Lincoln Calling started when Jeremy Buckley was a college student who wanted more live music in Lincoln — so he built a festival. Nearly two decades on, it’s a multi-day autumn takeover: more than 100 bands and DJs across downtown venues, from time-honored stages like the Zoo Bar, Duffy’s Tavern, and Yia Yia’s to the Bourbon Theatre and open-air spots like the Nebraska Union greenspace. National touring acts share bills with Lincoln bands; the whole point is discovery.
The festival is nonprofit, produced with Hear Nebraska and The Bay, and it’s grown beyond music into a full cultural week — past editions have added a night market, skateboarding contests, maker’s fairs, workshops, and a serious zero-waste program with compostable everything. The all-access pass has historically stayed under $50, with single-day and single-venue tickets available.
If you want to understand Lincoln’s music scene, this is the week to visit. Check the lineup at lincolncalling.com, buy the pass early, and plan on hearing at least five bands you’d never heard of and now love.