What to do this weekend - October 15, 2026
Plus some reminders about the upcoming midterm elections.
Hi,
This is my round-up of local events that publishes every Thursday morning. You can find the calendar below. Here's a link to submit events for future posts!
This is your regular reminder about the upcoming midterm elections, which are happening in just over two weeks. Early voting is already underway in Nebraska, so if you haven't yet cast a ballot, please take a second and check whether you're registered to vote (even if you think you are).
- October 16 (tomorrow!): Deadline for voter registration (online or by mail)
- October 23: Deadline for voter registration (in person at your election office)
- October 23: Deadline to request your early voting ballot
- November 3: Election Day
I also wanted to flag an upcoming event for One Book Lincoln that doesn't seem like it's gotten much attention. (I included it in the event calendar below, but it's on Tuesday of next week and easy to miss.) Bruce Holsinger, author of Culpability, is gonna visit Lincoln High School for an on-stage interview and Q&A session about the book.
Hopefully the event is good. But full disclosure: I read Culpability this past weekend and didn't like it much. It's an insubstantial novel that pokes around the edges of contemporary problems in artificial intelligence but has nothing interesting to say about our relationship with the technology. (The book's central concern when it comes to AI turns out to be quite literally the trolley problem, which might seem clever and deep if you've never taken a philosophy 101 class but is excruciatingly thin stuff to build a novel around.) Holsinger is way more interested in telling a story about a family that's torn apart by a fatal car accident and investigating the moral question of who is responsible for the crash (uh I mean, culpable). And that would be fine — I love a novel about family dysfunction — except that I also didn't find the character dynamics particularly compelling.
If you read Culpability and liked it (or hated it), let me know.
Sorry for any weird typos in this one. Zoe kept walking on my keyboard:
Thanks for being here! And please share This Week In Lincoln with a friend and help me keeping growing this project.
~ Ty
P.S. You can always reach me with questions, compliments or angry rants at tynanstewart@proton.me
These event calendars and all of my journalism, music coverage, and film reviews are free to everyone. But they aren't free to produce!
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Thursday, October 15
Thursday, October 15
Music: Social Cinema + Dog Party + Sweet Gloom
+ When: 8 pm (doors) | 9 pm (show)
+ Where: Duffy's Tavern, 1412 O St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 | $3 minor charge
More details: Social Cinema returns for a show in Lincoln for the first time in a while! They'll be joined by Sacramento's Dog Party and LA's Sweet Gloom.
18+ show!
Thursday, October 15
Community: Phonebanking with OutNebraska
+ When: 5:30 to 7:30 pm
+ Where: The Foundry Community, 211 N 14th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free!
More details: A chance to call members of our community and explain the harm that the so-called "Fairness For Girls" constitutional amendment (Initiative measure 442) would do to trans kids in our state.
Thursday, October 15
Film: The Shining (1980)
+ When: 6:30 pm
+ Where: Ross Media Arts Center, 313 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 | $5 for members | $5 for UNL students
More details: "Jack Torrance accepts a caretaker job at the Overlook Hotel, where he, along with his wife Wendy and their son Danny, must live isolated from the rest of the world for the winter. But they aren’t prepared for the madness that lurks within."
Thursday, October 15
Film: The Incomer
+ When: 5:10 pm | 7:20 pm
+ Where: Ross Media Arts Center, 313 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 matinee | $12 evening show | Half price for UNL students!
More details about the film: "On a remote Scottish isle, siblings Isla and Sandy spend their days hunting seabirds and retelling the stories of their ancestors. They follow the strict rules inherited from their late father — protect the island, allow no incomer, survive — until one day, Daniel, an awkward and socially inept council official, arrives to evacuate them. Bringing with him the strange mainland ways of laws, paperwork, veganism and internet wizardry, he turns their world upside down. As long-held beliefs begin to crumble, each of them must confront the truth, embrace change, and dare to imagine a life beyond the island while fighting to preserve the heritage they have sworn to defend."
