Omaha Holiday Lights Festival
Visitors can explore festive lighting displays throughout the Old Market, North Omaha, South Omaha, and The RiverFront. The RiverFront features hundreds of illuminated trees, holiday decorations, and a nearly 70-foot-tall holiday tree at the 8th Street Arrival Plaza. Guests can also experience a seven-minute multimedia show with video projections, color-changing lights, and holiday music at Gene Leahy Mall.
What to Expect
Illuminates downtown Omaha across 72 park acres and historic neighborhoods.
Event Details
Duration
The Gene Leahy Mall multimedia show is about seven minutes long.
Ages
All ages
Neighborhood
Downtown Omaha
Timed Entry
No
Organizer
Holiday Lights Festival
Local Insight & Ratings
Family Friendly
Best For
Families and holiday-lights fans
Vibe
Festive and dazzling
Energy Level
Moderate
Photo Friendly
High
Weather Sensitivity
High
Know Before You Go
- Parking: There's no set parking for the New Year's Eve fireworks, but downtown meters are free that evening.
Tips & Advice
- Plan a Friday or Saturday night at Gene Leahy Mall to catch the seven-minute multimedia show, which repeats every hour.
- Tune your car radio or phone to STAR 104.5 on New Year's Eve to hear the score the fireworks are choreographed to.
- Watch the New Year's Eve fireworks from The RiverFront or the Old Market, where viewing is best, since there's no designated viewing area.
- Use the free Ollie the Trolley to get between the participating museums, library and park during the KETV Family Festival.
- Walk to the 8th Street Arrival Plaza in Heartland of America Park to see the nearly 70-foot-tall holiday tree.
Special Events & Promotions
- Lighting Ceremony on Saturday, November 28 at Gene Leahy Mall, with music and a community countdown led by the mayor.
- Multimedia show at Gene Leahy Mall every Friday and Saturday night, running every hour.
- KETV Family Festival on Sunday, December 6, with activities at downtown venues and free Ollie the Trolley rides between them.
- New Year's Eve Fireworks Spectacular on Thursday, December 31, choreographed to a score broadcast live on STAR 104.5.
- Free downtown parking meters on New Year's Eve evening, thanks to Park Omaha.
Quick Actions
Frequently Asked Questions
What lighting displays can I see?
White lights, garland and decor line the brick streets of the Old Market. There are displays along 24th Street in both North and South Omaha. At The RiverFront, hundreds of lit trees and decorations fill Gene Leahy Mall, Heartland of America Park and Lewis & Clark Landing.
What is the multimedia show?
It's a show of about seven minutes at Gene Leahy Mall. It uses color-changing lights, video projected onto the Performance Pavilion and Burlington Building, video on the 10th Street Bridge wall, and holiday music. It runs every hour on Friday and Saturday nights.
Where is the big tree?
The nearly 70-foot-tall holiday tree stands at the 8th Street Arrival Plaza in Heartland of America Park.
What happens at the KETV Family Festival?
Downtown venues host family-friendly activities, including the Omaha Police Mounted Patrol Barn, The Durham Museum, Omaha Children's Museum, the downtown library, Heartland of America Park and Joslyn Art Museum. Ollie the Trolley gives free rides between them.
Where should I watch the New Year's Eve fireworks?
There's no designated viewing area, so you can watch from almost anywhere downtown. The best views are from The RiverFront and the Old Market. Tune in to STAR 104.5 for the musical score the show is set to.
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Always check the official website for the most current information.
We've done our best to keep details up-to-date, but event schedules, prices, and policies can change. For the latest updates, please visit the official website or contact the organizers directly. Christmas Events Near Me is an independent guide and isn't affiliated with the events we list.