WAYNE, Neb.-- A northeast Nebraska college will welcome an American Idol winner this weekend. American Idol season sixteen winner Maddie Poppe will be performing a concert at Wayne State College this Friday.

This concert will serve as an ending to the school's first week of classes. Poppe will take center stage in the college's Willow Bowl Amphitheater to play for an anticipated full crowd.

Director of Student Activities and Student Center, Amy White, says, “Folks are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets, and those kinds of things come hang out camp out and get set up and with that kind of a crowd we can fit anywhere from two thousand to twenty-five hundred people at the Willow Theater.”

This concert has been in planning since last spring to secure the Idol winner despite her busy touring schedule. White says with all of their social media promotions for the event, they are receiving good feedback.

"There are some students who are super excited who are die hard fans of American Idol and super excited to have her come and put on a show here,” says White.

As last minute set ups continue for the upcoming event, engagement from students has sparked some drive into the activities board. The board plans to use this concert as momentum to grow even larger for future events.

“Our student activities board is looking to bring a spring concert an even bigger act and do an actual arena show this spring,” says White.

With more ideas to come Wayne State College plans on bigger and better events, but for at least this Friday Maddie Poppe will pop the stage. The free event is open to the public and will begin at 8 P.M. sharp for all you die hard Idol fans and music lovers.