Willa Cather Foundation Events

Commemorate National Poetry Month and meet two emerging poets of the Great Plains! Join Tyler Jacobs and Samuel Burt for readings of their latest work, including poems from Jacobs’ new book The Weight of Drought, and engage in a discussion with the authors about place-based poetry, their creative processes, and building careers as writers in the 21st century. 

You won’t want to miss a night of beautiful and thought-provoking poetry! This event is free with registration.  

Mark your calendars for the 71st Annual Willa Cather Spring Conference! Cather's work in dialogue with America 250 present opportunities to consider how we remember people—and nations.

Join us for a production of The Little Mermaid featuring local youth! Deep in the salty water of the Sassafras Sea, there lived a Little Mermaid. In a new version of the age-old tale, lots of music, plot surprises, and humor await the audience.

Join us for a production of The Little Mermaid featuring local youth! Deep in the salty water of the Sassafras Sea, there lived a Little Mermaid. In a new version of the age-old tale, lots of music, plot surprises, and humor await the audience.

You voted, and we listened! 2026 Audience Choice winners Josh Hoyer and Soul Colossal are performing their very first opera house show in what promises to be a foot-stomping Saturday night! Hoyer and his band leave it all on the stage, performing authentic funk, soul, and blues music across the country and the world.

Help us welcome two writers from our 2024 Willa Cather Residency for Writers cohort as they share recent publications! Margot Kahn and Hillary Behrman will read excerpts from their books as they reflect on their unique writers-in-residence experiences.

In honor of Veteran's Day and America 250, join us for a FREE concert featuring Offutt Brass, the premiere ensemble of the United States Air Force Heartland of America Band! Offutt Brass is stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. Comprised of two trumpets, French horn, trombone, tuba, and percussion, Offutt Brass showcases the Air Force's excellence and precision in every performance with a diverse repertoire that features classical selections, patriotic favorites, jazz and popular music, new compositions, and distinctive arrangements. 

Celebrate the holiday season with a Celtic flair! Switchback is the award-winning duo of Brian FitzGerald and Martin McCormack. We are delighted to welcome these talented musicians back to the Red Cloud Opera House, and you won’t want to miss their setlist of holiday favorites, Irish classics, and Switchback originals.