Capital city of Nebraska. College town. Urban center. I wasn't in Lincoln for long, but I was impressed by the variety of the city: school pride, art, charming shops, and amazing food.
My roommate Grace Erickson let me come home with her to Omaha, NE, for Labor Day Weekend. Her parents are huge Corn Husker fans, so the second day we were there we drove to Lincoln to go to a game at the University of Nebraska's Memorial Stadium.
Before the game, we just walked around the city in the Haymarket district. We walked past beautiful murals, cute bookstores, boutiques, coffee shops, and restaurants of all types. Down the street from an Irish pub were Indian, Chinese, and Mexican restaurants.
These shops, restaurants, and art were everywhere, but the most overwhelming presence was the sea of Husker red.
People everywhere wore their Nebraska pride for the home-opener against the University of Akron pigeons. Every now and then, someone would shout the chant "Go Big Red!" and a whole crowd of people would respond.
Husker football holds the NCAA record for the longest streak of sold-out games. The have sold-out every game since 1962 (a streak of over 360 games). Since Nebraska does not have any professional sports, the state is dedicated to college football.
There are several traditions associated with Nebraska football like the balloon release and eating a Runza. When Nebraska first scores, the crowd releases a horde red balloons. This tradition has come under fire for littering, but it was cool to see all of the red floating away.
Eating a Runza (baked bread stuffed with meat, onions, and cabbage) is more of an unspoken tradition, but it's still pretty popular. The restaurant was founded in Lincoln so there were numerous places to buy the sandwich in and around the stadium.
The game was later cancelled due to storms. Even though we couldn't stay for the game, it was incredible to get a glimpse of the Husker spirit and vibrant downtown Lincoln.