Ak-Sar-Ben’s River City Roundup is underway at the Qwest Center. Millions of pounds of dirt and thousands of head of livestock now fill both the arena and the exhibition hall.

The Purina Mills Animal Zone in the exhibition hall gave some 3rd graders from St. Bernard School a chance to see and touch farm animals.

"Well I've been looking at some little chicks, goats, some puppies, pigs. And well, that's pretty much it," said 8-year-old Ethan Wetzel.

Three sows ready to give birth are also on display. Dennis Toalson is a livestock instructor at Southeast Community College in Beatrice. "Her water broke about 8 o'clock this morning it looks like. And she's showing other signs of getting ready to give birth. But she's never seen this many people in her life. She's probably not seen over five people in her life. So to have several hundred people around watching her has made her a little nervous."

More than 1,000 4-H competitors will take part in this weekend’s event as well.

"We've just been coming to this ever since I was five years old,” says 19-year-old Jamie Stark of Plainview, Nebraska. “I've got two older brothers who did it before me. And my dad did it back in the day."

Greg Racicky brought his wife, Joyce, daughter, Haley, and three sons, Seth, Blake, and Chase with him to the 4-H competition. "It's a good youth event. It's a good experience for 4-h kids; and just to see that our animals can compete against the rest of the state."

More than four million pounds of dirt have been piled in the Qwest Center arena for the marquee event of the weekend. The PRCA’s Justin Boots Championship Rodeo runs Thursday through Sunday and offers a million dollars in prize money.

The rodeo is the last stop on the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour before the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas this December.

Admission into the River City Roundup is free, except for the rodeo and concerts.