Iron Horse Arts District Honored with Two Awards at Holdrege Chamber Honors Banquet

Date: March 10, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Cassie Ehrenberg, Executive Director
Iron Horse Arts District
(308) 248-0001 | director@ironhorsedistrict.org

Iron Horse Arts District Honored with Two Awards at Holdrege Chamber Honors Banquet

HOLDREGE, Neb. — The Iron Horse Arts District received two prestigious awards at the Holdrege Area Chamber of Commerce Honors Banquet, held Friday, March 6 at the Phelps County Agricultural Center in Holdrege.

The organization was presented with the Heart of Holdrege Award, which honors an organization that has made a significant contribution of community service, unity, and resources to improve Holdrege, specifically for their festoon lighting. Additionally, Cassie Ehrenberg, Executive Director of the Iron Horse Arts District, received the Connector Award, which recognizes an outstanding leader who collaborates and partners in the Holdrege community.

“Being recognized by the Holdrege Area Chamber of Commerce means so much to us. Everything we do is rooted in collaboration and community, and to have that work acknowledged by the people we do it alongside is truly humbling. Holdrege has embraced the arts in a way that inspires us every single day.”

Since its founding in January 2024, the Iron Horse Arts District has worked to strengthen downtown Holdrege through the arts. In 2025 alone, the organization hosted more than 133 artists across its events, engaged more than 2,200 community members through events, galleries, and classes, and installed five blocks of festoon lighting in downtown Holdrege. The organization also completed two crosswalk murals on East Avenue and launched Haunted Holdrege, a new historic downtown architecture tour. Most recently, First State Bank of Holdrege donated office and permanent gallery space to the Arts District, providing the organization with its first permanent home.

“We are just getting started. With a permanent gallery space now becoming a reality and an exciting lineup of events ahead, 2026 is shaping up to be our most impactful year yet. We are grateful for every person and business who has believed in this vision, and we are eager to welcome even more of our community into what we are building together.”

As the organization looks ahead to a busy 2026 season — including the Artisan Expo on May 30, the Flyover Country Concert on August 29, and the continued renovation of its new gallery space — the Iron Horse Arts District is inviting community members and businesses to get involved through its newly launched Arts Supporter Program. The program offers a range of giving opportunities tied to specific projects and events, making it easy for supporters to connect their investment directly to the work that matters most to them.

For more information about the Arts Supporter Program, visit ironhorsedistrict.org/support or contact director@ironhorsedistrict.org. 

About the Iron Horse Arts District

The Iron Horse Arts District is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Holdrege, Nebraska, dedicated to strengthening the community through the arts. For more information on this and other Iron Horse Arts District programming, visit www.ironhorsedistrict.org or follow @ironhorsedistrict37 on Facebook and Instagram.

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