The weekend is almost here, and there are many free (or almost free) fun family activities both locally and nationally to enjoy! Be sure to visit the Event Calendar (or the calendar list view on the right of this page) for more information on ALL of the free activities coming up! It is always a good idea to verify with the business before visiting.
Don’t miss:
- 10 Free Activities to Beat the Heat
- City of Omaha Extended Pool Season Hours and Cheap Admission
- Free Summer Activities in Omaha
- Free Family Activities in Omaha
- More Free Upcoming Events in Omaha and Nationwide
Highlights of Upcoming Local Events
Kindergarten Traffic Training – 8/1-8/3
- The Omaha Police Department will host the 60th Annual Kindergarten Traffic Training at Westroads Mall 8/1-8/3, 10am – 3pm, at the Upper Level near the Children’s Play Area. The training is provided at no cost to participants. All parents having children entering elementary school for the first time are urged to participate, and each child that completes Kindergarten Traffic Training will receive a FREE admission pass to Rave Cinemas – Westroads 14 + D-Box!
The Rainbow at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts
- Current drought conditions throughout the Midwest have been called the worst in a generation. Due to The Rainbow’s dependence on rainwater, planned twice daily rainbow events have been scaled back. Check here for updated schedule.
- July 12th – August 16th. Thursdays, Venue opens at 5 PM, Concert starts at 7 pm.
- The Omaha Downtown Improvement District Association (DID) will offer FREE activities and mini events all summer at the Gene Leahy Mall! Activities will be held from 5:30-6:30 p.m., Mondays-Thursdays during the months of May, June, August and September at 14th & Farnam Streets.
- Mondays – Family Fun
- Tuesdays & Thursdays – Boot Camp Exercise Classes
- Wednesdays – Arts & Culture
- No sales tax, including local option sales tax, will be collected on sales of an article of clothing or footwear having a selling price less than $100.00.
- Held the first Friday of each month, 6-9pm, First Friday is a free event celebrating local creativity in Omaha’s most historic neighborhood. They are also offering free parking and free rides on Ollie the Trolley, 6-9pm. Nebraska at the Market, 1215 Leavenworth, is generously offering their 60 parking spaces for free. Park there and start your walking tour or hop aboard the trolley to circulate the neighborhood.
- Learn what makes sharks so cool at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo in celebration of Shark Week on 8/4 and 8/5 from 9am-3pm. There will be special Keeper Question and Answer sessions, a shark feeding at 1:30 p.m. (Saturday only) and educational activities. Event activities are free to Omaha’s Zoo members or with regular paid Zoo admission.
- Coming to Oak View Mall, Saturday, August 4th ~ Back-to-School Kids Fest. A free 3-hour family event for families with children 2-12 years old, with a back-to-school theme. Includes music, dancing, crafts, games, face painting and prizes. August 4th, 1-4 pm, Lower Level Younkers Court.
- Bring your kids and golf for free! There will also be free hot dogs, chips, pop, bounce house, and climbing wall.
- 8/4 – Warren Swigart Golf Course, 3-5pm
- Free Event from 9pm-11:30pm! Join us as we take a closer look at Mars underneath the night sky. This is also an opportunity to look at the planet Saturn and other spectacular objects through a number of powerful telescopes. If you haven’t had the opportunity to check out our Suited For Space and Great Balls of Fire exhibits, now is your chance!
- Spend your afternoon from 1-4pm hopping from station to station – gathering facts and making art along the way – during this free, fun day inspired by trains and travel. Be sure to visit the exhibitions inspiring the day: The Great West Illustrated and Contested Terrain. Enjoy art-making, music, and more during an afternoon of free admission at the Museum!
Midtown Crossing Monday Night at the Movies – 8/6
- Weekly inspirational sports-themed movies will be shown in Turner Park. The movies are free and open to the public and sponsored by Marcus Midtown Cinema. Grab your blanket, enjoy some popcorn, sit back and relax as we laugh, cry and become inspired all summer long! Movie starts at dark.
