Plan ahead in Omaha: Nov. 21–Dec. 10

OMAHA — Neighbors gather at 24th and Lake on Dec. 5 for the 16th annual Christmas in the Village, and two days earlier the Great Plains Black History Museum on North 24th Street opens an exhibit on the history of Kwanzaa.

All times Central. Listings as of 4:20 p.m. CT, Nov. 10.

Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26, and Omaha Public Library locations are closed Nov. 26 and 27. Worship services and faith events are in our weekly faith guide.

Saturday, Nov. 21

• Bilingual Pet Plushie Adoption Day / Día de Adopción de Peluches, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Willa Cather Branch, 1905 S. 44th St.; children hear a read-aloud about pet adoption, then choose a plush animal to take home, with a collar, a house and an adoption certificate to make; ages 3-10, with a parent or caregiver staying; free; registration required, call (402) 444-4851 or email wc-managers@omahalibrary.org.
• Winter Wildlife Survival, 2-3 p.m., Florence Branch, 2920 Bondesson St.; Nebraska Wildlife Rehab shows how the state's native animals get through the cold months; ages 6-12, with a parent or caregiver staying; free; registration required, call (402) 444-5299 or email fb-managers@omahalibrary.org.

Tuesday, Nov. 24

• STEAM Teens: Zen Gardens Part 2 (Do Space), 4-6 p.m., Central Library, 7205 Dodge St.; teens 3D-print the objects they designed in Part 1; free; registration required, six seats.
• Faculty Recital: Dr. Season Cowley, clarinet, 7:30 p.m., Strauss Performing Arts Center Recital Hall, 6305 University Dr. N.; free; open parking on campus after 7 p.m. Accessibility: not stated.

Tuesday, Dec. 1

• The Birds Around Us: Nebraska Through a Different Lens, 10:30-11:30 a.m., W. Clarke Swanson Branch, 9101 W. Dodge Rd.; Gabriel and Jennifer Rivera share photos and stories of birds that live in or pass through Nebraska; best for ages 6 and up; free; no registration.
• Bridges Out of Poverty Workshop, 6-7 p.m., Central Library, Community Room C; adults; an hour with Omaha Bridges on how economic class affects individuals, families and communities, with a hands-on activity; no registration; cost not stated.
• UNO Choirs Concert, 7:30 p.m., Strauss Performing Arts Center Concert Hall; choose your own ticket price, $0 and up, with cash or checks at the door; open parking after 7 p.m. Accessibility: not stated.

Wednesday, Dec. 2

• Curiosity Crew: Penny Spinners (Do Space), 11 a.m.-noon, Milton R. Abrahams Branch, 5111 N. 90th St.; children build their own penny spinners in a hands-on lesson on physics and motion; ages 6 and under, with a parent or caregiver staying; free; registration required, 10 seats, call (402) 444-6284 or email ab-managers@omahalibrary.org.

Thursday, Dec. 3

• The History of Kwanzaa (exhibition), opens Dec. 3 and runs through Jan. 1, 2027, Great Plains Black History Museum, 2221 N. 24th St.; open Wednesday through Saturday, 1-5 p.m.; cost not stated, call (402) 932-7077. Accessibility: not stated.
• Senior Spotlight: Paint a Partner, 1-3 p.m., Central Library, Community Room A+B; pairs paint each other's portraits, with no art skills needed; adults 55 and older; free; registration required, 20 seats.
• Brick by Brick: Researching the History of Your Omaha Home, 5:30-7 p.m., Millard Branch, 13214 Westwood Ln.; how to use property records, maps and city directories to learn who lived in your house; adults; bring an address and, if you like, a laptop; registration required, 30 seats; cost not stated.
• Stage & Story, 6:30-7:15 p.m., Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St.; a pre-show discussion of the Playhouse's 51st-year production of A Christmas Carol; cost not stated, box office (402) 553-0800. Accessibility: not stated.

