HERO area
Popcorn Pop-Up is the best hour of the week - an afternoon social hour with 100s of Huskers.
It’s free and every student, staff, and faculty is welcome.
Snack on fresh-popped popcorn directly from the kettle. Join in the activity while learning about campus organizations and departments. Mingle with friends and new acquaintances.
Join the Crowd
Every Thursday
3 to 4 p.m.
@ Nebraska Union's The Crib
* during the academic calendar year only. Excludes holiday breaks and the summer term, unless otherwise noted.
What to Expect
Always FREE popcorn.
Always FREE drinks.
and a NEW activity each week.
Enjoy fellowship, laughter, friends, and smiles.
The activity will change weekly. It might be trivia, or maybe a sport, a craft, or karaoke.
There will always be fresh popcorn, including special mix-ins.
Really, how BIG is the Pop-Up?
On average, 239 individuals check in during the 1-hour timeframe each week.
The inaugural pop-up on Feb 6, 2025 attracted 96 people. It has only grown in popularity since that day.
Single-day attendance record: 303 individuals (achieved on Feb 5, 2026)
Get your free Pop-Up Cup
Each first-time attendee receives a FREE reusable yellow Popcorn Pop-Up Cup.
Be sustainable. Hang on to your yellow cup. Bring it to subsequent Popcorn Pop-Ups to refill with popcorn treats.
Check in with Event Pass
As you enter this event, have your individualized UNL EVENT PASS ready to be scanned.
Download your pass in less than 1 minute from your NvolveU account and save it to your Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.
VIDEO: Downloading your EVENT PASS
Upcoming Dates + Activity Hosts
Taking a break for the summer
Popcorn Pop-Up will not meet April 24–Sept 2, 2026 during the summer term.
Weekly events resume on Sept 3, 2026.
Activity Hosts for each week to be announced in the near future.
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SEP 3, 2026
SEP 10, 2026
SEP 17, 2026
SEP 24, 2026
OCT 1, 2026
OCT 8, 2026
OCT 15, 2026
OCT 22, 2026
OCT 29, 2026
NOV 5, 2026
NOV 12, 2026
NOV 19, 2026
DEC 3, 2026
Golden Kernel Club
Earn your spot in the Golden Kernel Club
To recognize and honor frequent attendees.
How to become a member:
- Go to the weekly Popcorn Pop-Up.
- At the check-in table, scan your individual Event Pass to officially record your attendance.
- Attend ten (10) Popcorn Pop-Ups to become an official member. Attendance does not have to be consecutive weeks.
- Once your attendance count is verified and you become a member, you will receive an exclusive stainless steel Golden Kernel Club Cup, and your name will be added to the Golden Kernel Club's roster.
Golden Kernel Club Members
Fall 2026
Spring 2026
131 members
Aaron De La Torre • Ada Aljabiri • Aditya Tadepalli • Ahmed Javed • Alexandra Gryczanowski • Allie Woolworth • Anna Hoffman • Anna White • B Littman • Bailey Urkoski • Benjamin Morgan • Bhuwanraj Singh Parihar • Brandon Fogel • Brandon Muff • Bryse Patz-Masters • Camden Gregg • Camille Andelt • Caroline Belleque • Cathy Gubbels • Charlotte Kramer • Christopher Dulak • Ciara Blaber • Colin Mahon • Collette McCurdy • Dakota Taylor
Dani Gibson • Danica Holt • Dee Dee Anderson • Dexter Gubbels • Dixon Janney • Eden-Hardt Wilder • Edwin Salgado-Martinez • Elijah Shaul • Emily Binder • Emily Klesner Platt • Emma Hebda • Eric Einspahr • Faith Obrerhor • Gautam Takoo • Giselle Liew • Grace Gilroy • Grace Slater • Grant Hunter • Hayden Hudson • Heather Snodgrass • Hieu Diep • Ivy Zhan • Jackson Hatcher • Jacob Vollbrecht • Jaiden Coltrane
