Things to do in Omaha, Nov. 12–21

OMAHA - A three-day holiday market, lucha libre shows, a campus musical, a holiday ornament night and a JCRC community conversation fill the calendar through Saturday, Nov. 21.

Last updated 5:25 a.m. CT, Nov. 12.

All times Central.

Worship services and faith events for Nov. 8–14 are in our weekly faith guide.

Thursday, Nov. 12

• Curiosity Crew: LEGOs (Do Space) (official page), 10-11 a.m., Central Library, 7205 Dodge St., 2nd floor Littles Lab; children ages 2 to 6 and a caregiver build Lego cars; free; registration closed.
• Nights at The Joslyn (official page), 5-8 p.m., The Joslyn, 2200 Dodge St.; a free, drop-in evening on the theme of gratitude, with a 6 p.m. talk by the museum's chief curator and its contemporary art curator on artworks given by donors over the years, and a collaborative feather-and-serpent art project with Indigenous artist David Manzanares; food and drinks for purchase.

Friday, Nov. 13

• Omaha Holiday Boutique (official page), 10 a.m.-9 p.m., CHI Health Center convention center, 455 N. 10th St.; also 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15; a holiday gift market with more than 200 vendors, many with Nebraska roots.
• UNO Public Planetarium Show: One Sky (official page), 6:30 and 8 p.m., Durham Science Center, Room 135, 6601 University Dr. N.; also 4:30 and 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15; a fulldome show on how different cultures see the sky; $10 online.

Saturday, Nov. 14

• Lucha Libre with Latin Thunder (official page), 10-11 a.m., South Omaha Library, 2808 Q St.; the wrestler shows his moves and takes questions, then kids can decorate a luchador mask; free, all ages, with a parent or caregiver staying; no registration, but groups over 10 should call ahead.
• Learn to Play: Canasta with Elaine (official page), 10 a.m.-noon, Charles B. Washington Branch, 2868 Ames Ave.; Elaine Heath teaches the classic card game to families and newcomers; ages 8 and up; registration required at (402) 444-4849.
• Spark Studio (official page), 10:30-11:30 a.m., Milton R. Abrahams Branch, 5111 N. 90th St.; a hands-on STEAM program where kids build, design and explore; ages 7-12; registration required at (402) 444-6284.
• BioDiscovery Lab: Bioluminescence (official page), 11 a.m.-noon, Kiewit Luminarium, 345 Riverfront Drive; a hands-on workshop on living things that make their own light, with Metropolitan Community College; free with daily admission or membership; early registration required.
• The Plastics Puzzle (official page), 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Kiewit Luminarium, 345 Riverfront Drive; Keep Omaha Beautiful explains what the recycling numbers on plastics mean; free with daily admission or membership.
• Night Sky Adventure with Gifford Farm (official page), sessions at 1, 1:45 and 2:30 p.m., Saddlebrook Branch, 14850 Laurel Ave.; a mobile planetarium show on stars and constellations, plus themed crafts; free, ages 6-12, with a parent or caregiver staying; registration required for a time slot at (402) 444-5780.
• Lucha libre con Latin Thunder (official page), 2-3 p.m., Willa Cather Branch, 1905 S. 44th St.; a bilingual session of the same lucha libre program; free, all ages; online registration encouraged but not required.

Sunday, Nov. 15

• Bak to Basics: Chess for All Ages (official page), 1 p.m., Samuel Bak Museum: The Learning Center, 2289 S. 67th St.; a tour on how artist Samuel Bak uses chess, then a game; free; limited to 12, RSVP appreciated.

Monday, Nov. 16

• UNO Jazz Ensemble II and III (official page), 7:30 p.m., Strauss Performing Arts Center Concert Hall, 6305 University Dr. N.; two university jazz bands in concert; choose your own ticket price, $0 and up, with cash or checks at the door.

Wednesday, Nov. 18

• Bilingual Introduction to U.S. Citizenship (official page), 6-7:30 p.m., Downtown Branch, 1401 Jones St., Meeting Room 206; a bilingual overview of eligibility, the naturalization test and the Latino Center of the Midlands' citizenship classes and scholarships, with time for questions.
• Past, Present, Futures writing workshop with Noni Williams (official page), 6:30 p.m., Samuel Bak Museum: The Learning Center, 2289 S. 67th St.; a reflection and writing session where participants can share their own work; free; RSVP requested, limited to 25.

