eginning Friday, September 19th, the public will have its first chance to check out the $291 million 'Qwest Center Omaha' when the annual River City Roundup comes to town. The 10-day

	Omaha's annual River City Roundup fair and festival will take place this year at the new convention center from September 19 through the 28th.

celebration runs September 19 - 28th and for the first time will include the Douglas County Fair and events that used to take place at the county fairgrounds.

194,300 square feet of the convention center will be transformed into a huge barn where many of the events will take place.

This year's festival also includes some new events that have not taken place before such as the Xtreme Bulls Tour on September 24th. This national competition will feature 35 bull riders who will be competing for a $75,000 purse.

Omaha will be the last stop on a 10-city tour for the nation's top cowboys as they participate in the Pace Picante Pro Rodeo Challenge September 25 - 27th.

For those railroad enthusiasts, Union Pacific Railroad will be sending a passenger train to the festival for the first time since 1991. The railroad's Challenger Steam Locomotive No. 3985 will

	Union Pacific Railroad's historic Challenger steam locomotive No. 3985. (photo UPRR)

leave Gering, NE on September 24th and arrive in Omaha the next day. Visitors will then be allowed to take a tour of the train.

There is also a great line-up of entertainment scheduled: Ten Nugent (September 24th), Brooks and Dunn (September 25th), Lisa Marie Presley (September 26th) and Rascal Flatts (September 27th). Tickets for the concerts are $42 for the lower bowl seating and $22 for the upper bowl.

Starting off the celebration on Friday, smell the aroma of fresh barbecue being cooked up as you mingle with 100 of the area’s top smokers as they’re “Q’in’ on the Mighty Mo” and competing for the prestige of being the Greater Omaha Barbecue Society’s and River City Roundup Fair & Festival’s grand champion winner.

The River City Roundup parade takes place on Saturday, September 20th at 10 a.m.. This will be followed by a balloon glow and fireworks display later that evening.

Qwest Center Omaha is located at 455 N. 10th St.. Parking at the convention center is $6 or you can take a shuttle bus from the Crossroads Mall for $1 per person each way. Buses will run every 15 minutes. Admission to the fair and festival exhibits is free. There is a $2 charge to enter the carnival area. 

For all other ticket information, please call (402) 554-9610 or visit the following website for more information and additional scheduled events - www.rivercityroundup.org