Holidays

 

 

Harvest of Harmony    First Saturday in October

 

Bringing 10,000 people to the streets of downtown is a feat in and of itself. The Annual Harvest of Harmony Parade brings more than 10,000 non-resident consumers to our area on the first Saturday in October. For 65 years, the Chamber has coordinated this award winning event, boasting over 165 marching bands and floats. This is truly an event people of all ages enjoy.

 

Ethnic Festival

 

The Central Nebraska Ethnic Festival is a nonprofit organization evolving out of the Saengerfest,-a celebration of the German heritage of Grand Island. As Grand Island grew and changed, the organizers recognized that a festival celebrating only one of Grand Island's many cultures no longer reflected a true image of the community.

Robert Burns Birthday January 25-Scottish

Robert Burns was a very famous poet in Scotland.  His birthday was celebrated in Grand Island by Scottish immigrants.  When they celebrated they played bagpipes and accordions.  They would sing songs like Auld Lang Syne and play games like Quoits (ring toss game).

Chinese New Year

First day of the first lunar month and ends the 15th day of that month

Mexican Independence September 16th-Mexican

Celebration of the date the proclamation of independence was signed in 1810, usually a 2 day event.  Mexico struggled for independence from the time of conquest of the land by Cortez in 1521 and through several revolutions Mexico finally won its independence.

Cinco de Mayo May 5th-Mexican

Celebrates the overthrow of the Mexican Imperial Monarchy headed by Maximilian of Austria. The Imperial Monarchy was imposed from 1864 to 1867 on Mexico by Napoleon III, Emperor of France (nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte) and the Mexican conservatives "Club de Notables".

Quinceañera (fifteen years) in some Spanish-speaking regions of the Americas, a young woman's celebration of her fifteenth
birthday, which is celebrated in a unique and different way from her other birthdays.

 

July Fourth 

 

Our country's birthday has been celebrated with fireworks, picnics, and parades.

Historical photograph courtesy of Stuhr Museum of the Prarie Pioneer