Lil Nashville 🎸

Happy Friday Ledgers,

April showers bring May flowers; and in Lincoln, that means the return of the Sunken Gardens in full bloom.

If you drove by this week, you may have noticed the beds looking a little less…sunken. That’s thanks to a crew of 60 volunteers who replanted 15,000+ flowers and plants so the rest of us can stroll through and pretend we know the difference between a begonia and a petunia.

Consider it a bright, floral sign that better (and warmer) days are ahead.

In this week’s issue:

• Music City: Lincoln → Lil Nashville 🎸

• What To Do: Farmers Market, Sunken Gardens, and Winemakers

• Sportz: Taking the safest safety, is my job as a safe, safety coordinator

• Neighborhood Watch: A lovely little Tudor

MUSIC CITY

Lincoln → The New Nashville?

Lincoln’s usual soundtrack? Construction noise and someone monopolizing the local TouchTunes with the full discography of Toby Keith (that culprit is absolutely my wife). But something new is humming downtown, and this one doesn’t involve Memorial Stadium, or marked-off parking spots (this stray comment is aimed directly at your 5-year construction project, NRC…)

Last month, Lincoln quietly dropped what might be its coolest civic project yet: The Music Box (MBX). Tucked inside a 1,200-square-foot space at 1330 “N” Street, it’s Nebraska’s first city-backed music hub, a place where local artists can rehearse, record, and perform (without hauling gear across state lines or begging for off-peak bar slots.)

More Than a Stage… MBX isn’t just a vibey new venue. It’s a $350,000 investment (shoutout to the American Rescue Plan Act) owned by the City of Lincoln, run by the Downtown Lincoln Association, and designed to help artists create, not just hustle.

The space is stocked with professional-grade gear, offers affordable bookings, and aims to serve as the nucleus of a growing downtown music district. Think of it as Lincoln's signal to the music world: we’re not just here to listen—we’re ready to play.

🎸 A Mini Nashville?… Cities like Asheville, Tulsa, and Bentonville have all bet big on music and arts infrastructure—and it’s paid off in talent retention, tourism, and community energy. Lincoln has the bones. MBX gives it a beat.

📌 Why It Matters
MBX gives local artists the kind of access usually reserved for those with label deals or rich uncles. More importantly, it proves that Lincoln is serious about nurturing creative talent, not just academic or athletic. And it provides vital opportunities in our local community to have your heart broken by a drummer.

WHAT TO DO

Farmers’ Market, Sunken Gardens, and Winemakers.

🌽 Historic Haymarket Farmers' Market
If your soul needs a little soft launch into the weekend, this is the move. Roll out of bed, toss on your “running errands” fit, and head downtown for sourdough, fresh flowers, and an egg roll that keeps your dopamine flowing for at least 4 additional hours. It’s the kind of morning where you accidentally spend $30 on handmade soap and leave with a bag of lettuce that you will guide into the afterlife at the bottom of your crisper drawer. No notes. Perfect Saturday Morning.

Bonus: if the weather throws shade with some rain, cozy up under a market tent and pretend you’re at a Parisian café — minus the Eiffel Tower, but with way fewer out-of-pocket tourists.

🌸 Sunken Gardens Returns
On Saturday, you’ll head to Sunken Gardens for its seasonal refresh, one of Lincoln’s most reliable spring rituals. The new display is in full bloom, and it’s the perfect spot to ease into your weekend.

Bring a book, find a bench, and enjoy the kind of quiet that makes you forget your Screen Time Report. No tickets, no pressure—just flowers, sun, and a soft reset.

🍾 Meet the Winemaker @ Bin105
Wine might not be what Lincoln’s known for, but Bin 105 is working to change that. On Sunday, May 18 from 3–5 PM, they’re hosting Taylor Berkley Boydstun of T. Berkley Wines—a winemaker championing underdog grapes like Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc with a minimalist, old-vine approach.

It’s your chance to sip, learn, and casually drop that Nebraska’s soil is “too fertile” for grapes (you’re basically a sommelier now). New ownership, big vision, and a tasting line-up worth showing up for.

Plus, if you haven’t spent a weekend day or a happy hour experiencing the plush new lounge vibes of Bin’s recent remodel, your sip lineup needs a major refresh.

SPORTZ

Sporting headlines from around the capital.

• 🥎 Softball: Jordy Bahl became the 4th player in D1 history to join the 20/20 club (20 home runs in 20 games)

• 🏈 Football: NU Season Opener vs Cincinatti at Arrowhead Stadium has a kickoff time

• ⛳️ Golf: Nebraska Women’s Golf hired Breanne Hall as it’s new head coach

• ⚾️ Baseball: Husker Baseball takes on Purdue today at 5:00pm in West Lafayette

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

2785 S 16th St, Lincoln, NE 68502

The Serious Charmer of South Lincoln

Some homes aren’t just pretty spaces — they’re launchpads for your next chapter. Whether you’re deep in your cozy era or dreaming of bigger adventures, a good home grows with you. And 2785 S 16th Street is exactly that kind of home — packed with original 1930s charm, thoughtfully updated where it counts, and ready to evolve with whatever’s next for you!

This South Lincoln Tudor has all the graceful, old-soul details that make a house feel like home — arched doorways, original hardwoods, a dreamy stone fireplace — plus two decks, perfect for lazy summer evenings or quiet winter mornings. The sun-filled office is perfect for pretending to get stuff done. And the oversized primary bedroom? You can expect the best naps of your life in there.

The kitchen? Light, bright, wonderfully airy — and ready for whatever you’ve got or don’t got for cooking skills. The formal dining room primed to host all your major moments — holidays, birthdays, or just the random Wednesday-night takeout. And with laundry on the main floor (cheers to not hoofing it up the stairs with the basket), a basement full of bonus rooms, and storage galore, this home’s beauty goes way beyond the surface.

This home isn’t just trying to impress you, it’s trying to belong to you!

The Details:

• 3 beds, 2 baths

• 1,950 sq/ft

• Built in 1932

• The office where you write your first novel.

❤️ KEEP:
Stone fireplace (duh), arched front door and storybook roofline (curb appeal for days), the office with French doors and the tall arched living room ceilings that will make the winter days less sad and more magical.

🗑️ TOSS:
The oven (let’s upgrade that sucker!), the fence (could use some reinforcement), and the sad gray counter tops.

CHECKLIST

An over-ambitious weekend to-do list.

• Replace your shower curtain liner (do you even remember when you bought the last one? - If your answer is NO, then it’s definitely time for a new one)

• Toss your decorative pillow covers in the wash - it’s probably been a while since those have been clean

• Throw away those house plants that you’ve been keeping on life support since February and replace them with new ones. No body, no crime

• Do a deep clean on your reusable water bottles, get all up in those crevices

• Toss that toothbrush you’ve been clinging to for 3 months, your mouth deserves a fresh start

• Scrub the inside of your microwave — no one will ever know about last week’s popcorn disaster.

HEADLINES

More news from around the capital.

• Teacher: Local educator named one of the top 200 music teachers in the country.

• Sprayground: Trago Park Sprayground opens early thanks to warm weather.

• Voice: Lincoln’s Jadyn Cree sings her way into the final five on The Voice—basically one high note away from world domination.

• Record Label: Nebraska launches first student-run record label

• Construction: An estimate $51M of construction projects are planned for this summer in Lincoln

🐯 Weekly Wildcard:
One headline (or post) we never saw coming.

• Brewing: Nebraska’s new grant program for local brewers is ready to fund your next excuse for “just one more” pint