What started as a new idea built around hockey, community, and Nebraska’s Arbor Day spirit became something truly special because of all of you.

This year’s Twig Fest brought together more than 100 young hockey players and families for a weekend full of competition, laughter, friendships, and unforgettable memories at Baxter Arena. From first-time full-ice players to championship celebrations, the energy all weekend long reminded us exactly why we love this game and this community.

Most importantly, Twig Fest was able to give back.

Thanks to your support, we proudly raised:

• $250 for the Down Syndrome Association for Families (DSAF)
• $550 for PlantNebraska

That means this tournament helped support both youth hockey families and environmental education efforts right here in Nebraska — something we’re incredibly proud of.

We also want to give a huge thank you to the amazing partners who helped make the experience memorable for every player:

• Howies Hockey Tape for providing swag bags for every participant
• Betty Rae's Ice Cream for the free scoop cards that made every kid smile
• Berry's Necessi-tees for the awesome on-site merchandise and apparel printing throughout the weekend

We’ve also spent time reviewing the feedback shared by families after the event, and we appreciate the honesty and encouragement. Families overwhelmingly highlighted the fun atmosphere, unique tree-themed experience, strong community feel, and the chance for kids to simply enjoy hockey in a low-pressure environment.

At the same time, we heard the concerns about schedule delays, communication during the tournament, locker room logistics, and ice conditions. As a first-year event, there were definitely lessons learned, and we’re already discussing ways to improve timing, game flow, communication updates, and between-game experiences for families moving forward.

What means the most to us is that so many families said they would return and recommend Twig Fest to others because of the atmosphere, creativity, and focus on making hockey fun again.

That’s exactly what we hoped to build.

Thank you to every player, coach, volunteer, sponsor, parent, referee, and supporter who helped bring Twig Fest to life. We’re grateful you believed in the vision, rolled with the bumps along the way, and helped create something unique for Nebraska hockey families.

We can’t wait to keep growing it together.