KVNO

Blooms, Birds, Bees, and Butterflies, the Nature of Nebraska by Deb Kubik
2024-12-14 09:00 - 17:00, 2024-12-15 09:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft Street, Omaha, NE, 68108, United States
November 15 through January 2
Hours vary due to the garden’s holiday show, Bright Nights
On the gallery walls in the visitor and education center
Included with paid admission or garden membership. $15 + tax, $9 + tax for ages 3-12, free for ages 2 and under.
The exhibit will combine Deb Kubik’s love of nature and the beauty of Nebraska’s blooms, birds, and bugs in fused glass. Through fused glass the artist can develop a range of unusual qualities because of the way the medium captures the light and shadows. The layering of custom blends of colored glass frit, in multiple sizes and hues, results in the development of new colors and the creation of depth. The finished pieces will be both realistic and contemporary in nature and are both artistic and functional.

Family Workshop: Gingerbread House
2024-12-14 10:00 - 11:30 | Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft Street, Omaha, NE, 68108, United States
Enjoy an afternoon of classic holiday fun at Lauritzen Gardens! This workshop allows adults and children the opportunity to decorate their own gingerbread house to take home! One gingerbread kit, with lots of decorating options, will be provided per family (any combination of five adults and children, as long as one adult is participating). Celebrate the season and create sweet memories with this wonderful family activity!
$40, $30 for garden members. Pre-registration is required.

Blackstone 2nd Saturday
2024-12-14 10:00 - 23:59 | The Blackstone District, 3924 Farnam Street, Omaha, NE, 68131, United States
Stand-up comics from the Midwest (and beyond) are bound to leave you laughing like you never have before in this hour-long comedy showcase.

Location
Blackstone Theater, 68131

Young Artist Exhibition
2024-12-14 11:00 - 14:00 | Kent Bellows Studio, 3303 Leavenworth Street, Omaha, NE, 68105, United States
Opening Weekend

Under the Surface
Fri, Dec 13, 6–9 pm & Sat, Dec 14, 11 am–2 pm
This multidisciplinary exhibition, held at Kent Bellows Studio, 3303 Leavenworth Street, showcases work by The Joslyn’s Kent Bellow Mentoring Program fall session artists. Artwork sales benefit both the artist and the program. Come and show your support!
Admission is free and all are welcome.

2024 Regional Photo Biennial
2024-12-14 11:00 - 17:00, 2024-12-15 11:00 - 17:00 | Gallery 1516, 1516 Leavenworth St, Omaha, NE, 68102
There is something for everyone in the Regional Photo Biennial! Nine categories are represented, showcasing some of the best photography from the region of Nebraska, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, and Wyoming. This year’s exhibition features 91 photographers selected from nearly 400 entries!
All artwork is available for sale and 100% of the sale price goes directly to the artist! Gallery 1516 is a non-profit organization and does not charge commission fees for artists.

Physicians Mutual Omaha Symphony Christmas Celebration
2024-12-14 14:00, 2024-12-14 19:30, 2024-12-15 14:00 | Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St, Omaha, NE, 68102, United States
Omaha’s biggest holiday performance returns! Maestro Ernest Richardson, the Omaha Symphony, and a stellar cast of singers and dancers send your spirits soaring with festive favorites and Christmas classics. Enjoy performances by dazzling community partners on and off stage. The Holland Center shines with festive decorations that make the entire experience perfect for celebrating the holiday season.

A Christmas Story: The Musical
2024-12-14 14:00, 2024-12-14 17:00, 2024-12-15 14:00 | The Rose Theater, 2001 Farnam St, Omaha, NE, 68102, United States
Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul.
Book by Joseph Robinette.
Based on the motion picture A Christmas Story.
PRODUCED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT WITH DRAMATIC PUBLISHING, WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS
Join Ralphie Parker on his quest for the Holy Grail of Christmas gifts – a Red Ryder air rifle. This musical adaptation of the beloved movie brings all the classic laughs of Flick getting his tongue stuck to a flagpole, Dad getting his special award, a disastrous visit to Santa and many more to life onstage. Bring your family together this winter to experience the universal triumphs of childhood as seen through the eyes of a very special nine-year old.

