Second Saturdays Brings Something New to Kearney

The Kearney Enrichment Council is bringing something new to do in Kearney this summer. Second Saturdays – A Night out in Kearney opens on June 12 with food, vendors and entertainment for families.

Enrichment Council employee Barbara Haney saw a need for a different kind of shopping, eating and entertainment experience in Kearney, and decided to make that need a reality. Second Saturdays is a fun, trendy, safe night out for people to go to in Kearney. It’s open to families to bring their kids, or couples to have a date night, or for women to go for a girl’s night.

Haney, who organizes the Kearney Farmer’s and Artisan Market, had multiple vendors contact her for booth space at the farmer’s market. They didn’t qualify because the farmer’s market is limited to vendors of handmade or homegrown items.

“There’s a whole market of vendors that don’t have a place to sell their goods,” Haney said. “This gives them a venue to bring their products to the people.”

Haney’s vision for this event is to have something fun for the family to do as well as a place for local vendors who don’t have a store front to come show their products. She decided that there was a need for this event as she was reading social media posts from people who were saying that there was nothing to do in Kearney.

“I feel like anytime you go on to Keeping Kearney Informed [Facebook group] you hear people say, ‘What can you do in Kearney?’ This is what you can do in Kearney,” said Haney. “I also feel like there are so many local artists here with a business plan that doesn’t fit together with a store front. This allows them to come out and participate in their local area.”

Haney is very excited for Second Saturdays to grow into a popular destination event. She says it will have a bit of everything from crafts and items for men and women, to direct sales of products, to music and food! She has nearly 40 registered vendors that sell items like farmhouse soaps, woodshop crafts, gourmet sauces, hair ties and bows, clothes and more.

There are three food truck vendors scheduled for the inaugural Second Saturdays event: Torres 12th Street Tacos, Between 2 Buns, and Cone Heads. Entertainment for the event is acoustic pop and rock artist Lauryn VonAhnen.

Second Saturdays – A Night out in Kearney will occur from June – September on the second Saturday of the month with different vendors, food trucks and entertainment. The location of the event will be in front of the Kearney School District office building located at 150 Missouri Highway 92 in Kearney. Hours for guests are 5 – 9 pm. For guest or vendor questions contact Barbara Haney at Barbara@KearneyEnrichment.org.

KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story