Friday, Dec. 4

• Holiday Cultural Festival, 4-9 p.m., The Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St.; part of the museum's Christmas at Union Station season; cost not stated, call (402) 444-5071. Accessibility: not stated.
• UNO Fall BFA Thesis and BASA Senior Exhibitions reception, 5-7 p.m., UNO Art Gallery, Weber Fine Arts Building, 6505 University Dr. S.; work by graduating art students; the gallery is free and open to the public, weekdays 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; free parking in the west garage. Accessibility: not stated.
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Dec. 4-20, opening at 6:30 p.m., The Rose Theater, 2001 Farnam St.; a puppet-filled stage musical of the 1964 TV special; $25 balcony, $30 main floor; ASL and audio description Dec. 12 at 2 p.m., a sensory-friendly show Dec. 19 at 10 a.m. and pay-what-you-can seats Dec. 11 at 6:30 p.m.; bring a children's book for the lobby book drive.
• A Charlie Brown Christmas, Dec. 4-20, Omaha Community Playhouse, Howard Drew Theatre; all ages, and everyone 3 and older needs a ticket; cost not stated, box office (402) 553-0800. Accessibility: audio description Dec. 12; relaxed performance Dec. 18.
• A Christmas Carol, Nov. 20-Dec. 20, Omaha Community Playhouse; cost not stated, box office (402) 553-0800. Accessibility: audio description Nov. 28; a relaxed, sensory-friendly performance Dec. 4; ASL shadow interpretation Dec. 13 at 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 5

• 16th annual Christmas in the Village at 24th & Lake, noon-5 p.m., 2401 Lake St.; the Empowerment Network's holiday gathering, with performances, children's activities, community resources, holiday treats and gift giveaways; also listed on the Great Plains Black History Museum events page; cost not stated. Accessibility: not stated.
• Black History: A Legacy of Achievement, 1-2 p.m., Downtown Branch, 1401 Jones St.; Dr. Cynthia L. Robinson and Karen Johns trace how UNO's Department of Black Studies began and the work of Black inventors; adults 19 and older; free; online registration encouraged, not required.
• Teen Poetry Bash, 1-4 p.m., Central Library, Community Room; coaches from the Nebraska Writers Collective's All Writes Reserved judge and host; poets in grades 8-12 who live in Douglas or Sarpy County must register to compete; listeners need no registration; cost not stated.
• The RiverFront Holly Days, Dec. 5, 4-8 p.m., and Dec. 6, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Heartland of America Park; hot cocoa, ice skating, a photo booth, ice sculpting and a Community Forest walk featuring local elementary schools; cost not stated. Accessibility: not stated.

Sunday, Dec. 6

• KETV Family Festival: Holiday Lights, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Downtown Branch; winter books, crafts and games for families; every child under 10 gets a free book while supplies last; cost and registration not stated.

Monday, Dec. 7

• Accessible Art, 6-7 p.m., Benson Branch, 6015 Binney St.; a relaxed, adaptable art session with a WhyArts teaching artist for people of all ages and abilities; free; registration required, call (402) 444-4846 or email bb-managers@omahalibrary.org.
• Genealogy Lab: MyHeritage Library Edition, 6-7 p.m., Central Library; a hands-on computer class on the library's free family-history tools; adults; bring a laptop if you like; registration required, 24 seats; cost not stated.

Tuesday, Dec. 8

• STEAM Teens: Blueprint Builders (Do Space), 4-6 p.m., Central Library; teens test their engineering skills building structures with Sphero kits; free; registration required, 10 seats.
• Irish Music With Harpist Kim Meyer, 6-6:30 p.m., W. Clarke Swanson Branch; all ages; free; no registration.
• Hanukkah Extravaganza, 6-8 p.m., KIPP Omaha; the Jewish Federation of Omaha's family celebration; $18 per family, including a kosher dinner, dessert and entry; all families welcome; registration required, space limited; venue address not stated, call the Federation at (402) 334-8200. Accessibility: not stated.

Thursday, Dec. 10

• Live @ LOW END: Chief Adjuah, 8-9:30 p.m., Bemis Center's LOW END, 724 S. 12th St.; the trumpeter and composer formerly known as Christian Scott; free admission, with tickets through the Bemis page. Accessibility: not stated.

New to Kwanzaa? The museum's exhibit traces the celebration's history, its seven principles and symbols and its founder, Dr. Maulana Karenga.