A Very Special Holiday Special
2024-12-14 14:00 | Shelterbelt Theatre, 4383 Nicholas St STE 204, Omaha, NE, 68131, United States
A Very Special Holiday Special is an evening of 8 short plays by Shelterbelt Alum Mark Harvey Levine. Full of humor and heart, it’s like Christmas and Hanukkah got together to tell stories and have a laugh.
Directed by D. Scott Glasser and Steve Krambeck; Featuring Connie Lee, Moira, Nick LeMay, Moira Mangiamelli, Roz Parr, Christopher Scott, and D. Kevin Williams
Show Dates / Times:
Thursdays and Fridays – December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20 at 7pm
Saturdays – December 7, 14, 21 at 2pm
Sundays – December 8, 15, 22 at 6pm

Joy to the World! A Free Holiday Concert
2024-12-14 14:00 - 15:00 | Bellevue East High School, 1401 High School Dr, Bellevue, NE, 68005, United States
The United States Air Force Heartland of America Band will present a series of FREE family concerts entitled “Joy to the World!” This production features a variety of classic holiday tunes and movie music to get you and your family in the festive spirit. Come celebrate the holiday season with the USAF Heartland of America Band! Reserve your FREE ticket today using the link provided.
When: Friday, Dec. 13 @ 7:00pm
Saturday, Dec. 14 @ 2:00pm
Sunday, Dec. 15 @ 2:00pm
Monday, Dec. 16 @ 7:00pm
Where: Bellevue East High School ( Dec. 13-15) & Iowa Western Community College (Dec. 16)

PACE | Youth Painting
2024-12-14 14:30 - 16:00 | Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center, 1001 South 6th Street, Council Bluffs, IA, United States
Calling all budding Picassos and Monets! Dive into a world of vibrant colors and endless possibilities in our youth painting classes designed specifically for young artists.
What They’ll Explore:

Mastering the brush: Learn different brushstrokes and techniques to create textures, patterns, and stunning effects on your canvas.
Color magic: Discover the joy of mixing colors and creating their own unique palettes.
From abstract to realistic: Explore different painting styles, from abstract expressionism to still life realism, and find their own artistic voice.
Acrylic adventures: Experiment with acrylic paints, a versatile medium perfect for beginners and experienced artists alike.

More Than Just Painting:

Develop your creativity and imagination as you translate your ideas and emotions onto canvas.
Learn about famous artists and their techniques, and draw inspiration from their masterpieces.
Discover the power of color and how it can evoke different moods and feelings.
Make new friends and share your artistic journey with other young painters.

Take home:

Your own beautiful paintings, each a unique expression of your creativity.
A newfound confidence in your artistic abilities and a love for painting.
Memories of a fun and inspiring learning experience.

The Nutcracker
2024-12-14 14:30 - 19:30 | Orpheum Theater, 409 S 16th St, Omaha, NE, 68102, United States
Visual splendor, a charming story, and brilliant classical dancing – it’s no wonder The Nutcracker is the world’s favorite holiday ballet! Always thoroughly entertaining, this dazzling spectacle highlights the versatility of American Midwest Ballet’s cast of professional artists, backed by a polished ensemble of student dancers from across the metro area. The Nutcracker features lavish sets and more than 250 beautiful costumes. Due to popular demand, we’ve added extra performances this season!