Thursday, Nov. 19

• Curiosity Crew: LEGOs (Do Space) (official page), 10-11 a.m., Central Library, 7205 Dodge St.; children ages 2 to 6 and a caregiver build Lego cars; free; full; registration closed.
• Teacher Nights (official page), 4:30-7:30 p.m., The Joslyn, 2200 Dodge St.; PK-12 teachers from Nebraska and western Iowa districts take a gallery session in the Café Society exhibition, then a 90-minute workshop; free; registration required, with online registration closing Nov. 16 or when full; walk-ins as space allows.
• JCRC Community Conversation with Dan Feferman (official page), 7-8:30 p.m., Staenberg Omaha JCC, 333 S. 132nd St.; "After the Elections: What's Next for U.S.-Israel Relations and American Jews?"; exact location provided at check-in; registration required; cost not stated; guests check in at the front desk.
• UNOTheatre: She Loves Me (official page), 7:30 p.m., UNO Weber Black Box Theatre, Weber Fine Arts Building, 6505 University Dr. S.; a romantic musical comedy; Nov. 19 is a preview night at $10, with general admission $20 for later shows, also at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 20-21 and 2 p.m. Nov. 22, then Dec. 3-6; UNO students are admitted free with a MavCARD.

Friday, Nov. 20

• Family Night: Holiday Edition (official page), 5-6:45 p.m., lobby of the Shirley Tyree Theater, The Union for Contemporary Art, 2423 N. 24th St.; families decorate Christmas tree ornaments to take home; free, with all supplies provided.

Saturday, Nov. 21

• Bilingual Pet Plushie Adoption Day / Día de Adopción de Peluches (official page), 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 (official page), 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.

Ongoing exhibits and activities

• The History of the Buffalo Soldiers (official page), (exhibition) through Jan. 2, 2027, Great Plains Black History Museum, 2221 N. 24th St.; the story of the Army's all-Black regiments formed after the Civil War; museum hours 1-5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday.
• Tuskegee Airmen & Those Who Served (official page), (exhibition) through Jan. 1, 2027, Great Plains Black History Museum, 2221 N. 24th St.; an exhibit on Tuskegee Airmen who called Nebraska home and on local African Americans who served in the military; museum hours 1-5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday.
• Day of the Dead / Día de Muertos (official page), (exhibition) through Nov. 21, El Museo Latino, 4701 S. 25th St.; ofrendas honoring loved ones; guided tours by advance reservation.
• Native American Heritage Month Story Walk (official page), through Nov. 30, Arches Playground, Gene Leahy Mall at The RiverFront; a story walk on the history and contributions of Indigenous people, open 5 a.m.-11 p.m. daily.

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

Source: Omaha Public Library: Curiosity Crew, Nov. 12; The Joslyn: Nights at The Joslyn; CHI Health Center: Omaha Holiday Boutique; UNO Events: One Sky; Omaha Public Library: Lucha Libre with Latin Thunder, South Omaha; Omaha Public Library: Canasta with Elaine; Omaha Public Library: Spark Studio; Kiewit Luminarium: BioDiscovery Lab; Kiewit Luminarium: The Plastics Puzzle; Omaha Public Library: Night Sky Adventure; Omaha Public Library: Lucha libre con Latin Thunder, Willa Cather; UNO Events: Past, Present, Futures programming; UNO Events: UNO Jazz Ensemble II and III; Omaha Public Library: Bilingual Introduction to U.S. Citizenship; Omaha Public Library: Curiosity Crew, Nov. 19; The Joslyn: Teacher Nights; Jewish Federation of Omaha: JCRC Community Conversation with Dan Feferman; UNO Events: UNOTheatre presents She Loves Me; The Union for Contemporary Art: Family Night: Holiday Edition; Omaha Public Library: Bilingual Pet Plushie Adoption Day, Willa Cather; Omaha Public Library: Winter Wildlife Survival, Florence; Great Plains Black History Museum; El Museo Latino: Day of the Dead; The RiverFront: Native American Heritage Month Story Walk.

How we checked this: Each event page and the Omaha Public Library's event listings were reopened the morning of Nov. 12, by 5:25 a.m. CT.