Last chance to see this at the Ross!
Thursday, October 15
Music: The Sounds of Many + Gentz + Post Service Collective + Small Town Talk
+ When: 7:30 pm
+ Where: 1867 Bar, 101 N 14th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $15
More details: Kansas City's fuzzy rock band The Sounds of Many is celebrating the release of their debut album. They'll be joined by local rockers Gentz, midwest funk band Post Service Collective and Omaha's Small Town Talk.
Thursday, October 15
Music: Tijuana Gigolos
+ When: 6 pm
+ Where: The Zoo Bar, 136 N 14th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $20 to $25
More details: 21+ show!
Thursday, October 15
Outdoors: Where City Meets Marsh: Water, Birds and Bats
+ When: 6 to 8 pm
+ Where: Marsh Wren Community Wetlands (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free! | Register here
More details: Join for a workshop about water quality, restoration and surrounding land use and the way these factors shape a saline wetland. Marsh Wren is one of the top spots for birding in Nebraska, and there will be headlamps available.
Note that the workshop is weather permitting. If it must be canceled because of weather or unsafe conditions, registered participants will be notified by email at least two hours before the scheduled start time.
Thursday, October 15
Social: Nerd Nite
+ When: 7 pm
+ Where: Saro Cider, 1746 N St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: No cover!
More details: I saw this described as a mix of TEDx Talk and powerpoint party. This month's topics are: Tetris, Famous Artists Make Terrible Role Models, and Alien Ecology in Video Games.
Thursday, October 15
Social: Weekly Leftist Meetup
+ When: 5 to 7 pm
+ Where: The Post, 2001 N St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free!
More details: If you're looking to find other progressive or left-leaning people, check out this weekly meetup. You can talk politics or just hang out. Organized by Lincoln's chapter of the DSA!
Friday, October 16
Friday, October 16
Community: Roll To The Polls for Clinton's 60th Anniversary
+ When: 5 to 8 pm | Skating starts at 6:30 pm
+ Where: The Bay, 2005 Y St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free!
More details: A celebration of the first neighborhood association established in Lincoln, the Clinton Neighborhood Association. Come celebrate their 60th anniversary with Nebraska Table!
Activities include:
+ Creating a voting plan
+ Skateboarding and roller skating courtesy of Belmont Community Center and featuring No Coast Roller Derby
+ A DJ set
+ Free food
+ Cool swag honoring the history of strong neighborhoods in Lincoln
Friday, October 16
Film: A History of Concrete
+ When: 5:10 pm | 7:20 pm
+ Where: Ross Media Arts Center, 313 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 matinee | $12 evening show | Half price for UNL students and Ross members
More details: "Following the finale of his TV series, filmmaker John Wilson looks to the bedrock of his beloved New York City for inspiration and structure. Concrete, the world’s most widely used building material, appears as an ever-present life force, and John sets out to make the definitive documentary on the matter. To tell this seemingly drab story, he decides to use the industry-approved Hallmark formula to increase his movie’s appeal. But his foundation soon begins to crumble—literally and figuratively—as he struggles to balance artistic freedom with the realities of the modern film industry."
More showings through October 22!
Friday, October 16
Film: The Scout
+ When: 5 pm
+ Where: Ross Media Arts Center, 313 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 matinee | Half price for UNL students and Ross members
More details: "Sofia works as a location scout for a TV pilot filming in New York City. It’s her job to find the homes, businesses, and exteriors where the show will be filmed. Driving around the city’s different neighborhoods, she enters the private spaces of strangers to photograph their cozy apartments and eclectic shops, stepping into the fabric of their lives while trying to satisfy the demands of her erratic employers. Over a day filled with these encounters, Sofia witnesses moments of curiosity, vulnerability, and quiet tension until her work takes a sudden, personal turn."
More showings through October 22!
