Sara Stevens-Stehl – Flavors Travel Writer Stop #19

Filed Under: All Posts, Winsome on July 15, 2010

Visit this historic shopping district with cobblestone streets and specialty stores. Get your passport stamped at Willow Point Gallery on Silver Street.

I’m a history buff. There are certain places in Nebraska that just make you feel like you’re stepping back in time, to a place where the pace is just a tiny bit slower and more comfortable – where people will take the time to be friendly just because it’s the right thing to do. What’s your favorite part of the historical, slow-down-and-breathe-towns of Nebraska?

Ashland is one of those places. The tree-lined cobblestone streets evoke thoughts of relaxed time window shopping, browsing the art galleries, jewelry and antique stores, until you find the exact item you’ve been looking for and window shopping shifts into a successful treasure hunt!

Now we’re going to kick up the excitement a couple notches. This weekend is Ashland’s community festival, Stir-Up Days – so stir up some excitement! The weekend’s adventure includes a smile contest, kiddie parade, grand parade, pie in face event (remember to duck!), art, car and coin shows, carnival games, cake walk, a frog jumping contest, bingo, a washers tournament, country dance lessons and a street dance. And the food! There’s food galore, from sloppy joe and watermelon feeds to a burger bash, pie and ice cream social, a beer garden, a root beer kegger for teens and a free breakfast after the street dance. Bring your appetite!

It was raining in Ashland on the 4th of July, so an addition to this year’s line up is fireworks at 10:00 p.m. Sunday night near the baseball fields

The events that caught my eye are the pedal and garden tractor pulls – you’ll have to ask the folks in Ashland, but my theory is the adults got jealous of all the fun the kids have in the pedal tractor pull and had to create their own fun with their garden tractors. Just a theory…

This weekend the excitement and fun is being stirred up in Ashland – you can check the schedule of events at http://www.historicashland.com/stir-up-days. My vote says head out to Ashland – it’s a quick hop from Lincoln or Omaha – for some old-fashioned fun. So tell me about your favorite weekend adventure – or would someone please let me know the results of the frog jumping contest?

1431 Silver Street
Ashland, NE 68003
(402)944-3613 | historicashland.com
Mon-Sat: 10am to 5pm; Sun: 1pm to 5pm