Events

Bennington Library Community Partners

Pancake Pig will visit for a special storytime! Children of all ages are welcome. Experience stories, creative movement, music and more. We explore the early literacy skills of singing, playing, reading, talking, and writing in each storytime. There will be opportunities to take photos.

It's a bird, it's a plane ... no, it's Fontenelle Forest's Raptor Rescue! Join us for a high-flying storytime featuring guests from the rescue.

Let the sun power your creepy crawly creation! Build your own solar-powered robo-roach and watch it scurry when the light hits. Registration is required for this event.

Poop, vomit, slime, and even more amazing disgusting topics will be explored as we learn about some of the grossest (and coolest) animal traits. Join OPL and educators from the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium to learn about mammal digestion and discover why scientists use poop to track animal migration patterns.

Join for Community Fishing Night at Prairie Queen Lake! All participants ages 16 and older need a fishing license. A valid state park entry permit is also required for events at state park areas.

Experience stories, creative movement, music and more. Explore the early literacy skills of singing, playing, reading, talking and writing in each storytime! Children of all ages are welcome; storytimes will be tailored for the age of the children present. At this storytime, we will learn about fire safety with a local firefighter and even see a fire truck!

In order for curious minds to bloom, it is essential to plant a love of reading at a young age. Join OPL at Lauritzen Gardens for stories that celebrate gardens, plants, insects and more, and discover the joys of nature, movement, music, and literature. Storytime is geared for preschoolers, but all ages are welcome. Lauritzen Gardens will offer free admission to families who attend this storytime.

Pancake Pig will visit for a special storytime! Children of all ages are welcome. Experience stories, creative movement, music and more. We explore the early literacy skills of singing, playing, reading, talking, and writing in each storytime. There will be opportunities to take photos.

Join children’s book illustrator, Chloe Burgett, as she shares what it's like drawing pictures for children's books. Chloe will present about her job, read her book, answer questions, and lead a draw-along activity. This is a free event event for children of all ages. Registration is required

Oh no! We're stuck in the past! Or is this the future? Work together to find hidden relics from each era and fix the T.I.M.E machine before that hungry dinosaur eats you for dinner. Do you have what it takes? Registration is required 

Fairytale Ball Family Fun Weekend

All Ages. End Summer Reading with an outdoor bubble party!

Absolute Science’s Bubble Stations is one of the largest mobile bubble programs in the United States. The hand-made bubble solution makes bubbles not only bigger, but longer lasting! With hundreds of wands of different shapes and sizes from all over the world, this program is a wonderful hands-on experience that brings out the child in all of us! We’ll also be joined by the Parks & Recreation Rec on the Move program with their Imagination Playground blocks, games, and tons fun!

Join Friday, July 18th at 11AM for a Smurf-sized celebration of the brand new Smurf movie! 🎬🎉
Kids can make their very own DIY Smurf Sensory Bin filled with blue rice, magical mix-ins, and surprise Smurfy treasures! 🌲✨ It’s hands-on fun perfect for little creators and big imaginations! This is a FREE all ages event. First come, first serve, while supplies last! We recommend coming at 10 AM (open) to reserve your spot, as spaces are limited and they fill very quickly!

Unleash your creativity by making a one-of-a-kind monster! Use colorful 3D printer scraps, googly eyes, glue, and glowing LEDs to bring your beastie to life. Registration is required for this event.

Laugh and be dazzled by Jeff Quinn's amazing magic (and silly antics)! No library card or registration required.

On July 19, the topic will be cicadas! Groove to nature’s noisiest concert. From underground hideouts to sky-high serenades, we’ll uncover the world of these buzzing bugs. The event will be held at the pavilion east of the Caboose Park.

Pancake Pig will visit for a special storytime! Children of all ages are welcome. Experience stories, creative movement, music and more. We explore the early literacy skills of singing, playing, reading, talking, and writing in each storytime. There will be opportunities to take photos.

Sprinkle on some pixie dust and fly on by for a Neverland adventure at Fat Brain Toys! There will be a real mermaid, a real pirate, plus a fun craft activity to make and take home. Just remember: think happy thoughts!

Visit with multiple local rural fire departments, law enforcement, OPPD, and other valuable safety entities to learn about fire safety awareness, along with firefighter and law enforcement job duties. Bring the kids out for fire truck rides, free food, face painting, a seatbelt simulator, and much more! Meet Smokey the Bear & Sparky. A valid state park entry vehicle permit is required. This event will be held at Fremont SRA Meeting Facility #16.

Celebrate Parks & Recreation Month – “Build Together, Play Together” with ice cream, music, and playing outside!
Build your own FREE ice cream sundae, listen to live acoustic music and play in the park. This event is open to everyone from 1 – 3 p.m., invite your neighbors.

Jeff Quinn's all-new magic show needs YOU! Get your friends and family together and join Jeff Quinn's Summer Reading Show. This is a free event for all ages.

Get ready for an exciting night of hard-hitting action as No Coast Roller Derby presents a thrilling Home Doubleheader! Join for two action-packed games featuring some of the best roller derby teams around.

Let's go on a bug hunt!!🕵️‍♀️ Create your very own Bug Garden Sensory Bin.🐛 Then dig in and feel all the creepy crawly textures, observe your insects with a magnifying glass, and of course catch your bugs with the mini net!! This is a FREE, all ages event! First come, first serve, while supplies last!! We recommend coming at 11 am (open) to reserve your spot as spaces are limited and they fill very quickly!

Celebrate books and the end of summer at an afternoon of outside festival fun, themed on Laura Numeroff’s picture book series “If You Give A Mouse a Cookie”. There will be games and activities, big trucks, face painting, glitter tattoos, and a special storytime featuring Pancake Pig. Meet us in the parking lot to join the fun! Pancake Pig’s storytime will be held inside the Library Administrative Building at 2 p.m. This is a free event for all ages. All crafts and activities available while supplies last.

A beloved chapter in Nebraska’s musical heritage will be celebrated as the Nebraska Children’s Chorus presents the Bel Canto Alumni Reunion Concert, marking the ensemble’s 30th anniversary. This special event will be held on Sunday, July 20 at 3:00 PM at First Central Congregational Church, 421 S 36th Street in Omaha. Admission is free and open to the public, with a reception to follow the performance.

Design, decorate, and build your very own kite to take to the skies! This creative activity lets kids personalize their kite before heading outside to see it soar. It's the perfect blend of art and outdoor fun!

Join a member of the education team of the Omaha Symphony to explore the concept of pitch and learn to play Mary Had a Little Lamb together using plastic tubes.