NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) - NEBRASKAland Days brings in big-name concerts to round off the excitement of a two-week event every summer in June. North Platte has seen a plethora of acts over the years, from Marty Robbins to Florida Georgia Line, and much more. This year, NEBRASKAland Days and the Viaero Summer Jam are presenting Tim McGraw and Miranda Lambert. Mcgraw is performing Friday and Lambert is performing Saturday. Tickets are still available in General Admission and some stadium areas by going to www.nebraskalanddays.com.

In addition to Tim McGraw and Miranda Lambert are the opening acts.

On Saturday, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is one of those acts, opening for Miranda Lambert. Lead singer and original band member Jeff Hanna says the band has been in North Platte before, adding “you don’t forget a name like North Platte.”

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is on year 56 of being a band, starting in 1966 and being famous for tunes like Mr. Bojangles, Hey Good Lookin’, and Fishing in the Dark. Hanna says, “we can’t leave a building without singing Fishing in the Dark.”

The band has a roughly 60-minute set planned for Saturday at NEBRASKAland Days. They will share many of their famous radio hits, some of their newer music (songs from their new album released in May, Dirt Does Dylan) and of course, “Fishing in the Dark.” News 2′s Melanie Standiford had the opportunity to visit with Hanna and welcome him again to North Platte. Hanna is excited to include NEBRASKAland Days in the run that kicks off their summer concerts. He says Nebraska fans are great.

The concert with Nitty Gritty Dirt Band gets underway at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 25, at the Wild West Arena.

NP public transit to offer shuttle service for NEBRASKAland Days concerts

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) - If you are planning to attend the NEBRASKAland Days concerts this weekend, the North Platte Public Transit is offering round trip shuttle service to the Wild West Arena for $10.

Buses will run every 30 minutes starting at 6 p.m. and ending at 9 p.m.. Return passage will begin 30 minutes after the concerts.

Pick-up locations are as follow:

Motel 6, Ramada, Holiday Inn Express, Super 8 Motel, Days Inn, & Fairfield Inn, Best Western Plus, North Platte Inn & Suites, Hampton Inn, Quality Inn, Hospitality Inn, Travel Lodge, Tru by Hilton, Comfort Inn & Suites, La Quinta, Studio 6, America’s Best Value Inn, North Platte Public Service Parking Lot - 1402 North Jeffers Street - Motel 83, and the Parkade Plaza Parking Lot on the West End - 235 East 6th Street.

Tim McGraw is the headliner on Friday and Miranda Lambert is performing on Saturday. Gates open at 5 p.m. and the concerts begin at 7 p.m.

Buffalo Bill invented modern rodeo

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) - The NEBRASKAland days festival celebrates the culture of the Wild West and captures it for entertainment with the various rodeos. The “Old Glory Blowout,” a Wild West show hosted by Buffalo Bill Cody, helped invent modern.

In 1882, city leaders and Buffalo Bill were trying to plan a celebration for the Fourth of July. The task fell onto Buffalo Bill; at this time, he was known for his Wild West shows in the East. He took segments from his shows to put together the “Old Glory Blowout.”

“Buffalo Bill put together a smaller version of what, eventually, becomes his Wild West shows and invents modern rodeo,” said Jim Griffin, Curator Director. “That is why the Buffalo Bill rodeo at Nebraskaland days is considered the oldest rodeo in the nation. It has been continuous since his Old Glory Blowout.”

Close to twenty thousand people attended Buffalo Bill’s first show. Buffalo Bill included steer roping, wrestling, and bull riding in his Old Glory Blowout. As popularity increased, Buffalo Bill added stage coach robberies, Native Americans, and other acts to his shows.

“That is the root of rodeo,” said Griffin. “Buffalo Bill brought the culture of the west to show people. What he did for the rodeo industry is part of the reason the Buffalo Bill Rodeo is inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame.”