Husker Nation Pavilion a Hit with Fans

Nestled on the Ed Weir Track by the Northeast corner of Memorial Stadium, the Husker Nation Pavilion has quickly become the premier pregame event for Husker fans. The event, which begins three hours prior to every home game, features a live band, a dunk tank, inflatable moon walks, face painting, private tent parties and autograph signing by student athletes - all free to the public - along with various food vendors, including local favorites Valentinos, Runza and much more.

Last Saturday against Oklahoma State, over 10,000 fans came out to be a part of a new Nebraska tradition, and Marc Boehm, NU Executive Associate Athletic Director, said the event surpassed even his expectations.

"The Husker Nation Pavilion was the place to be and be seen in the hours before kickoff Saturday."

-- Omaha World Herald (8/31)

"It was amazing," said Boehm, who helped operate a similar event while working for the Fiesta Bowl for five years in the 1990s. "I would say we had at least 10,000 people there. The place was packed between 1 and 1:30. I've organized several things like this, and it was the greatest one I've been involved with."

In addition to areas for fans, corporate tents are available for purchase for each of the remaining six home games in 2003.

The area was busy throughout Saturday morning and early afternoon, as 10-member funk band, The Confidentials of Omaha, were entertaining with tunes like "Mustang Sally" and "Brick House" in the center stage area during breaks in the football radio show. Not far from the stage, wearing a cheerleading outfit, 5-year-old Grace Kelly of North Platte chanted "Go Big Red."

Her mother, Lana Kelly, said her family had never come to a football game so early, but the pre-game party gave them a reason.

"We haven't been disappointed," she said.

There also was an open field where fans could stroll, play catch and eventually watch the game. A 22-by-26-foot TV screen set up near the track allows those fans without a ticket to experience the game-day atmosphere and hear the roar of the crowd.

"Now we can bring our families and leave them here while we go in and watch the game," Craig Livingston, a first-time season ticket holder said.

Wearing a Husker hard hat and his red Twinkie pajama pants, Bob Willats said both he and Livingston knew about the university-sponsored pre-game party but weren't sure it was worth a three-hour trip from Orchard.

"We wanted to scout it out first," he said. "But this really is excellent. They came up with something good here."

The band Hardwood Dash will take the Pavilion stage this weekend playing cover songs from the 60s, 70s and 80s.