Lights and Libations
2024-12-14 16:30 - 21:00 | Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft Street, Omaha, NE, 68108, United States
Join us on select nights during Bright Nights as we treat guests to evenings full of lights and libations! On December 6, 7, 13, 14 and 20, bars will serve up an array of cocktails, beers, and wines. Stroll through the indoor gardens, drink in hand, while enjoying the illuminated displays. Great for date night or for a cheerful night with friends and family.
All ages may attend these evenings, but guests must be 21 with a valid ID to enter the bar area. Advance timed tickets for Bright Nights are required for entry (prices vary by date).
Festive drink menu:
Adult Hot Chocolate $6
Decadent hot chocolate spiked with RumChata. Boozy and creamy!
Cranberry Aperol Spritz $5
A festive combination of cranberry, Prosecco, and Aperol. Fancy and flavorful!
Spiked Apple Cider $5
Hot apple cider spiked with Fireball Cinnamon Whisky. A classic winter warmer!
Merry Mixed Drinks $5
Have the bartender mix up your own merriment.
Featured Festive Beers $4
Kinkaider’s Snow Beast Winter Ale – Creamy ale with strong vanilla flavor and aroma
Kros Strain Inflatable Snowman – Lager with cranberry and cinnamon
Other Beer Selections $4
Wine $4
Soda $1
Happens on the following Dates:
Dec 6, 2024, 4:30pm to 9:00pm Timezone: CST
Dec 7, 2024, 4:30pm to 9:00pm Timezone: CST
Dec 13, 2024, 4:30pm to 9:00pm Timezone: CST
Dec 14, 2024, 4:30pm to 9:00pm Timezone: CST
Dec 20, 2024, 4:30pm to 9:00pm Timezone: CST

Bright Nights at Lauritzen Gardens
2024-12-14 16:30 - 21:00 | Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft Street, Omaha, NE, 68108, United States
Enjoy festive food and drinks, including s’mores, from Abraham Catering and J’s Coffee (additional fees apply).
Late arrivals are not guaranteed entry.
Parking is free.
Tickets are non-refundable and are non-transferable.
In the event that Lauritzen Gardens must cancel the event, the ticket holder will be notified (via the email or phone number used at the time of purchase) and tickets will be rescheduled for another evening.

Special Engagements
Family Fun Nights:

All aboard for an evening of festive fun for families! Watch model trains, hear a seasonal story, complete a craft, play games, get your face painted, and enjoy other activities and entertainment that fit the theme of each family fun night.
Activities run from 4:30 to 9 p.m. and are included with a ticket to Bright Nights

November 27 and December 27: Merry Music & Art
December 1 and 8: Holiday Express
December 11 and 12: Wild about Animals
December 17 and 18: Magic of the Season
December 30 and 31: Winter Carnival

Santa Stops Here:

Share wishes and spread cheer with Santa on December 1, 6-8, and 11-23
Activities run from 4:30 to 9 p.m. and are included with a ticket to Bright Nights

Lights and Libations:

Bars will be open, serving up an array of cocktails, beers, and wines, on December 6, 7, 13, 14, and 20 from 4:30 to 9 p.m.
All ages may attend these evenings, but guests must be 21 with a valid ID to enter the bar area.
Great for date night or for a cheerful night with friends and family.
A Bright Nights ticket is required for entry. Drink prices vary.

Illuminate Inclusion
2024-12-14 17:00 - 21:00 | Zorinsky Lake Park, 3808 S 156th St, Omaha, NE, 68144, United States
Grab your hot chocolate, load the family into the car, and drive thru the Illuminate Inclusion holiday light display at Lake Zorinsky! Illuminate Inclusion is a family-friendly, socially distant fundraiser to build the first accessible and inclusive playground west of 84th Street, at Lake Zorinsky.
You can catch the light display on December 13 & 14, 2024 from 5-9 pm each night at the waterpark entrance off of 156th Street at Lake Zorinsky. We will be accepting donations to help make the accessible and inclusive playground at Lake Zorinsky a reality!
2024 Illuminate Inclusion Sponsorship information is located below. Please contact us at imagineinclusioninc@gmail.com with any questions.

