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Omaha Events
Omaha: A Magical City: Calendars jam-packed with holiday events Omaha
is a magical city during the holidays. Starting Thanksgiving Day and stretching
beyond New Year's Day, there is something to do and something to see every
hour of the day.
Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo 'Holiday WildLights'
Thousands of people show up each year to catch sight of "Holiday WildLights,"
a glowing display of animated figures created out of holiday lights.
• Where: 3701 S. 10th St.
• When: Daily Friday, Dec. 14-31. (The zoo will be closed
Dec. 24 and 25).
• Admission: $1 admits visitors for a walking tour from 5
p.m.-8 p.m.
• Information: www.omahazoo.com
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Holiday
Lights Festival
A million lights will turn downtown Omaha into a holiday wonderland
following the annual lighting ceremony Thanksgiving night in the Gene
Leahy Mall. Thousands gather each year for the 6 p.m. ceremony that
is followed with fun activities for families.
• 7 p.m. — Concert at the Holland Performing Arts
Center.
• 7:15 p.m. — Premiere of "Little House Christmas"
at The Rose Theater.
• Ice show and public skating at the Civic Auditorium.
• Dec. 9 — Holiday Condo Tour of nine decorated
downtown and Old Market residences.
• Dec. 16 — Holiday Lights Family Festival.
Families can catch a shuttle to visit downtown arts and cultural organizations
from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Wells Fargo, the day's sponsor, will have its stagecoach
on display. Free.
• Music takes over the Mall and Old Market on Saturday
nights until Christmas. An hour of "Sounds of the Seasons" starts
at 7 p.m. with choral groups and musicians strolling beneath the sparkling
lights of downtown Omaha.
• When: Through Jan. 6.
• Where: Gene Leahy Mall, downtown Omaha.
• Information: www.holidaylightsfestival.org; 345-5401
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Christmas
at Union Station
Join in the countdown to the lighting of the city's largest live indoor
tree at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The lighting ceremony has been a tradition
in Omaha since 1931 when the Durham Western Heritage Museum was Union
Station, a railroad station. The ceremony is 4 p.m.-7 p.m. and kicks
off six weeks of holiday events at the museum.
• Nov. 30: Ethnic Holiday Festival with food, arts and
crafts and cultural performances.
• Dec. 1-Dec. 16: Magical Weekends. Santa and Mrs. Claus
visit and local groups perform in front of the tree on weekends.
• Dec. 15: 10 a.m.-noon for ages 5-7; 1 p.m.-3 p.m. for
ages 8-12. During "Deck the Halls," children learn about holiday traditions,
make crafts and start a family tradition. The Holiday Miniatures display
is open until Dec. 30.
• Where: Durham Western Heritage Museum, 801 S. 10th St.
• Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Wednesday to Saturday; and 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Closed Mondays and
Thanksgiving and Christmas.
• Admission: Free for members and children age 2 and under;
$7 adults; $6 seniors 62 and older; $5 children ages 3-12.
• Information: Visit www.dwhm.org or call 498-5071.
Joslyn's 'Holiday Under Glass'
Enjoy holiday music during the lunch hour weekdays in December in
Joslyn Art Museum's glass atrium. Youth choirs and instrumental groups
perform in Café Durham, where lunch is available for purchase
from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tours of special exhibits and the permanent collection
may follow some concerts.
• Concerts: Noon-12:45 p.m., Tuesday-Friday, Dec. 4-21.
• Where: Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge St.
• Admission: Concert free with museum admission: $7 adults;
$5 seniors age 62 and older and college students with ID; $4 ages
5-17; free ages 4 and younger and Joslyn members.
• Information: www.joslyn.org or 342-3300. |
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Mannheim
Steamroller Christmas Concert
Mannheim Steamroller will perform in 13 cities before returning to its hometown
of Omaha on Dec. 26 for a show at Qwest Center Omaha.
This year's concert will feature music from Mannheim Steamroller's new Christmas
CD, "Christmas Song."
Costumed characters — snowmen, gingerbread men, toy soldiers and elves
— will roam the lobby and be available for photographs.
• Tickets: Qwest Center Omaha box office; Ticketmaster outlets;
or www.ticketmaster.com.
An Omaha Tradition — 'A Christmas Carol'
"A Christmas Carol" has been performed for 32 seasons at the Omaha Community
Playhouse. This year's production features new sets, costumes and technology
as Scrooge and Christmas Past fly over the stage. Look for a surprise at
the end of the show.
• Where: Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St.
• When: Through Dec. 23: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday; and 2
p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sundays.