- August 6, 2012 – The Blind Side
- FREE, Fun Events All Summer Long! Bring your family and enjoy Summer Nights on Wednesday evenings at the Kroc Center, 6:30-8pm. Meet new people and have fun with your children while enjoying a new free activity each week. Kroc Center members and non-members are all invited to join the fun!
- 8/8 – Omaha Conservatory of Music performance featuring the Frontier String Ensemble — enjoy great music and find out about free music lessons for children starting in the Fall!
- Shadow Lake Towne Center offers Kids Club, a FREE hour of fun for children. A different activity is featured in a different store / restaurant each month. Register early since these tend to fill-up quickly!
- Thursday, August 9th – 10:30am at the SprayGround, featuring live entertainment by the String Beans.
- Follow the yellow brick road to Borsheims at Regency to see The Wizard of Oz film for FREE with your family. To attend, RSVP to [email protected]. Snacks are permitted, you bring your own chairs and enter through Borsheims. In addition to seeing the movie, you’ll meet Wizard of Oz characters who are making a special trip from The Omaha Children’s Museum to Regency Court! Arrival begins at 5pm. Movie starts at 6pm.
- All concerts and movies this summer will begin at 7 pm, and take place outdoors at the La Vista Public Library, 9110 Giles Road.
- August 10th – Bluehouse / Three Musketeers
- Omaha Performing Arts brings back Cox Music & Movies! Enjoy live music from some of the area’s hottest bands followed by a classic movie, all in the Holland Center Courtyard. Venue opens at 7:30pm, music starts at 7:45pm, and movies begin at dusk. This will be held on the Holland Center East Lawn, at 12th & Douglas Streets. FREE and OPEN to the public! A menu of à la carte items will be available the day of the show. Blankets and chairs welcome. No pets or outside food permitted. PLEASE NOTE: This is a rain or shine event. Event will move to the covered arrival plaza (directly next to the courtyard) in the case of rain.
- August 10 – Raiders of the Lost Ark
- Gates open at 7:30 with cartoons starting as soon as the sun sets. The feature movie starts at twilight. Before each Movie 7:45 – 8:45 Sumtur Amphitheater hosts SHOW US WHAT YOU GOT PAPILLION! Four 15 minute slots per night to show your stuff. One winner each night moves on to the finals August 10th for a $250 winner-takes-all grand prize. Sing, Dance, Play an Instrument, Tell Jokes. All forms of family entertainment welcome.
- Puss In Boots – 8/10
- Hey kids, before the bell rings for your first class this school year, visit Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo on Saturday, August 11, 2012, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for one last hurrah. Get in the school spirit by hanging out with local mascots while learning at the Zoo without sitting at a desk. Event activities are free to Omaha’s Zoo members or with regular paid Zoo admission.
Highlights of Upcoming National Events
- Home Depot offers FREE kid’s workshops on the first Saturday of each month, from 9am-12pm. They are designed for children ages 5-12. Workshops teach children do-it-yourself skills and tool safety. All participants will receive a Kids Workshop Apron, commemorative pin and certificate of achievement.
- 8/4 – Build a Cork Bulletin Board
- Free event at 3pm! Let us inspire you with fun, easy, and healthy lunch ideas for your kids! Join us at our store for expert tips, recipes, and games that will make mealtime less hectic and a lot more fun.
- National Night Out is an annual nationwide event that encourages residents to hold a block party, get to know their neighbors, build community, and promote crime prevention. See information for Omaha here.
- Lowe’s offers free Build and Grow clinics every other Saturday at 10am and Sunday at 2pm. Bring the kids to any Lowe’s store to build fun projects. This is recommended for children in grades 1st-5th. Registration opens a few weeks before each clinic’s date.
- Shrek Dragon Ride – 8/11, 10:00 AM
- Shrek Dragon Ride – 8/12, 2:00 PM
Which event are you most looking forward to this weekend?