Family Fun in Omaha

Your local resource for family-friendly activities and events in Omaha.

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Fall Fun
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Fall Mystic Fest 2026

Get ready for a magical, familyfriendly weekend filled with wonder and discovery. Explore dazzling crystals, browse handcrafted jewelry, shop for unique crafts, snap a vibrant aura photo, and visit friendly readers for a little mystical insight.

With just a $5 daily admission and kids 10 and under FREE, Mystic Fest is the perfect adventure for curious minds of all ages. Whether you come to shop, explore, or soak up the positive vibes, this is one enchanting event you won’t want to miss!

3rd Annual Costume Night at Cochran Park

Put on your costumes and join for the third annual Costume Night at Cochran Park (100 S 21st Street) on Friday, October 10, from 6-8 p.m.
Free activities include:
🎃 Pumpkin Painting (thanks to PowerTech!)
👻 Movie Screening (announcement coming soon!)
🎃 Light-up Balloon Animals
👻 Fall Photo Ops
🎃 Glow Kickball
👻 Glow Soccer
🎃 Glow Football Toss
👻 Glow Pickleball
🎃 Glow Kan Jam
👻 Imagination Playground (big blue blocks)
🎃 Music
👻 Council Bluffs Public Library Station
🎃 Glow Basketball
👻 Prizes, and more!
🍔Thanks to Iowa West Foundation, they will have free hamburgers from 6-8 p.m. 🍿☕Plus, food vendors selling drinks and snacks.
Parking is limited, so walking or biking is encouraged! On-street parking is available in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Lanoha’s Annual Fall Festival

Join for an afternoon full of Family Fall Fun!
🚜FREE Spooky Hayrack Ride
🍧Yummy Treats
🤡Face Painting
🎯Pumpkin Launcher for Savings &
🎃Fall Family Fun
🐶Bring your fur babies too, we’re Pet Friendly!
Come visit some of our favorite local vendor friends while you’re here and enjoy seasonal specials all day long!

Bones and Blacklights – Unearthing Nature’s Secrets in Skulls

What telltale signs etched in skulls help you to identify craniums? Find out the answers to this quandary and much more! Using only a blacklight to guide you, scavenge for hidden animal skulls. Use your newfound knowledge to unravel the creature’s identification!

Registration:  $5 per person; no charge for family members ages 4 years and under. Children aged 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

Homeschool in the Hills: The Secrets of Leaves

What secrets are hiding inside of leaves? Why do leaves change their colors in the fall? Learn about different types of leaves and what makes them so special.

Cost for this event is $5.00 per person for children ages 3 and over and covers your park entry fee. Adults and children under 3 accompanying program participants do not need a reservation. 

Important details about the Homeschool in the Hills series:

  • These programs are delivered in a small-group, mostly outdoor guided format and are designed for elementary students in kindergarten through early high school.
  • Students 10 years of age and under must be accompanied by an adult. An option for unaccompanied students age 11 and older will be offered. Please help us plan age-appropriate curriculum by completing the birthdate information and emergency contact when registering.
  • This event is not pet-friendly, please leave your canine friends at home. Service animals are always welcome. In the event of inclement weather, we will modify programs as needed.
  • Please meet at the Loess Hills Lodge by 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. depending on class time.

Full Moon Hike

Join for an evening hike on the trails at Hitchcock Nature Center. They’ll start off under the glow of sunset as we hike to the best vantage point to witness the rise of this month’s full moon.

  • $5 per person.
  • Pre-registration is required as space is limited.
  • This program will take place entirely outside and involves walking on hilly, uneven terrain in low light.

20th Annual HawkWatch 5K Walk/Run

Welcome to the 19th Annual HawkWatch 5K Walk/Run! Grab your running or walking shoes and join us at Hitchcock Nature Center on Sunday, October 5th. Proceeds support Pottawattamie Conservation’s efforts to preserve habitat in the county and offer low-impact recreational opportunities for the public to enjoy.

The run/walk will utilize Hitchcock Nature Center’s trail system.

Race time:

9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Registration:

  • Now through September 22nd: $30
  • Sept. 23rd to Oct. 5th: $35
  • Online registration closes at 6 PM on 10/4/25

T-shirts:

Guaranteed size until September 22nd. After this date, you may receive a t-shirt, but it might not be the correct size.

Packet pickup:

From 7:30 a.m. to 8:50 a.m. at the Loess Hills Lodge

HawkWatch Appreciation Days

This season marks the 34th year of Hitchcock HawkWatch, and you’re invited to learn more about their important conservation work!

Swing by the Loess Hills Lodge gallery from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. any Saturday in October to learn more about what their research is uncovering in our gallery displays, enjoy refreshments including lemonade and cookies, and see what raptors are passing through atop the park’s 45-foot observation tower.

A $5 per vehicle entry fee or parks membership is required to enter the park. Thank you!

Hitchcock HawkWatch is a volunteer group that dedicates more than 3,000 hours each year to recording the fall migration of raptors including Red-Tailed Hawks, Bald Eagles, Turkey Vultures, and more.

HawkWatch Appreciation Days

This season marks the 34th year of Hitchcock HawkWatch, and you’re invited to learn more about their important conservation work!

Swing by the Loess Hills Lodge gallery from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. any Saturday in October to learn more about what their research is uncovering in our gallery displays, enjoy refreshments including lemonade and cookies, and see what raptors are passing through atop the park’s 45-foot observation tower.

A $5 per vehicle entry fee or parks membership is required to enter the park. Thank you!

Hitchcock HawkWatch is a volunteer group that dedicates more than 3,000 hours each year to recording the fall migration of raptors including Red-Tailed Hawks, Bald Eagles, Turkey Vultures, and more.