MAHA FESTIVAL Returning in 2025, Combining Forces With OUTLANDIA

Icky Blossoms @ 2023 Maha Festival (photo credit: Jenna Hynek)

Festival to return to its roots at Omaha’s The RiverFront, with assist from original founders

Omaha, Nebr., Dec. 3, 2024 — Omaha’s premier nonprofit music festival, Maha, is coming back in 2025 with a return to its downtown roots. It will be held August 2, 2025, at Omaha’s renovated Heartland of America Park at The RiverFront. The festival started along Omaha’s riverfront in 2009 and will celebrate its 16th festival in 2025 after taking the past year off to rework the festival’s operating model and explore opportunities to ensure Maha’s future vibrancy and long-term success.

Maha’s original four founders have returned to the festival. Mike App, Tre Brashear, Tyler Owen, and Mike Toohey started Maha as a volunteer-powered celebration of music and discovery. As Maha grew and found new leadership, the foursome worked with Omaha-based 1% Productions to start another music festival, Outlandia, in 2022. They have decided to end Outlandia and recombine efforts with Maha.

“We’re so excited to get the band back together,” said Maha co-founder Tyler Owen. “We’ve always been big believers in the importance of having a locally-run, locally-supported music festival. Reuniting with Maha and bringing it back to our roots at Omaha’s newly renovated RiverFront is the best way to keep an outstanding summer music festival in Omaha.”

Maha Festival has contracted with 1% Productions to produce the event. 1% Productions is known for producing hundreds of shows in Nebraska each year and has a history working with both Maha and Outlandia. MECA, which oversees The RiverFront, is another key partner in bringing Maha back to the area.

Maha Festival Board President TJ Twit said the public can expect announcements on performers and other details about Maha 2025 in the coming months.

“It has been great working with Maha’s founders to get the festival back on track for 2025,” said Twit. “Tyler and I have been working since August to bring back this great Omaha summer tradition, and things are coming together quickly.”

Maha is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on bringing people together by curating and producing cultural experiences that positively impact the city of Omaha. Since 2009, Maha Festival has welcomed hundreds of music acts, dozens of speakers, and attendees from all 50 states. Additional details about Maha can be found at MahaFestival.com.