Yesterday and Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience
2024-12-14 19:30 | Slowdown, 729 N 14th St, Omaha, NE, 68102, United States
Yesterday and Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience is a unique concert experience that puts YOU in control. Performed by brothers Billy, Matthew and Ryan McGuigan and their band, the show relies on you to choose the entire setlist. Before the show starts, you are asked to fill out a request card with your name, favorite Beatles song, and the reason why you chose that song. Minutes before the show starts, these cards are collected and a custom setlist is created based on these requests. Throughout the night, the band weaves your personal stories, and the McGuigans’ own heartfelt memories attached to the Beatles’ music, into the performance, creating a one-of-a-kind narrative that makes every show different. Yesterday and Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience is an engaging, interactive celebration where your memories, the McGuigan brothers’ passion, and the timeless songs of the Beatles come together in an unforgettable way.
THE VENUE:
The Slowdown, 729 N 14th Street, Omaha, NE
Slowdown is an ALL AGES venue. This is a seated show.
SHOW DATES:
Friday November 29
Saturday November 30
Friday December 6
Saturday December 7
Sunday December 8
Friday December 13
Saturday December 14
Friday December 27
Saturday December 28
Sunday December 29
All shows are at 7:30pm. Doors open at 6:30pm.
SEATING OPTIONS:
Pit & Pitside – Reserve your row or pitside. Seats within your reserved row or pitside are first come first pick the night of the show. You are guaranteed seats in your reserved row or pitside.
General Admission/Balcony – Located at the back of the venue and in the balcony. Seating is limited. Seats are not guaranteed.
TICKET PRICES:
$25 General Admission/Balcony
$40 Reserved Pit
$60 Reserved Pitside
12 ticket maximum per order. Click here to see the venue seating map. Have a group of 13 or more? Reach out to kate@billymcguigan.com for group reservations.

A Christmas Carol
2024-12-14 19:30, 2024-12-15 14:00 | Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass Street, Omaha, NE, 68132
It just isn’t Christmas without A Christmas Carol! Experience Omaha’s favorite holiday tradition as Ebenezer Scrooge takes us on a life-changing journey to discover the true meaning of Christmas. The must-see holiday event for the entire family is filled with stunning Victorian costumes, festive music and magical scenery.
*Special Event – Not part of the regular season series.
OCP will offer a special performance of A Christmas Carol featuring multiple ASL interpreters dressed in light costumes who shadow performers on stage. This season’s Shadow-Interpreted Performance of A Christmas Carol is Sunday, Dec. 8, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. Please call the OCP Box Office at (402) 553-0800 for more information.

Girls Like Us: A Little Naughty, Mostly Nice!
2024-12-14 19:30, 2024-12-15 14:00 | Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass Street, Omaha, NE, 68132
It’s never too early to get into the holiday spirit. Join Chicago cabaret favorites Laura Freeman, Beckie Menzie and Marianne Murphy-Orland as they sing favorite holiday tunes and spread cheer! Laugh at the stresses of the season and bask in the joy of holiday traditions with favorites such as “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “O Holy Night” and “Merry Christmas, Darling.”
*Special Event – Not part of the regular season series. This show will also perform on Wednesdays in the Howard Drew Theatre.

CHANTICLEER COMMUNITY THEATER White Christmas
2024-12-14 19:30, 2024-12-15 14:00 | Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center, 1001 South 6th Street, Council Bluffs, IA, United States
DEC 12-15 & 19-22 >> Thu-Sat 7:30PM & Sun 2PM
Get ready to experience the magic of the holiday season with Chanticleer Theater’s White Christmas the Musical at the Hoff Center! This heartwarming production will take the stage from December 12-15 & 19-22, showtimes are Thursday-Saturday at 7:30PM and Sundays at 2PM.
Based on the beloved film, this musical brings to life the timeless story of love, laughter, and holiday cheer. Veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis have a successful song-and-dance act after World War II. With romance in mind, the two follow a duo of beautiful singing sisters en route to their Christmas show at a Vermont lodge, which just happens to be owned by Bob and Phil’s former army commander. With a dazzling score featuring well-known standards including “Blue Skies,” “I Love A Piano,” “How Deep Is the Ocean” and the perennial title song, White Christmas is an uplifting, wholesome musical that will delight audiences of all ages.

