July 16, 2025
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Cassie Ehrenberg, Executive Director at Iron Horse Arts District, at (949) 295-7018, or director@ironhorsedistrict.org
Iron Horse Arts District to Install Community-Painted Crosswalk Murals Downtown
Holdrege, Neb. —The Iron Horse Arts District is thrilled to announce the installation of two colorful crosswalk murals in downtown Holdrege in late July and early August—and the community is invited to help bring them to life!
After a public call for designs with the theme “Feathered Crossings” (think birds and nature) and a competitive review process by the district’s Public Art Committee, a mural concept by Alma artist Hallie Snyder was selected for the project. It will be painted directly on the crosswalks as a part of a community art initiative. The murals will be installed at the northern and southern crosswalks on 5th & East Avenues, with painting led by Nancy Wiese, local artist, Holdrege High School art teacher, and Iron Horse Arts District board member.
Now, we need you! Volunteers ages 14+ and of all experience levels are invited to sign up and lend a hand during the mural installation. No painting skills are required—just a love for color, creativity, and community! You can paint a whole flower or just a single petal (we’re calling our volunteers “Petal Pushers” for a reason!).
“These murals are designed to be both beautiful and functional,” said Cassie Ehrenberg, Executive Director of the Iron Horse Arts District. “In addition to creating a more vibrant downtown, crosswalk murals have been shown to improve pedestrian safety by encouraging slower driving and increasing visibility. This project is part of our larger creative placemaking efforts—using public art to invite people to linger, explore, and connect with the spaces around them. We see this as a pilot for even more interactive and artistic crosswalks in the future. While these first murals are temporary due to weather and wear, they give us a great opportunity to test what works and gather community feedback. We hope this project sparks joy, draws in visitors, and encourages everyone to see downtown Holdrege in a new way.”
Community Installation is scheduled to take place on July 26 and August 2, weather permitting, in conjunction with the lead-up to the Iron Horse Arts Festival on August 23. The northern or southern intersections of 5th Ave and East Ave will each be closed (one per weekend) from approx. 4 p.m. on the Friday before installation to the Sunday afternoon following the community painting.
Interested volunteers can sign up at ironhorsedistrict.org/projects/crosswalk-murals (click this link to our Google form) to receive updates and help us transform our streets into works of art.
This project is made possible by the generous grant support of the Phelps Memorial Health Center, support from the City of Holdrege and Holdrege City Council, and local artists Hallie Snyder and Nancy Wiese.
For more information on this and other Iron Horse Arts District programming, visit www.ironhorsedistrict.org or follow @ironhorsedistrict37 on Facebook and Instagram, or @ironhorsedist37 on Twitter/X.