Friday, October 16
Film: Ringu (1998)
+ When: 7 pm
+ Where: Ross Media Arts Center, 313 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 | $5 for members | $5 for UNL students
More details: "A mysterious video has been linked to a number of deaths, and when an inquisitive journalist finds the tape and views it herself, she sets in motion a chain of events that puts her own life in danger."
Friday, October 16
Film: Pulse (2001)
+ When: 9:15 pm
+ Where: Ross Media Arts Center, 313 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 | $5 for members | $5 for UNL students
More details: "In the immense city of Tokyo, the darkness of the afterlife lures some of its inhabitants desperately trying to escape the sadness and isolation of the modern world."
Friday, October 16
Film: Rocky Horror Picture Show
+ When: 10 pm
+ Where: Joyo Theater, 6102 Havelock Ave. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 cash only
More details: Come out and dance the Time Warp again. Rocky Horror will play every Friday at the Joyo until the end of November!
Friday, October 16
Market: Uni Place Makers Market
+ When: 6 to 10 pm
+ Where: Uni Place Creative District, St. Paul Ave between N 50th and N 47th (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free but there will be items available for purchase!
More details: There will be 60+ vendors, live music from DJ $pencelove and Hansen Airship, and food trucks! It's the last market of the season, and a chance to get into the Halloween spirit. Show up in costume from 6 to 8 pm for a chance to win a Halloween raffle!
Friday, October 16
Music: Car Bar + The Breakroom + Foxpelt
+ When: 7 pm
+ Where: 1867 Bar, 101 N 14th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10
More details: A cool rock show featuring Lincoln's Car Bar, The Breakroom, and emo group Foxpelt of Sioux City.
Friday, October 16
Music: Joyrager + Infielder + Tyler Trainer
+ When: 7 pm (doors) | 7:30 pm (show)
+ Where: The Fox Den (DM them on Instagram for the address)
+ Cost: PWYC | $10 suggested
More details: It's the last Fox Den show of the year! Come out and listen to local rock band Joyrager with support from Omaha's Infielder and Tyler Trainer.
Friday, October 16
Music: Toronzo Cannon
+ When: 5 pm
+ Where: The Zoo Bar, 136 N 14th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $16 advance | $20 day of show
More details: "Toronzo Cannon is a ten-time Blues Music Award nominee and one of the genre's most electrifying modern masters."
Friday, October 16
Music: The Burroughs
+ When: 9 pm
+ Where: The Zoo Bar, 136 N 14th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $12 advance | $15 day of show
Friday, October 16
Theater: The Great Gatsby
+ When: 7:30 pm
+ Where: Lincoln Community Playhouse, 2500 S 56th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $29.15 tickets for adults | Buy tickets here
More details: "Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, passionately pursues the elusive Daisy Buchanan. Nick Carraway, a young newcomer to Long Island, is drawn into their world of obsession, greed and danger. The breathtaking glamour and decadent excess of the Jazz Age come to the stage in this adaptation approved by the Fitzgerald estate."
More showings October 17 and 18!
Saturday, October 17
Saturday, October 17
Community: No Kings - Vote Early Rally
+ When: 10 am to noon
+ Where: North side of the State Capitol, 1445 K St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free!
More details: A day of nonpartisan voter participation. The goal is to bring the Lincoln community together to make a plan to vote early and ensure that every eligible voter knows their options for how to vote.
Saturday, October 17
Community: Election Day Trainings
+ When: 12:30 to 1:30 pm
+ Where: Bennett Martin Public Library, 136 S 14th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free!
More details: Arrive at noon for coffee, snacks, and conversation. Poll monitor and legal observer trainings for the November midterm elections will begin at 12:30 pm. Organized by the ACLU of Nebraska and Civic Nebraska.
Saturday, October 17
Community: Crafting the Resistance
+ When: 9 to 11 am
+ Where: Meadowlark Coffee, 1624 South St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free!
