Arts and Entertainment in Hastings, Nebraska
Public Art
The Downtown Sculpture Project is a partnership between the Cottonwood Festival and the Community Redevelopment Authority to purchase art for permanent placement throughout the City of Hastings.
For more information about public art projects, call the Community Redevelopment Authority at (402) 461-8415.
Historic Downtown Hastings Walking Tour
Hastings has a very strong architectural history. In downtown, you can see changes in style and taste spanning over 130 years from 1879 to present day. At each location, one will find an engraved brass plaque explaining the historical significance of the building. Brochures for the tour are available at the Business Improvement District office at the Chamber Development Center, 301 S. Burlington Avenue.
Hastings Symphony Orchestra
www.hastingssymphony.com
The Hastings Symphony Orchestra is one of the oldest continuous professional orchestral groups in the country. For over 90 years, the Hastings Symphony Orchestra has performed the classics as well as modern favorites. Concert Brochures are available at Hastings Chamber of Commerce. Tickets are available online or by phone, (402) 469-9396.
Chorus of the Plains
www.chorusoftheplains.org
The Chorus of the Plains has been an active group since 1966 and consists of about 30 members singing four-part harmony in barbershop style. Available for hire to surprise loved ones with special Singing Valentines, they also perform as quartets, small groups and as a chorus to promote and encourage vocal music singing in schools and communities.
Hastings Community Theatre
www.hctheatre.org
The Hastings Community Theatre has been entertaining the community of Hastings with live comedy, musicals and drama continuously since 1959. This all-volunteer organization presents four or five live performances each year on the HCT stage. In addition, HCT reaches out to students. The HCT Kids program provides theater experiences for grade school through high school aged students each summer. Hastings Community Theatre welcomes anyone interested in theater – both as actors and behind-the-scenes volunteers. Season memberships are available; individual show tickets are also sold at the box office, via email and by phone. For tickets or information about HCT, call (402) 463-1500.
Fisher Fountain
Fisher Fountain was originally a temporary exhibit at the 1932 Adams County Fair, called the Electric Fountain. It was invented by Edward R. Howard and became a symbol of hope during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. Because of its popularity, it was moved to the park and made permanent. A competition among schoolchildren to rename it resulted in two winning names that were combined: Rainbow Fountain, and Fisher Fountain after Mayor Jacob Fisher.
Fisher Fountain was renovated in 1982 but was then dynamited by vandals in 1984. Its destruction aroused a strong community response. Residents raised $63,000 to rebuild the fountain, and it was rededicated on Mother’s Day in 1985.
J.M. McDonald Planetarium
Located in the Hastings Museum, the planetarium gives patrons the opportunity to learn about the solar system. The planetarium’s projector, a Digitalis Epsilon Fixed Dome System, creates immersive environments and scientific visualizations. Live shows are provided by the Hastings Museum staff, and full-dome digital shows are also featured. The planetarium’s seating capacity is 47 people.
Bird Watching
Said to be one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on the continent, each spring more than 80 percent of the world’s population of Sandhill Cranes merge within the Platte River Valley. From March to May, over 250 species of water fowl flock to the Hastings area, making it a prime viewing location.
Community Mural
Located on Eastside Boulevard and titled “Working Together toward a People’s Art,” this community mural was painted during the summer of 2013 with the guidance and assistance of over 300 hundred Hastings residents.