- "BRAN, CRAN and Iron Man" was postponed by Winter Storm Kayla in February so the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee will try this theme again for their First Tuesday event to be held at the Bieroc Café at 7 p.m. on March 1...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Innovative businessman and restaurateur Adam Seigfried will be featured speaker at the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival's First Tuesday event, 7-8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5 at the Bieroc Cafe. Participants are encouraged to share their stories of cooking successes and failures. The public is invited and welcome to attend...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival planning committee is targeting hunting and fishing stories for the Nov. 3 "First Tuesday" event from 7-8 p.m. at the Bieroc Café. George Sund, a retired Game Warden who served Furnas, Frontier, Gosper and Red Willow counties, will be the featured speaker...

McCOOK, Neb. -- In preparation for their 20th year, the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival Committee members have announced a new season of "First Tuesday" events for local storytelling. The year kicks off September 1 from 7 -- 8 p.m. at the Bieroc Café with stories about the Indianola Prisoner of War Camp...

The husband and wife folk-rock duo of Mike and Ruthy (Mike Mercenda and Ruthy Ungar) take a breather after one of their songs they performed Saturday night at the "How the West was Fun" show at the Fox Theatre, part of the Buffalo Commons Storytelling festival in McCook over the weekend. Singing everything from Etta James and Pete Seeger covers to their own tunes, Mike and Ruthy were joined by master storyteller and Grammy-award winner, Bill Harley...

After an unusually mild and wet spring -- McCook is .9 of an inch ahead of normal precip -- we've moved right into summer-type weather, hitting 96 degrees about 7 p.m. Tuesday. There are alternatives to sweating through the summer or eating peanut butter sandwiches to be able afford paying your electric bill, according to the Nebraska Public Power District...

McCOOK, Neb. -- Some of the best storytellers in the nation will be in McCook this week for the 19th annual Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival. All activities are open to the public. Many of them are free. Friday The festival starts Friday with a "History's Mysteries" bus trip, which will take people to the former Indianola World War II Prisoner of War Camp. Reservations are required...

McCOOK, Neb. -- All aboard! The Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival planning committee invites the public to attend their First Tuesday event at the Bieroc Café from 7 to 8 p.m. on March 3. The theme this time is passenger train and bus stories. Featured speakers will be Jerry Beideck and Ralph Goltl, the last of the many conductors who once serviced McCook...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival planning committee will host their First Tuesday event on Feb. 3 at the Bieroc Café. Emcee Lonnie Weyeneth and feature speaker Ginger ten Bensel invite all to join them for musician stories from 7 -- 8 p.m. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival planning committee will host the First Tuesday event for the New Year on January 6 from 7 -- 8 p.m. at the Bieroc Café. Walt Sehnert will moderate the Career and Unusual Job Stories. Weather permitting, the featured speaker will be Robert (Bob) Miller from Oberlin, Kansas, who will share facts and answer questions about his employment as a key grip in Hollywood. ...

The Steel Wheels brought their unique blend of folk, rock, bluegrass and alternative country to this year's Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival, adding a strong dose of storytelling to the mix.

Cherri Putz and her grandkids, from left, Aaron, Psalm and Jonathan Frank, listen intently to a story read by Mary Dueland at the KidsFest "Peanut Butter Story Theatre." Kids were treated to lunch and stories as part of the festival.

At the George Norris Historic Site in McCook, Nebraska, during the Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival Saturday afternoon, "Ellie" and "Sen. George Norris" (Dawna and the Rev. Clark Bates of McCook) introduce Liz Watts who described the journalism career of Bess Furman Armstrong, an early 20th-century reporter for the Omaha, Nebraska, Daily News and the Associated Press in Washington D.C., and a native of Danbury, Nebraska. ...