More details: Bring your crafting project or just come for coffee. (Bring a donation for Little Free Pantries.) Recurs every Saturday!
Saturday, October 17
Film: Hereditary (2018)
+ When: 6:30 pm
+ Where: Ross Media Arts Center, 313 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 | $5 for members | $5 for UNL students
More details: "Following the death of the Leigh family matriarch, Annie and her children uncover disturbing secrets about their heritage. Their daily lives are not only impacted, but they also become entangled in a chilling fate from which they cannot escape, driving them to the brink of madness."
Saturday, October 17
Film: Cemetery Man (1994)
+ When: 9:15 pm
+ Where: Ross Media Arts Center, 313 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 | $5 for members | $5 for UNL students
More details: "Francesco Dellamorte is the groundskeeper at a cemetery where the dead just won’t stay dead—and it’s up to him to deal with those who come back to life with a hunger for human flesh. But Dellamorte’s job soon becomes much more complicated when he falls for an enigmatic young woman whose husband has recently died."
Saturday, October 17
Food: Here for the Food Festival - Taste of Lincoln 2026
+ When: 4 to 9 pm
+ Where: 699 K St (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $21.72 for a single day GA | $37.25 for the weekend GA | More for VIP tickets
More details: Keenan Eats and Here for the Food are collaborating for a weekend of food trucks, local restaurants, drinks, music and more at the 2026 Taste of Lincoln.
Saturday, October 17
Market: Crafts and Drafts
+ When: 3 to 7 pm
+ Where: O'Rourke's Tavern, 1329 O St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Doesn't seem like there's a cover, but there will be items available for purchase.
More details: Gilded Gecko is hosting 11 artists, craftsman, and taste makers this weekend. Shop a bunch of local vendors for paintings, illustrations, wood carvings, jewelry, ethical taxidermy, caricatures, vinyl records, and more!
Saturday, October 17
Music: Gooding returns to the Zoo Bar
+ When: 5 pm
+ Where: The Zoo Bar, 136 N 14th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $12
More details: "Gooding sings stories of his life growing up in the Great Plains throughout each song, expertly executing what fans have grown to love: skillful, thoughtful songwriting and genre-bending guitar work."
Saturday, October 17
Theater: The Sunset Limited by Cormac McCarthy
+ When: 7:30 pm
+ Where: Carson Theater, Lied Center, 301 N 12th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $25 regular tickets | $20 for seniors | $15 for students
More details: A new production of novelist Cormac McCarthy's 2006 play from OmniArts Nebraska.
Other showings happening October 15, 16 and 18.
Sunday, October 18
Sunday, October 18
Music: BlackStratTheory + Syinide + Boy Seeking Band
+ When: 5 pm (doors) | 5:30 pm (show)
+ Where: Duffy's Tavern, 1412 O St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free or pay-what-you-can | $5 for minors
More details: An entirely local punk show! Featuring hardcore band Black Strat Theory, alt-rock trio Synide, and cool rocker Boy Seeking Band.
All ages show!
Sunday, October 18
Film: Train to Busan (2016)
+ When: 7:15 pm
+ Where: Ross Media Arts Center, 313 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 | $5 for members | $5 for UNL students
More details: "When a zombie virus pushes Korea into a state of emergency, those trapped on an express train to Busan must fight for their own survival."
Sunday, October 18
Food: Here for the Food Festival - Taste of Lincoln 2026
+ When: noon to 5 pm
+ Where: 699 K St (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $21.72 for a single day GA | $37.25 for the weekend GA | More for VIP tickets
More details: Keenan Eats and Here for the Food are collaborating for a weekend of food trucks, local restaurants, drinks, music and more at the 2026 Taste of Lincoln.
Sunday, October 18
Music: Tijuana Gigolos + Gabe w/Pants + Pete's Birthday!