Register now

• Durham Museum Winter Camp, Dec. 21-23 and 28-30, 2026, and Jan. 4, 2027; for kindergarten through fifth grade, in two age groups; registration open now; prices and hours on the camp page.
• Hanuk-kits for classrooms, free Hanukkah teaching kits from PJ Library Omaha for public school classrooms, with books and games; the sign-up runs through Dec. 3; questions to Jonnie Robinson, (402) 334-6475.
• Into the Woods auditions, Omaha Community Playhouse auditions run Dec. 5-7 for its March 5-27, 2027, production; use the audition form on the Playhouse page.
• Seats are limited for the library classes above, including Zen Gardens, Penny Spinners, Paint a Partner, Brick by Brick, the Genealogy Lab and Blueprint Builders; register through each event page.

Have your say

• Omaha Public Schools Board of Education, Monday, Nov. 16, 6 p.m., after the board's American Civics Committee at 5:30 p.m., Teacher and Administration Center, 3215 Cuming St.; a board workshop follows Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. and the next meeting is Dec. 14 at 6 p.m.; meetings stream live on the district's page.
• Westside Community Schools Board of Education, Monday, Nov. 16, 6 p.m., ABC Building, 909 S. 76th St.; next meeting Dec. 7; open to the public.
• Omaha Public Library Board of Trustees, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 5 p.m., Downtown Branch, 1401 Jones St.; the agenda posts on the board's page.

To speak at a Westside board meeting, fill out a public comment card at the entrance and hand it to the recording secretary when the board calls for public comment; up to 30 minutes is set aside at each meeting.

All Omaha Public Library locations are wheelchair accessible, the library says. To request sign language interpretation or another accommodation for a library program, email NNovotny@omahalibrary.org at least five business days ahead.

Have an event, a local photo or a neighbor we should know about? Email editor@omahacommons.com.

Source: Omaha Public Library: Bilingual Pet Plushie Adoption Day, Willa Cather; Omaha Public Library: Winter Wildlife Survival, Florence; Omaha Public Library: STEAM Teens: Zen Gardens Part 2; UNO: Faculty Recital, Dr. Season Cowley; Omaha Public Library: The Birds Around Us; Omaha Public Library: Bridges Out of Poverty Workshop; UNO: Choirs Concert; Omaha Public Library: Curiosity Crew: Penny Spinners; Great Plains Black History Museum: exhibits and events; Omaha Public Library: Senior Spotlight: Paint a Partner; Omaha Public Library: Brick by Brick; Omaha Community Playhouse: A Christmas Carol; The Durham Museum: Christmas at Union Station; UNO: Fall BFA Thesis and BASA Senior Exhibitions reception; The Rose Theater: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer; Omaha Community Playhouse: A Charlie Brown Christmas; Empowerment Network: Christmas in the Village at 24th & Lake; Omaha Public Library: Black History: A Legacy of Achievement; Omaha Public Library: Teen Poetry Bash; The RiverFront: Holly Days, Dec. 5; The RiverFront: Holly Days, Dec. 6; Omaha Public Library: KETV Family Festival: Holiday Lights; Omaha Public Library: Accessible Art, Benson; Omaha Public Library: Genealogy Lab: MyHeritage Library Edition; Omaha Public Library: STEAM Teens: Blueprint Builders; Omaha Public Library: Irish Music With Harpist Kim Meyer; Jewish Federation of Omaha: Hanukkah Extravaganza; Bemis Center: Live @ LOW END, Chief Adjuah; The Durham Museum: Winter Camp; Jewish Federation of Omaha: Register for a Hanuk-kit; Omaha Community Playhouse: Upcoming auditions; Omaha Public Schools: Upcoming meetings and livestream; Westside Community Schools: Board of Education meeting dates; Westside Community Schools: Public comment at board meetings; Omaha Public Library: Board of Trustees; Omaha Public Library: 2026 holiday closures.

How we checked this: Reported from the Omaha Public Library's public events feed, read Nov. 10, 2026, at 5:47 a.m. CT, and from the organizers' event pages, the University of Nebraska at Omaha events calendar and the school districts' and library's board pages, opened Nov. 10, 2026, between 4:14 and 4:20 p.m. CT, and checked against the record by our copy desk before publishing.