Jared Christensen • JD McCown • Jenna Wakefield • Jennifer Hellwege • Jenny Lara-Patino • Jimmy Truong • Joe Brownell • Joel Puchalla • Jon Shields • Jordan Ashmore • Jordan Heim • Kaarina Meyer • Katelyn Billups • Katelyn Fryzek • Kenji Madison • Kenna McNeal • Kenna Turner • Kenzie Sheridan • Kishan Agrahari • K'Lee Dunn • Laila Doyle • Lauren Sieck • Leah Castillo • Lila Luft • Lily Dohmen
Lisa Hilzer • Liz Stevinson • Lizzie Vietz • Logan Moseley • Lydia Coulson • Madison Haring • Madison Schnacker • Mallory Brennan • Manisha Manu • Maryam Al Rubaye • McKinley Morgan • Megan Becker • Meilyn Jung • Michael Herz • Natalie Frederick • Nazli Ramirez • Nhi Nguyen • Nicholas Ampimah • Nikki Sander • Noah Dameier • Oddine Kyavuma • Olivia German • Olivia Paysen • Pareena Ponniah • Peter Trage
Phuoc Bao Ngoc Duong • Porter Friskopp • Prachi Sarwara • Rachel Larson • Reagan Maulick • Rhonda Taylor • Robert Schmidt • Rosabelle Hoffelt • Ryan Lahne • Ryan Patrick • Sabyasachi Mohanty • Sam Fields • Samarpan Mohanty • Sarah Elftmann • Sarah Farritor • Sasha Beale • Shanza Malik • Skylar Carlson • Stuti Sitesh • Sunayana Malla • Sydney Schumacher • Sydnie Blanchard • Tiffany Royal • Tony Rathgeber • Tyson Walter
Ummah Nisat • V Gallardo • Vanessa Vaught • Victor Soria • Victoria Adomako • Will Nitzschke
* Bold Names are the newest members as of April 23, 2026.
Fall 2025
91 members
Aden Minchow • Alex Berry • Alex Lupori • Alex McMurchie • Alexis Mendez Santiago • Allie Whalen • Amorese Avila • Amy Stewart • Andie Barefield • Anthony Rubek • Ayela Ruiz • Bre Sabin • Brett Tomjack • Brooke O'Connor • Carl Mangold • Cat Dinh • Charles Morgan • Chloe Fitzgibbon • Claire Schaunaman • Clark Schulte • Cooper Morgan • Daniel Gonzalez • Danielle Elsasser • Drishti Takoo • Dylanne Hatfield
Elizabeth Buescher • Emily Drain • Emma DeShon • Emine Alp • Domonique Cudjo • Gabriel Spray • Gianna Zitella • Gideon Casimiro • Grace Clark • Izzy Lewis • Jenny Bowen • Jessie Matthes • Jesus Campos • Josie Golka • Journey McManus • Justin Brown • Kailyn Drain • Karen Wills • Kashish Nangia • Kathar Chuol • Katherine Ortiz • Kayla Woodruff • Kyla Patel • Laurel Hogan • Lauren Haring
Liberty Stuart • Logan Livers • Lulu Diaz-Aldama • Luzelena Moreno • Madaux DeLong • Madeline Condon • Madie Beasley • Makenna Zimmerman • Marcos Ortiz Ibarra • Marcus McCaskill • Mia Personelli • Molly Clark • Molly Edwards • Nancy Anderson • Natalie Hill • Nathan Ertzner • Nathan McCormick • Nick Stefanik • Nina Marie Kudlacz • Olivia Cupp-Whiteman • Oluwatobi Tevoedjre • Paige Knebel • Paula McKillip • Robert Coleman • Rosella Zaske
Sarah Frances Brown • Scott Nester • Shannon Hays • Steven Semadeni • Sydney Metzler • Teddi Humphrey • Teresa Calafiore • Titus Willems • T.J. McDowell • Tori Riggs • Travis Nguyen • Vivian Landis • Yael Nolan • Yannis Melessike • Yashvi Patel • Zoe McManaman
13 of the 15 inaugural inductees in the Golden Kernel Club. November 13, 2025.
Questions? Connect with Karen Wills kwills2@unl.edu | 402-472-9749
Subscribe to the Popcorn Pop-Up Newsletter in Outlook
"Yellow Cup" Reuse
Every week, a dedicated portion of regular attendees return to the Pop-up with their reusable yellow cup, helping to curb the event's waste footprint.
Attendees have returned more than 180 surplus yellow cups via the recycling initiative and 169 cups have been put into recirculation.