Belgrade may be small enough to miss if you blink.
This holiday season, thousands of Nebraska travelers will have a reason not to.
The Homestead, a market and taproom that opened just months ago, has been selected as one of only 24 stops on the 2026 Nebraska Holiday Passport.
The statewide tourism program runs November 13, 2026, through January 10, 2027, sending travelers across Nebraska in search of unique destinations, local businesses and holiday experiences.
For Bob and Tonya Dodds, who opened The Homestead in May, being selected less than six months into business came as both a surprise and an opportunity.
The Homestead sits inside a building with more than a century of local history. Originally home to Farmers State Bank and later Belgrade’s post office, the building underwent an extensive renovation before reopening as The Homestead.
Today, the business combines a market featuring Nebraska-made products, home-raised meats and cottage-baked goods with a taproom serving Nebraska-brewed beer and other beverages.
But the Dodds say what visitors will find inside the building is only part of the story.
At the Homestead, local history matters and conversation with a stranger can last longer than originally planned. The Homestead now displays over 15 canvased images of Belgrades past on the walls and they all come with a story.
“That’s really what we want Passport travelers to experience,” Dodds said. “You can shop anywhere. You can get a drink anywhere. What we can give people is an experience that actually feels like small-town Nebraska.”
With travelers expected to arrive throughout the holiday season, The Homestead is challenging the community to make sure their arrival is memorable.
The business is personally funding a $1,500 Christmas lighting contest, that will hopefully encourage residents throughout Belgrade and the surrounding countryside to decorate their homes. Everyone with a Belgrade address qualifies.
The prize package includes $750 for first place, $500 for second, $250 for third.
The contest is being funded entirely by The Homestead as a thank-you to the community that supported the business during its first few months.
“We figured if Nebraska is coming to see us, we might as well light up the whole town,” Dodds said. “We want people to turn into Belgrade and wonder how this little town in the middle of Nebraska ended up going this big for Christmas.”
The hope is that Passport traffic extends well beyond The Homestead.
Visitors will be encouraged to explore Nance County and spend a little more time traveling the rural roads that connect some of Nebraska’s smallest towns. The Homestead will have a list of places to see, stay, and patronize while in the area, encouraging them to spend awhile.
For the Dodds, that may ultimately be the greatest opportunity created by being chosen for the Passport.
VisitNebraska.com has all the stops detailed in the holiday section of their website.
“We figured if Nebraska is coming to see us, we might as well light up the whole town,” Dodds said. “We want people to turn into Belgrade and wonder how this little town in the middle of Nebraska ended up going this big for Christmas.”
The hope is that Passport traffic extends well beyond The Homestead.
Visitors will be encouraged to explore Nance County and spend a little more time traveling the rural roads that connect some of Nebraska’s smallest towns. The Homestead will have a list of places to see, stay, and patronize while in the area, encouraging them to spend awhile.
For the Dodds, that may ultimately be the greatest opportunity created by being chosen for the Passport.
VisitNebraska.com has all the stops detailed in the holiday section of their website.