+ When: 5 pm
+ Where: The Zoo Bar, 136 N 14th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $20
Sunday, October 18
Music: Liminal Space Lyrics Presents: Isiah Driessen + The Zooeys
+ When: 8 pm (doors) | 9 pm (show)
+ Where: Duffy's Tavern, 1412 O St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 | $3 minor charge
More details: Local rock band The Zooeys are going on a tour of the Midwest. So come out and give them a good sendoff from Lincoln! They'll be joined by Americana singer-songwriter Isiah Driessen.
18+ show!
Things to do next week:
Monday, October 19
Art: Sketch Club
+ When: 7 to 11 pm
+ Where: Parrish Studios, 1410 O St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free!
More details: Come out and make art in community together!
Monday, October 19
Music: MERKED + M.A.N. + Disrepair
+ When: 6 pm (doors) | 7 pm (show)
+ Where: Witches Brew OMG, 200 W P St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10
More details: MERKED, an Oakland power violence trio, is on tour through the Midwest and will be joined by grindcore M.A.N. (Mass Annihilation Now) and Lincoln punks Disrepair. Plus a harsh noise battle set between Lincoln’s Vex Moth and Omaha's Grabass.
All ages show!
Monday, October 19
Politics: Dan Osborn Town Hall
+ When: 5 to 6 pm
+ Where: IBEW 265 Union Hall, 1409 Old Farm Rd. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free!
More details: If you're curious about the Osborn campaign or just want to ask him some questions, you might consider going to this town hall.
Monday, October 19
Public Meeting: City Council
+ When: 3 to 5 pm
+ Where: Council Chambers, County/City Building, 555 South 10th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free and open to the public!
More details: The agenda for this meeting has not yet been posted, but will be found here.
Tuesday, October 20
Books: An Evening with Bruce Holsinger (One Book Lincoln)
+ When: 7 pm
+ Where: Lincoln High School Auditorium, 2229 J St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free!
More details: A live, in-person interview, Q&A session and book signing with the author of One Book Lincoln selection Culpability.
Tuesday, October 20
Improv: Long Form Improv Comedy JAM
+ When: 6:15 to 8 pm
+ Where: MBX, 1330 N St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free!
More details: "What is a Long Form Improv Jam? A long form Jam is a lightly structured session where you can practice improvising scenes with other members of our community. No preparation is required. We are building a supportive space to experiment, have fun, and build long-form improv skills by jumping in and playing with all types or differently skilled improvisers."
18+ event!
Wednesday, October 21
Flatwater: Community Conversations - Priced out of The Good Life
+ When: 9 to 11 am
+ Where: International Quilt Museum, 1523 N. 33rd St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free! | RSVP here
More details: "Nebraska paychecks are stagnant. Home prices continue to climb. It’s pricing out a generation of buyers. Join the Flatwater Free Press, Lincoln Community Foundation and housing experts for discussions on housing in Lancaster County, and what can be done to make homeownership more attainable for Nebraskans."
Wednesday, October 21
Film: Leviticus (2026)
+ When: 6 pm
+ Where: Ross Media Arts Center, 313 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 | $5 for members | $5 for UNL students
More details: "Two teenage boys must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most — each other."
Wednesday, October 21
Film: It Follows (2014)
+ When: 8 pm
+ Where: Ross Media Arts Center, 313 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 | $5 for members | $1 for UNL students
More details: "A young woman is followed by an unknown supernatural force after a sexual encounter."
Wednesday, October 21
Music: Schaffer the Darklord + Coolzey + Leaves Brown
+ When: 8 pm (doors) | 9 pm (show)
+ Where: Duffy's Tavern, 1412 O St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 | $3 minor charge
More details: Schaffer the Darklord, a New York City-based rapper, drummer and comedian, comes to town. With support from Iowa-based multi-genre act Coolzey and a local favorite of mine, Leaves Brown.
18+ show show!
