Things to do: Activities and events in the Omaha metro, April 24-26
Earth Day celebrations, free admission at Lauritzen Gardens, Benson Film Festival, more
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Here’s a list of activities and events coming up in the Omaha metro this weekend.
Three Earth Day celebrations take place across Omaha on Saturday. Conservation Day runs from 12-4 p.m. at Heartwood Preserve. Earth Day at The RiverFront takes place along in Lewis and Clark Landing. Earth Day Omaha runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Elmwood Park. Activities include informational booths, educational exhibits and presentations on sustainable living, reducing waste and conserving energy. All events are free and family-friendly.
The Benson Film Festival will run Friday through Sunday at the Benson Theatre. The lineup includes 52 films from local, national and international filmmakers in categories including narrative, documentary, animated, experimental, and student films. The festival offers “Saturday Morning Cartoons” with free coffee, pastries and a cereal bar, plus a video art installation, live art sessions, after-parties and pop-up events. Filmmakers will participate in Q&A sessions.
This weekend is the first full weekend of events at Omaha’s new Central Library. Come celebrate Día de los Niños / Día de los Libros with free performances and activities:
- 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Baile folklórico performance by the Hispanic Arts Center of Omaha
- 1:30-2:30 p.m.: Wrestling superstar Latin Thunder will visit
- 2-4 p.m.: Papel picado drop-in exhibition in the Children’s Area
- 3-3:30 p.m.: Omaha Public School Mariachi Band performs
- 4-4:30 p.m.: Live performance from Bryan High School Corridos Club
The Backline Comedy Theatre in downtown Omaha will present six different shows this weekend. Friday events include improv with “Backline’s Best” show at 7 p.m. and “ Third Wheeling with Throuple Threat” at 8 p.m., as well as the comedy show “Crowd Control” at 9:30 p.m. On Saturday, catch “Mett Geiler’s Mixtape” at 7 p.m., “Bad Pitches” at 8 p.m., and “Everything, Right Here, All At Once” at 9:30 p.m.
Lauritzen Gardens will have a free admission day on Friday in celebration of Arbor Day — Nebraska’s homegrown holiday. Stop by anytime from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and take in spring color across more than 20 garden spaces. While you’re there, check out “TROLLS: Save the Humans” by artist Thomas Dambo, hunt for trees throughout the gardens, and spend time playing in Sofia’s Play Garden.
FREE EVENTS
- Arbor Day celebration at Central Park East in La Vista at noon Friday
- Family Night at the Union for Contemporary Art from 5-7 p.m. Friday
- Grand opening and free food at Crisp & Green at 16902 Wright Plaza from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday
- Family Science Night at Southeast Community College gym from 5-8:30 p.m. Friday
- Ridin’ High performs at The Spillway in Council Bluffs at 6 p.m. Friday
- Celebrate Arbor Day with City of Omaha Parks and Rec Department at Prairie Lake Park at 1 p.m. Friday
- Service Day clean-up at Lake Cunningham from 9-11 a.m. Saturday
- Sweat and sculpt plus free samples at Crisp & Green at 16902 Wright Plaza at 9 a.m. Saturday, must register
- “Free Day” at all parks in Pottawattamie County on Saturday
- Cat Cafe with Felius at the Bennington Library from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday
- Doggy Barket at Dewey Park in Midtown Crossing from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday
- Super Mario Party at the Gretna Public Library from 1-3 p.m. Saturday
- “Meet the Supernovas” autograph signing at Heights Draft Room in La Vista at 3 p.m. Sunday
ENTERTAINMENT
- Star Wars traveling exhibit at the SAC Museum, Friday through Sunday
- Family-friendly improv at 7 p.m. and stand-up comedy show at 8:30 p.m. Friday at Blackstone Theater
- Monty Python Holy Grail / Role Models and The Mummy/They Will Kill You at the Quasar Drive-in Theater at 8:10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
- Harland Williams at the Omaha Funny Bone at 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Friday, and 6:30 and 9:15 p.m. Saturday
- Dial “M” for Murder at the Omaha Community Playhouse, Friday through Sunday
- La Casita at QVole dance club starting at 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday
- Roller skating at the RiverFront Skate Ribbon from 2-9 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
- Romeo and Juliet at UNO’s Weber Fine Arts Building at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
- The Great Race at the Rose Theater at 6:30 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
- Rookie of the Year movie showing at Film Streams Dundee Theater at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday
- Omaha Broadway Bar jazz set at Red Lion Lounge from 7-9 p.m. Saturday
- Salsa dancing + social night at Barnato from 7 p.m. to midnight Sunday
- Hamilton drag brunch at the Omaha Funny Bone at 2 p.m. Sunday
OTHER HAPPENINGS
- Collective for Hope’s Comfort Food Classic at Zenia Omaha, doors open at 5:30 p.m. Friday
- Tours and tastings at Lucky Bucket Brewing Company at 4 p.m. Saturday, must book tour
- Negro Motorist Green Book at the Durham Museum, open Friday through Sunday
- High tea at the Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel from noon to 4 p.m. Friday, 2-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
- Last weekend of Nelson Produce Farm’s Tulip Festival, Friday through Sunday
- TROLLS: Save the Humans at Lauritzen Gardens from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday
- Make A Wish’s Blue Jean Ball at Embassy Suites La Vista at 5:30 p.m. Saturday
- Blue Jeans & Dreams Benefit by HETRA at 10130 S 222nd St in Gretna at 5 p.m. Saturday
- Beep baseball clinic and game for the blind/ visually impaired at Off the Wall Soccer at 10 a.m. Saturday
- UNO’s 2026 Maverick Run for women’s athletics at 9 a.m. Saturday
- Pancake Fundraiser at St. John’s Lutheran Church from 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday
- Flea spring market at Albany and Avers from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday
- Journey to the Amazon with the Omaha Symphony at the Holland Center at 2 p.m. Sunday
- Last weekend of "Finding Titanic: The Secret Mission" at Kiewit Luminarium, Friday through Sunday
- Brick Days at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday
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