Past Events

Limited seats are available for a special Cather Country trolley tour, on October 2, 2019! Take advantage of this pre-arranged special event, which will highlight our historic Cather sites and settings across Webster County. Led by our education and archival staff from the comfort of a modern trolley with vintage styling, this will be a tour you won't want to miss!

Join us for this screening and a talk-back with writer, director, and producer Georg Joutras. The film examines life on a 130-year-old Custer County ranch operation.

Coming soon to our Red Cloud Opera House! This production takes a poignant look at the joys and challenges of women’s lives, reflected through the prism of their clothing.

The National Willa Cather Center welcomes photographer Richard Dickson of the United Kingdom as artist in residence from July 2 to August 12, 2019. Throughout his stay in Red Cloud, Dickson will create a body of photographic artwork pertaining to the Cather sites and the scenic landscapes in Webster County. The new work created as a result of this residency will be shown in a gallery exhibit titled Beauty in the Ordinary.

On displAY

August 9 to September 30, 2019

artist lecture and reception

Friday, August 9, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The charming story of Pinocchio, the wooden puppet who longed to become a real, live boy, comes to life in an original musical adaptation.

Please join us for a free concert on Friday, July 12, at 7:00 p.m. Featured artist is Andrea von Kampen from Lincoln, Nebraska.

Please join us in Willa's first home, in Frederick County, Virginia, for the 17th International Willa Cather Seminar.

Please join us for the Spring Conference banquet and the debut of, A Little Pleasure, a new work, adapted for the stage by Julia Hinson from Cather’s short fiction, criticism, and biography.

The enchanting sound of English handbells will enliven the Grace Episcopal service in Red Cloud on Saturday, June 1 at 8:30 a.m. An ensemble group of Bell-issimo, an auditioned community handbell choir of Lincoln, makes its Red Cloud debut as part of Spring Conference. The bell choir will begin playing at approximately 8:15 a.m. There is no charge to attend the service, but seating is limited. Priority seating will be given to registered conference attendees.

Join us as we celebrate the return of the Willa Cather State Historic Sites, the Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial Collection, and unveil a new vision for our future. Highlights will include:

3:30 to 4:00 p.m.

Welcome and remarks