The best of 11 states - here in NYC

With bonus factoids from our resident quizmaster, Noah Tarnow of the Big Quiz Thing (bigquizthing.com).

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band.

California | Illinois | Louisiana | Massachusetts | New Jersey
Texas | Hawaii | Colorado | Minnesota | Nebraska | Oklahoma

Nebraska

Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst and his indie record label, Saddle Creek, are straight out of Omaha. Revel in that sensitive cornhuskin’ sound on Saturday 4, when Oberst will headline the River to River festival’s free concert in Battery Park (State St at Battery Pl, enter at 20 State St; 212-360-3456, rivertorivernyc.com) with crooning heartthrob Jenny Lewis.

Thank Nebraska natives Edwin and Kitty Perkins for the 1927 invention of everyone’s favorite powdered drink, Kool-Aid! Satiate your taste for bug juice and stop by comfort-food joint Amy Ruth’s (113 W 116th St between Sixth and Seventh Aves; 212-280-8779, amyruthsharlem.com) for their “Kool-Aid of the Day” ($2.50)—because Purplesaurus Rex just tastes better when a grown-up serves it to you.

Nebraska native L. Ron Hubbard—not to mention Tom Cruise—would want you to take a free stress test in the Times Square subway station (1470 Broadway and 42nd St between the S and N/Q/R/W platforms); Scientologists hang there most weekends during peak tourist hours. Next, grab the 2/3 up to 110th St or down to Utica Ave and stroll up one of two Malcolm X Boulevards, as the civil-rights hero hailed from Omaha. In Harlem, shop the Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market (52 W 116th St between Malcolm X Blvd [Lenox Ave] and Fifth Ave; daily 10am–8pm) for traditional African arts and textiles. Down in Brooklyn, stop by the Brooklyn Rescue Mission’s second-annual Malcolm X Boulevard Community Farmers’ Market (Malcolm X Blvd between Chauncey and Marion Sts, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn; 718-363-3085; Sat 8am–1pm, July 11–Nov 7) for produce grown by local youth at Bed-Stuy Farm.

Fun fact: The tradition of Arbor Day began in Nebraska in 1872. So it’s got that going for it.

NEXT Oklahoma

California | Illinois | Louisiana | Massachusetts | New Jersey
Texas | Hawaii | Colorado | Minnesota | Nebraska | Oklahoma

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