• Tickets: $39 each for adults and $24 for students. Group purchases
of 15 or more are $32 for adults and $18 for students.
• Information: Box office, 553-0800; 1-888-782-4338; or www.omahaplayhouse.org.
Lauritzen Gardens' Holiday Poinsettia Show
The Holiday Poinsettia Show features a spectacular display of 3,000 poinsettias,
including a 20-foot-tall poinsettia tree. Antique sleighs, decorated trees
and a circling model train enhance the holiday mood.
Visitors also can stroll the 100-acre garden or have lunch at the café,
which will be open from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Kenefick Park featuring Centennial
and Big Boy, the largest locomotives powered by Union Pacific, also will
be open.
Other events: Holiday concerts at 2 p.m. on the first four Sundays
of December; several programs for children; and a holiday gift-wrapping
workshop Dec. 11. Workshop requires preregistration.
• Where: Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St.
• When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily Friday through Jan. 6 (closed Christmas
Day).
• Admission: $7 for adults and $3 for children ages 6-12 and
free for members and children under age 6.
• Information: 346-4002; www.lauritzengardens.org. |
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Christmas
with the Omaha Symphony (Clay Aiken, too)
Acoustics at the Holland Performing Arts Center will bring out the
best of the Omaha Symphony in its annual performance of classical
and modern Christmas music. The traditional sing-along, led by conductor
Ernest Richardson and TV personality Dave Webber, will put the audience
the holiday spirit.
• When: 8 p.m. Dec. 14 and 15 and 2 p.m. Dec. 15 and 16.
• Tickets: $15-$80.
• Clay Aiken concert — The symphony welcomes "American
Idol finalist" and singer Clay Aiken for a one-time performance at
8 p.m. Dec. 21 the Orpheum Theater.
• Tickets: $25-$125. Call the Symphony box office, 342-3560;
Ticket Omaha, 345-0606; or visit www.omahasymphony.org. |
'The
Imperial Nutcracker' at the Orpheum
A world premiere of "The Imperial Nutcracker" with new sets, costumes
and choreography by the Omaha Theater Ballet plays at the Orpheum
Theater, Nov. 29-Dec. 2.
• When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday.
• Tickets: $29-$40. Order online at www.ticket oomaha.org
or call 345-0606.
'A Little House Christmas' at The Rose Theater
Based on Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House on the Prairie" children's
books, the play is about a family who is worried about
their missing father. A surprise visitor helps reunite them.
• Where: The Rose Theater, 2001 Farnam St.
• When: Through Dec. 22; 7 p.m. Fridays; 2 p.m.
Saturdays and Sundays. Special Thursday performances at 7:15
p.m. Nov. 22 following the Holiday Lights Festival and 7 p.m.
Dec. 20.
• Tickets: $16; $13 with voucher from Hy-Vee Food Stores.
To order, visit www.rosetheater.org or call 345-4849.
Girls and Boys Town Celebrates Christmas
A first stop is the Hall of History to see what the very first Christmas
was like when Father Edward Flanagan founded his home for boys just
before Christmas 1917.
Viewing is 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-4
p.m. Sundays through Dec. 31. Closed Christmas Day.
There is no charge.
A special public celebration of Boys Town's 90th anniversary is Dec.
12 at the Hall of History.
From Dec. 1 through Dec. 7, visitors are welcome to spend an "Irish
Christmas at Father Flanagan's House." The historic home will be adorned
with handmade Christmas decorations like those from Flanagan's Irish
childhood, along with Christmas quilts, antique ornaments and toys.
Flanagan lived in the house from 1927 to 1941.
The lighting of the Village of Boys Town Christmas tree is Dec. 2.
Crèches will be displayed near the village tree, on top of
the music hall and in Dowd Chapel.
• Where: Boys Town, 137th Street and West Dodge Road.
• Hours: 10 a.m. -4 p.m. Outside that week, tours are
by appointment. Call 498-1186.
• Information: www.girlsandboystown.org. |
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19th Century
Holiday at General Crook House
Ten Christmas trees decorated as they would have been in 1879 when
the Crook House was built and period costumes like those worn at Victorian
holiday parties set the scene for an old-fashioned Christmas. Visitors
can enjoy hot cider and cookies daily and live holiday music on weekends.
• Where: General Crook House, 30th and Fort Streets.
• When: Through Dec. 31.; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through
Friday; 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
• Admission: $6 adults; $4 students; $3 ages 6 to 11.
Free for members and children under 6.
• Information: www.omahahistory.org. |
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