The Pott Co Pulse
| June 4, 2026 | Pottawattamie County, Iowa |
Hey, Pott Co! Summer just kicked off and we are NOT easing into it. This weekend is absolutely stacked. Friday night, the City is launching Summerfest at River's Edge with a 400-drone light show over the Missouri. Saturday is packed from sunrise to sundown with bikes, classic cars, fishing derbies, and a strawberry festival. And Sunday? More strawberries and the final curtain on an opera at the Hoff. We are hitting mid-80s with a chance of afternoon storms on Friday, so keep an eye on the sky.
Let's get into it.
The Weekend Guide
Summerfest at River's Edge — FREE: This is the big one. The City of Council Bluffs is kicking off summer with a massive free festival at Tom Hanafan River's Edge Park from 6 to 10 PM. Live music all night — Little Rooms (6 PM), Matt Cox (7:15 PM), and Hector Anchondo Band (8:15 PM). Twenty-plus food trucks, a foam party, giant bubbles, a pop-up market with 20+ vendors, skateboarding courtesy of Skatefest Omaha, disc golf, and the Kiewit Luminarium's mobile exhibit. The headliner? A 400-drone light show at approximately 9:40 PM courtesy of Fantasy Drone Shows. Parking is available in the garage at 4250 River's Edge Pkwy (700 spots) and near Stir Cove (1,000+ spots). Rain date is Saturday. View the Details →
Charcuterie Board Class with Wine Pairings: Build your own charcuterie board and learn which wines go best with it from 6 to 8 PM. A perfect date night before the drone show. View the Details →
UnShakeable (Opera Omaha): Opera Omaha brings a powerful one-act opera to the Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center at 7 PM. Three years after a mysterious epidemic leaves survivors plagued by memory loss, two actors reunite and rediscover their connection through Shakespeare. It is moving, it is local, and it is unlike anything else happening this weekend. Get Tickets →
Seattleite at Whiskey Roadhouse: Close out Friday night with live music at Whiskey Roadhouse starting at 9 PM. View the Details →
Illustration: Summerfest at River's Edge
Bike With Mike 2026: Lace up for a great cause. This annual ride on the Wabash Trace Nature Trail raises money and awareness for mental health through Community Alliance. Registration starts at $30 and the ride kicks off at 9 AM. Bike, walk, eat tacos, and help fund integrated health services in the metro. Register Now →
Cars and Coffee For Hope: Free entry, live music, and free coffee from 9 AM to 2 PM. Roll through, check out some beautiful rides, and grab a cup on the house. View the Details →
Paws & Pasture's Vendor Fair / Farmers Market: Support local from 9 AM to noon at 125 Harrison St in Oakland. Fresh produce, handmade goods, and the chance to shop small in Pottawattamie County. View the Details →
Kids' Fishing Derby at Arrowhead Park: Ages 7 to 12, bring the kids out from 10 AM to noon. Tackle and bait are provided. Four-trout limit. It is free and it is a blast. View the Details →
Gold & Silver Basics for Beginners: Curious about precious metals? This education-first workshop from 10 to 11:30 AM covers spot price versus premiums, product types, and how to compare offers. No sales pitch, just knowledge. View the Details →
Botanical Backstories — Native Plants: Learn the stories behind our native plants and the people they are named after from 10 AM to noon. View the Details →
Strawberry Festival at Ditmars Orchard (Day 1): Head out to 19475 225th St from 10 AM to 6 PM for the 3rd annual Strawberry Festival. Pick your own strawberries, grab strawberry doughnuts and slushies, and enjoy live music. Buy tickets online to save — a single ticket includes admission, one slushy, one doughnut, and $1 off per pound of berries. Walk-in admission is $10. Also runs Sunday. Get Tickets →
Shake Night — Double Feature at the Hoff: ONE NIGHT ONLY. Opera Omaha's UnShakeable pairs with Old School Shakespeare Omaha's immersive Hamlet performed in the lobby. Two shows, one ticket, one unforgettable evening starting at 7 PM. View the Details →
Illustration: Saturday in Pott Co
Strawberry Festival at Ditmars Orchard (Day 2): Back for round two from 11 AM to 5 PM. Live music by Skretta Etc. from 1 to 4 PM. Same deal — pick berries, eat doughnuts, drink slushies, and soak up the summer sun at 19475 225th St. Online tickets still available. View the Details →
UnShakeable — Final Performance: Last chance to catch Opera Omaha's one-act masterpiece at the Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center. Curtain at 2 PM. If you missed Friday or Saturday, do not miss this one. Get Tickets →
Illustration: Strawberry Festival at Ditmars
Your kid deserves more than screen time this summer. ☀️
Summer is here, and St. Paul's Lutheran Early Childhood Center (SPLECC) still has spots open for their Summer 2026 program, running May 26 through August 21. This is not just daycare. It is a Christ-centered adventure where K–4th graders explore God's creation in secure gardens, dive into hands-on art from a professional local artist, music from certified local music teachers, on-site tutoring and build character through chapel and Bible time multiple days a week.
Spaces fill fast. Lock in your child's spot now.
Register for SPLECC Summer →1500 N. 16th Street, Council Bluffs, IA 51501 · (712) 322-3294
Around the County
- Welcome Home, Red Bulls: Forty-five Iowa National Guard soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry — the legendary Red Bulls — returned to Council Bluffs after 368 days deployed in the Middle East. Some met their newborn children for the very first time. The emotional homecoming wrapped up the unit's full deployment cycle. Welcome home. Read More →
- Five Arrested After Robbery Spree: Council Bluffs Police arrested five people after back-to-back robberies Monday night near 9th Ave & Main St and South 11th St & 2nd Ave. Two victims were robbed of wallets, phones, and a bicycle. Suspects fled in a silver Chevy Equinox before being apprehended. Jermany Clark (25), Kendall McNeese (25), Janelle Lewis (18), Jaylin McNeese (20), and an unidentified 17-year-old are all in custody. Watch the Report →
- Iowa Primary Upset — Lahn Edges Feenstra for GOP Governor Nod: In one of the biggest shocks of primary night, farmer Zach Lahn (37.65%) narrowly defeated Trump-backed U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (36.88%) for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. On the Democratic side, Rob Sand cruised unopposed with 99.6%. The general election is November 3. Read More →
- Spin Lofts Scores Big Housing Tax Credits: The Spin Lofts project at 521 21st Ave just won the Iowa Finance Authority's Innovation in Housing Pitch Competition, paving the way for up to $10 million in federal housing tax credits over the next decade. The development, led by Arch Icon Development Corporation and Lutheran Family Services, will bring 45 affordable family housing units to Council Bluffs. Read More →
- 7Brew Coffee Opens — Lines Around the Block: 7Brew Coffee officially opened its Council Bluffs drive-thru location and the turnout was massive. Cars lined up along 29th Street off West Broadway all morning. If you have not tried it yet, the hype is real. Watch the Report →
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Stay local,
The Pott Co Pulse