Loessfest 2017 kicked off the summer at Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park. It was estimated that approximately 45,000 people enjoyed the Loessfest events held on the riverfront this past Memorial Day weekend.
Created to showcase Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park as a regional amenity and to celebrate all that Council Bluffs has to offer, Loessfest has drawn 175,000 people to the park since its inception in 2013.
The draw to Loessfest, however, goes beyond Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park. On Sunday evening, May 28, the fireworks display drew thousands more people to the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge and to the Omaha riverfront and beyond. The Omaha Symphony performed a free concert, drawing about 16,000 to Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park, and about 2,500 stayed to watch the movie in the park – Star Wars: The Force Awakens – following the fireworks.
Sunday’s attendance was record-breaking for Loessfest’s Omaha Symphony concert and fireworks, which has been a signature event for Loessfest since 2013. Other notable attendance numbers include:
•14,000 to KC and the Sunshine Band concert Friday evening
•3,000 to Country Rocks the River Saturday evening
•1,500 to Rocky Horror Picture Show movie in the park Monday evening
Loessfest is presented by the City of Council Bluffs and the Iowa West Foundation. The events are all free, thanks to the City of Council Bluffs and the Iowa West Foundation, as well as support from 40 additional sponsors in Iowa, Nebraska and beyond.
Loessfest’s regional appeal continues to grow online. Omaha brought in more visits to Loessfest.com than any other city (more than 57 percent of online traffic). There was also a significant amount of traffic on Loessfest.com from regional cities such as Lincoln and Minneapolis, as well as email inquiries from visitors as far away as Illinois who visited Council Bluffs to attend the concerts.