A Remarkable Series of Ordinary Events at Holiday Tower
2024-12-14 19:30 - 21:30 | Benson Theatre, 6054 Maple St, Omaha, NE, 68104, United States
Brigit St Brigit and Benson Theatre continue their delightful tradition of mixing holiday folklore, classic stories, cultural celebrations, and original ideas with an all new script, new players, and more!
You know Ol’ St. Nick and possibly Krampus, but ever heard of Mari Lywd, the horse skull who wants your beer? How about the glowing-eyed Yule Cat who devours those without new clothes on Christmas Eve? A demonic Yule Log, anyone? BSB and Benson are back at it for the holidays with a brand-new bag!
Mischief, Merriment, Mirth, Mayhem, and Mitzvahs! The individuality and creativity of 7 writers from vastly different backgrounds and traditions comes together in one wide-ranging, full length play. A Remarkable Series of Ordinary Events at Holiday Tower is equal parts comedy, drama, whimsy, and wonder– a tale for the holidays about a community of friends and family (found and otherwise), told by a collective of like-minded artists.
THE STORY: ​​​​ Holiday Tower is a staple of the neighborhood. It’s been standing as long as anyone can remember. It not only boasts a diverse community, but houses tenants possibly ripped straight from the pages of folklore and myth. Or folks who just really like role playing. As the divergent and eclectic residents attempt to share their common room and celebrate a multitude of holidays on one night (Christmas Eve, of course!), we peer into individual apartments at various points throughout the year. A collection of snapshots revealing individual lives delineated by the holidays that define a year.
THE STORIES, CHARACTERS, AND INSPIRATIONS
Working as a group this summer, the creative team behind A Remarkable Series of Ordinary Events at Holiday Tower collectively penned a full-length, fully formed play celebrating collaboration and communication. The diverse minds, people and cultures depicted in the play are reflections of the individual writers that made up the collective. The story is equal parts funny, sentimental, spooky, heart-warming, and thoughtful– everything you’ve come to expect from BSB and Benson Theatre’s Holiday Lights tradition.
Theatre is greater than the sum of its parts. It is unavoidably a looking glass into its makers, and if done well, something in which every audience member can see a bit of themselves, as well. The same holds true for healthy, thriving communities. This universality is something that has been baked into every BSB production since its inception over thirty years ago. It has become our tradition at the end of every year to present a show celebrating, with laughter and love, a cocktail of tradition with something new. Join us in December to revel in all the crazy, wonderful, unbelievable, touching, and yes, joyful things that make us different… and very much the same ?
Show Dates: December 12-22, 2024 (Thursdays-Sundays)
Tickets: General Admission $35, Seniors/Students/Military $30

Needle Felting: Snowman
2024-12-15 12:00 - 16:00 | Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft Street, Omaha, NE, 68108, United States
Join Rhonda Berman of Zipply Art to create an art piece adding a new twist to needle felting. In this class, participants will create a holiday ornament.
An outline design is made when a zipper is sewn onto wool felt. Wool roving is added using the technique of needle felting. Then the piece is adorned with embellishments as desired. Students will learn also how to prepare a zipper, apply a pattern, embellishment tips and finishing options.
Pre-registration is required. $40, $30 for garden members.

Pressed and Framed Flora Workshop
2024-12-15 13:00 - 15:00 | Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft Street, Omaha, NE, 68108, United States
This pressed flower workshop will introduce participants to the art and science of preserving botanical elements through flattening and drying techniques. Attendees will learn different pressing methods, explore composition strategies, and leave with a unique, nature-inspired keepsake, each framed and mounted on handmade paper by FlightPath Press.
Holly Lukasiewicz with District 2 Floral Studio will guide participants through this process.
$65, $55 for garden members. Pre-registration is required.
