MarthaEngel 

Summer. A beloved era of joy, sunshine, time and exploration. Summer provides a break from the monotony of school life and a chance to learn more about the world through time spent in new places with new people. Although there are many things that make summer truly amazing, there is one ultimate staple: concerts.  

For a few days last summer, Aksarben lit up with food trucks, a ferris wheel, booths and of course, a giant stage. The MAHA Music Festival, an Omaha tradition, has consistently brought music and end-of-summer joy to the area through concerts, food, and fun for the last 16 years. However, this year looks a little different: MAHA isn’t coming back, or at least for this year, but hopefully, it will return in the future.

Sophomore Madeline Bergmann, a MAHA enthusiast, loved her time at the festival in years past. Her favorite part was “just being there with the exciting and upbeat atmosphere,” she said. Because she’s “always gone to MAHA with friends,” Bergmann said, the experience is all the more fun. MAHA signifies spending time with friends at the ferris wheel, trying the food trucks and listening to new music. Since MAHA is usually at the end of July, it’s a way students can celebrate summer fun even as the school year looms closer.

For junior Rowan Hamm, MAHA was special because “you get to have an experience with a group of people, and you’re experiencing music together,” she said. The festival brought together the community under a shared love of music. 

MAHA is especially fun because “you can go with friends, it’s like a big social event and it’s something that people look forward to every year in the summer,” Hamm said. The social environment coupled with the music makes for a fun-filled few days.

“The energy of the concerts is just such a special experience, and I have always loved the МАНА headliners,” Bergmann said. Last year, artists such as Turnstile, Peach Pit and Big Thief played. In the past, artists including Lizzo, Beach Bunny and Weezer have taken the stage.

But the burning question is, will MAHA come back?

For Bergmann, “I do hope MAHA comes back. I think it was a really fun activity as summer starts to wind down. It’s really just a break from the fact that school starts in the next month,” she said. 

“I hope that MAHA does come back because I think that it was a good opportunity for local bands,” Hamm said. 

However, while MAHA may not be on the calendar for the upcoming summer, the third annual Outlandia festival in Bellevue is still scheduled for early August. To get a concert fix if you’re missing MAHA, this festival is always an option, as well as the countless smaller concerts in Omaha and larger festivals across the country. However you choose to celebrate music this summer, embrace the aspects of fun and community it brings.