Happy Tuesday, Omaha. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let Omaha Brief serve up everything you need to know for the week ahead.

In today’s edition: Omaha’s Orpheum Theater history, Friday Night Bites, Dundee Vintage Market, and more.

Let’s get to it.

— Cait Baker

📰 In the news

Czech roots, modern flair: Little Bohemia showcases Omaha’s renaissance with historic storefront homes, retro arcades, inventive cocktail lounges, and the Omaha Dog Bar’s off-leash play and drinks, creating a charming, dog-friendly neighborhood escape — see where to sip and play.

Downtown landmark reborn: Adam Bailey is transforming Callaway’s historic Masonic Temple Building into offices as construction nears completion. Three of four suites are taken, and blockwide sidewalk improvements with shared costs have followed — learn more about him.

A storied stage endures: Oct. 10 marked 98 years since Omaha’s Orpheum Theater opened to the public, evolving from Army headquarters and Creighton Theater into a cornerstone that drew nearly 3,000 on opening night — read the full history.

Highlights this week

• Explore a spooky queer artisan market
• Experience Goosebumps Phantom of the Auditorium
• Dance, trick-or-treat, and explore Zootacular
• Celebrate visual arts at benefit auction
• Laugh along with Rossini’s trickster barber
• Compare car insurance providers for free

Plant-powered espresso and small-batch roasting

Amateur Coffee is the cozy, plant-powered caffeine HQ your weekday routine deserves. The tiny vegan parlor doubles as a roastery, so the place always smells like five more minutes in bean form. Settle in and let them pull something thoughtfully dialed that does not need a dairy chaser.

Why it stays in your rotation: consistent espresso, creative specials, and an entirely plant-based menu, pastries included. They roast ethically sourced beans and give each profile a distinct personality.

Fancy Pants Espresso today, House Blend tomorrow. The names are playful, the craft is serious.

Already brewing at home? Grab a bag so your mornings behave, or swing by, taste what is fresh, and let your to-do list wait. Say hi at Amateur Coffee for beans, specials, and bar updates.

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Deep roots, new chapters: Kimmel Orchard and Vineyard in Nebraska City is celebrating 100 years. Founded by banker Richard and teacher Laurine Kimmel in 1925, the orchard survived a 1940 freeze, welcomed WWII POW labor that led to a lifelong friendship and new owners, and now runs as a nonprofit “living classroom” with UNL partnerships. Read the full story.

New play options debut: Ralston celebrated its first park remodel with a ribbon-cutting at Adams Park, unveiling $300,000 in upgrades: new playground equipment and a basketball court that converts to pickleball. Mayor Don Groesser said all city parks will be upgraded over five years. A kid who wrote the mayor got to cut the ribbon. See what’s planned for parks.

Refill your art stash: Canvases, brushes, paints, papers, markers, plus the oddball bits that spark an idea… Mangelsen’s is the family-run place to restock and get inspired. If that half-finished piece is side-eyeing you this week, pick up what you need and give it a glow-up.

Yes, you can switch: I recently realized I’ve been overpaying for home insurance for years. My rates kept increasing but nobody told me you could just… look at other options any time. This comparison tool makes it easy.

Window of opportunity: Windows aren’t the most glamorous upgrade, but they’ll certainly help regulate the temps in your house as cooler weather rolls in. On top of lower utility bills, Renewal by Andersen’s currently offering BOGO 40% + $200 off if you buy four or more.

📆 Around town this week

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

Have an event to share? Submit it here for free →

This week

🌾 Loess Hills Prairie Seed Harvest @ Hitchcock Nature Center | Thursday (10/16) at 5:30pm – Help restore the Loess Hills with a hands-on prairie seed harvest at Hitchcock Nature Center, free and open to all ages, no experience needed. A scenic leg day with steep ground, fresh air, and no gym mirrors, so bring sturdy shoes and weather optimism.

🍫 Cacao Ceremony Meditation @ Lauritzen Gardens | Thursday (10/16) at 6:00pm – Hit pause on the to-do list and sink into a 90-minute cacao ceremony, with meditation, breath work, and journaling to clear mental clutter and spark focus. Think hot chocolate’s wiser cousin. $25, $20 for Garden members; tea available, cacao not for pregnancy or heart conditions.

