HASTINGS, Neb. (WOWT) - This day in 1998 marked the start of Hastings’ Kool-Aid Days .

The powder was invented in Hastings in 1927, but the exact date isn’t clear.

The creator, Edwin Perkins, originally created a drink called “Fruit Smack,” but the bottles were heavy, so he removed the liquid and re-branded it.

Because Kool-Aid was cheap and easy to distribute, many could still afford it during the Great Depression .

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