Your 2026 Omaha Holiday Lights and Events Planner for Families

The holidays have a way of sneaking up on Omaha families. One minute you are handing out candy on Halloween, and the next you are wondering how the whole season slipped past without a single evening spent walking under the lights. This year, let's get ahead of it. We pulled together the biggest and most beloved holiday lights and events across the Omaha metro so you can pencil them onto the calendar now, while there is still plenty of room to plan. Pour a cup of cocoa, gather the family around, and let's map out a season worth remembering.

The crown jewel of the season is the Holiday Lights Festival at the RiverFront, celebrating its 27th year in 2026. The whole thing kicks off with a free lighting ceremony at Gene Leahy Mall on Saturday, November 28, with music starting at 5 p.m. and the community countdown at 6 p.m. From that night on, the lights glow every evening across all 72 acres of the RiverFront, spanning Gene Leahy Mall, Heartland of America Park, and Lewis and Clark Landing, and they stay lit through New Year's Day. Bundle the kids up for a stroll, catch the seven-minute multimedia light-and-music show that runs every hour on Friday and Saturday nights, and circle the free KETV Family Festival on Sunday, December 6, when downtown attractions open their doors with activities and free trolley rides between venues. The best part for a busy family budget: it is all completely free.

Few Omaha traditions feel as magical as the Christmas at Union Station display at The Durham Museum. Walk into the Great Hall, look up, and you are standing beneath the region's largest indoor Christmas tree, rising nearly 40 feet. The season brings visits with Santa in his cozy cabin, a holiday concert series, the beloved cultural tree display showing how families around the world celebrate, and family favorites like the indoor sock skating pond and the Noon Year's Eve balloon drop for little ones who cannot quite make it to midnight. The museum typically opens the season the weekend after Thanksgiving and keeps the tree glowing into mid-January. The exact 2026 to 2027 dates had not been posted yet as of this writing, so check the official page before you go.

For a classic, wander-at-your-own-pace evening, nothing beats the Holiday Lights in the Old Market. From Thanksgiving through New Year's Day, Omaha's historic Old Market turns into a walkable wonderland. Thousands of twinkling lights, LED snowflakes, and bright bows arch over the brick-paved streets, and all four corners at 11th and Howard glow their brightest. It is the perfect spot for a slow family night out: window-shopping the locally owned stores, listening for carolers and street performers, and warming up with hot cocoa and a sweet treat. Park once and wander, because the whole district is built for exactly that kind of unhurried evening.

When the weather turns cold, the holiday show at Lauritzen Gardens brings the warmth indoors. The conservatory fills with a towering poinsettia tree, thousands of blooms in every shade of red and white, and model trains winding through miniature holiday landscapes, while the grounds sparkle after dark with light displays. It is a gentle, awe-filled outing that even the youngest children love, and a cozy escape from the cold. The garden's holiday season generally runs from late November through December 31 with special evening hours, so confirm the 2026 dates and ticket details on the official page before planning your visit.

For families with older kids ready for a night at the theater, A Christmas Carol at the Omaha Community Playhouse is one of the longest-running holiday traditions in the city, now in its 51st year. Dickens's story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his change of heart comes to life on the Hawks Mainstage with ghosts, carols, and a timeless message about generosity and second chances that lands just right this time of year. The 2026 production runs November 20 through December 20. Tickets tend to move quickly for the most popular weekend performances, so it pays to book ahead.

However your family celebrates, the Omaha metro makes it easy to slow down and soak in the season together. Pick two or three of these, spread them across December, and let the little ones set the pace, because some of the very best memories come from an unhurried walk beneath a canopy of lights. All dates and details here were confirmed as of August 2026, and because holiday schedules can shift from year to year, always double-check the official page for each event before you head out. From all of us at Explore Omaha, here's to a warm, bright, and joy-filled holiday season with the people you love most.