Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Roca Berry Farm
Roca, NE
We’re thrilled to present the 2026 Flatwater Free Press Festival, an evening where we celebrate Flatwater’s 5th birthday. We will eat, drink, hold a Q-and-A with legendary journalist George Packer and have a kickin’ barn party, Flatwater style. Come celebrate while supporting the present and future of Nebraska news.
2026 Flatwater Festival Details
It’s our annual ticketed celebration, FlatFest, held this year at the lovely Creekside Barn, an indoor-outdoor venue at the Roca Berry Farm, just minutes south of Lincoln.
We’ll have food, drinks, music, merriment, a September Nebraska sunset and multiple chances to chat with FFP journalists and ask questions about their work.
We’ll also have a one-of-a-kind conversation about the present and future of news as Flatwater editor Matthew Hansen interviews famed Atlantic journalist and award-winning author George Packer. Packer, previously a New Yorker staff writer, has won a National Book Award and twice been a Pulitzer finalist during a long career covering American foreign policy, the Iraq War and the decades leading us to present-day America. His new novel, released last November, is called, “The Emergency.”
Featured Guest
George Packer
George Packer is a staff writer at The Atlantic. He’s the author of 10 books and the recipient of the 2013 National Book Award for “The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America.”
His nonfiction book, “The Assassins’ Gate: America in Iraq,” which details the aftermath of the United States’ 2003 invasion of Iraq, was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
His new dystopian novel, “The Emergency,” published in November 2025, has been hailed as a “A propulsive Orwellian novel” and “a knockout,” by Publisher’s Weekly and “a richly detailed adventure,” by Bloomberg.
Before joining The Atlantic, Packer was a staff writer for The New Yorker for 15 years. He writes about American politics, culture and foreign policy.
Festival Venue
Roca Berry Farm
Creekside Barn at Roca Berry Farm, built in 1917, was one of the first barns in Lancaster County. The barn once housed horses and hay, and now is a one-of-a-kind spot for celebrations like Flatfest. It features chandeliers, a full bar, a private parking lot and a stunning 3,100 square-foot deck guarded by towering oaks and overlooking Salt Creek.
Roca Berry Farm — Creekside Barn
16531 S 38th St, Roca, NE 68430
Become a Sponsor
Your sponsorship will help the Flatwater Free Press convene hundreds of informed and engaged Nebraskans for conversation about the vital role of independent journalism in sustaining The Good Life.
Thank you to the following Festival sponsors
Highlights from Flatwater Festival 2025
FlatFest 2025: Nebraska’s Future takes center stage
From the economy to the state’s shifting demographics, officials and experts weighed in on Nebraska’s future during the third annual Flatwater Free Press Festival. Held at Creighton University, the afternoon of discussions touched on the future of Omaha, philanthropy, Nebraskans, the economy, lead pollution and media.
Sept. 17, 2025
Creighton University and Kiewit Luminarium
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