🐉 Fantasy Crafts: Dragon Eyes @ Willa Cather Branch Library | Thursday (10/16) at 6:30pm – Channel your inner Viking and craft your very own dragon eye straight out of How to Train Your Dragon! With clay, color, and a bit of imagination, kids (ages 6–12) can bring these mythical creatures to life alongside Bri Wright from Golem Forge. All supplies are provided—just bring your creativity and maybe a grown-up sidekick to help shape the magic.

🍽️ Friday Night Bites @ Papillion Landing | Friday (10/17) at 5:00pm – Friday Night Bites is taking over Papillion Landing with food trucks, a beer garden, music, and games that keep the kids busy while you pretend to supervise. It’s the neighborhood hang you actually won’t dread, with good eats, lawn chairs, and zero kitchen cleanup.

🎤 Duncan Trussell @ The Funny Bone | Friday (10/17) at 7:00pm – Buckle up for a mind-bending night with comedian and The Midnight Gospel creator Duncan Trussell. Known for mixing the mystical with the ridiculous, he’ll take you from cosmic philosophy to total absurdity before you even finish your first drink. It’s weird, it’s wise, and it’s absolutely hilarious.

This weekend

📿 Painted Beads @ Crystal Forge | Saturday (10/18) at 9:00am – Apparently there are only two spots left to go from bead dabbler to mini-masterpiece maker. A two-day, intermediate glass class with Glassline paints, 3D double-sided beads, and kiln sorcery, plus lunch, materials, and bragging rights. Basic skills required, show-offs encouraged.

🚴 Tandem Bike Club – Coffee Ride @ Outlook Nebraska | Saturday (10/18) at 9:00am – Call your co-pilot and cruise the Keystone Trail for a breezy seven miles, with a mid-ride stop at Roast Coffeehouse. This is the season finale, Outlook brings tandems, recumbents, helmets, water, and a volunteer captain, you bring legs and an advance RSVP, no day-of.

📝 Poetry Writing Workshop: Blackout Poetry @ Lauritzen Gardens | Saturday (10/18) at 10:00am – This hands-on workshop with Julie S. Paschold turns old pages into new poems using blackout poetry. Supplies are provided, bring your favorite markers or Sharpie if you like, and pre-registration is required. It is $20, or $15 for garden members, cheaper than therapy and tidier.

👻 Spooky Spirits @ Lauritzen Gardens | Saturday (10/18) at 6:00pm – Grab your crew for a grown-ups-only garden takeover with cocktails, eerie entertainment, tarot, creepy games, and wicked plants, plus the newly reopened conservatory. Advance tickets include a drink, it is 21+, and yes, you can call it culture while sipping something spooky.

🛍️ Dundee Vintage Market @ Albany and Avers | Sunday (10/19) at 10:00am – If rifling through racks counts as cardio, the fall Dundee Vintage Market is your Super Bowl, and it is the final one of 2025. A parking lot treasure hunt with 12-plus vendors, vintage clothing, home goods, rare finds, and free entry, so bring a tote.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 10/14 Bilmuri and more @ The Admiral – 8 pm
• 10/15 Marc Cohn and more @ Omaha Performing Arts – 7:30 pm
• 10/15 West 22nd @ Slowdown – 8 pm
• 10/15 Evil Dead in Concert @ The Astro Theater – 8 pm
• 10/16 Dorian Wood @ Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts – 8 pm
• 10/17 ReCaptured (Journey tribute) @ Slowdown – 8:30 pm
• 10/17 Shiner and more @ O’Leaver’s – 8 pm
• 10/17 Tierra Cali and more @ Guaca Maya – 9 pm
• 10/18 Colin Roberts @ Dundee Neighborhood – 6 pm

🏠️ This house is wild

Listed by: Stephanie Melsheimer (BHHS Ambassador Real Estate)

Updated two story in Barrington Park on over half an acre with big ticket upgrades, HVAC 2024, water heaters 2025, roof and gutters 2022. The 2022 kitchen pairs quartzite counters with a statement backsplash and serious storage. Main level shows wood floors, soaring ceilings, and an executive office.

Upstairs brings fresh carpet and paint, en suite baths for every bedroom, a large primary, plus a secret room. The walkout nails movie night with projector, screen, bar, and fireplace. A two story office over the second garage with half bath. New all weather deck, pond views, Millard Schools near trails.

Take a peek inside →