Friday, October 23
Film: Let the Right One In (2008)
+ When: 6:45 pm
+ Where: Ross Media Arts Center, 313 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 | $5 for members | $5 for UNL students
More details: "When Oskar, a sensitive, bullied 12-year-old boy, meets his new neighbor, the mysterious and moody Eli, they strike up a friendship. Initially reserved with each other, Oskar and Eli slowly form a close bond, but it soon becomes apparent that she is no ordinary young girl."
Friday, October 23
Film: A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
+ When: 9:15 pm
+ Where: Ross Media Arts Center, 313 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 | $5 for members | $5 for UNL students
More details: "In the Iranian ghost-town Bad City, a place that reeks of death and loneliness, the townspeople are unaware they are being stalked by a lonesome vampire."
Friday, October 23
Halloween: Horror at Highball
+ When: 9:30 pm
+ Where: The Highball Bar, 122 N 11th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 Cover
More details: "Drawn Together presents Horror at Highball! Join us for scary and sickening drag performances AND the costume contest. Before you ask, yes, there’s a prize. Drinks will flow and heads will roll."
19+ event!
Friday, October 23
Music: Nightmare on 13th Street
+ When: 6 pm (doors) | 7 pm (show)
+ Where: Rococo Theatre, 140 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $20 GA advance tickets | $22 day of show
More details: Featuring performances from Cheesy Bandito, Estrogen Projection and DJ Rugburn. Show up in costume or not at all!
Saturday, October 24
Art: Painting at Parrish
+ When: 2 to 6 pm
+ Where: Parrish Studios, 1410 O St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free!
More details: Come help finish Parrish Studio's community mural! The mural is color by number so you just need to pick a color and fill in its corresponding number. There will be other activities for kids and adults, open studios, access to Tugboat Gallery, free popcorn and more!
Saturday, October 24
Film: Weapons (2025)
+ When: 6:30 pm
+ Where: Ross Media Arts Center, 313 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 | $5 for members | $5 for UNL students
More details: "When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance."
Saturday, October 24
Film: The Wolf House (2018)
+ When: 9:15 pm
+ Where: Ross Media Arts Center, 313 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 | $5 for members | $5 for UNL students
More details: "After escaping from a religious colony in Chile, Maria seeks shelter in a mansion where she’s taken in by two pigs, its only inhabitants. Like in a stop-motion dream, the universe of the house reacts to her feelings. The animals slowly morph into humans and the house into a dark, menacing world."
Saturday, October 24
Market: Fall Fest
+ When: 10 am to 2 pm
+ Where: Leighton District, 4630 Leighton Ave. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free but there will be items available for purchase!
More details: Come out for a bunch of vintage vendors, food trucks, other local businesses and live music from Post Service Collective.
Sunday, October 25
Film: A Ghost Story (2017)
+ When: 5:15 pm
+ Where: Ross Media Arts Center, 313 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 | $5 for members | $5 for UNL students
More details: "Recently deceased, a white-sheeted ghost returns to his suburban home to console his bereft wife, only to find that in his spectral state he has become unstuck in time, forced to watch passively as the life he knew and the woman he loves slowly slip away."
Sunday, October 25
Film: Clue (1985)
+ When: 7:15 pm
+ Where: Ross Media Arts Center, 313 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $10 | $5 for members | $5 for UNL students
More details: "Clue finds six colorful dinner guests gathered at the mansion of their host, Mr. Boddy – who turns up dead after his secret is exposed: He was blackmailing all of them. With the killer among them, the guests and Boddy’s chatty butler must suss out the culprit before the body count rises."
Sunday, October 25
Market: Made Here - Halloween Market
+ When: noon to 4 pm
+ Where: The green space outside Pepe's Bistro and inside The Ellery
+ Cost: Free, but there will be items available for purchase!
More details: Expect woodworkers, printmakers, jewelers, chefs, bakers, knitters, fiber artists, beaders, painters, ceramicists, and more!
Applications to the market will be accepted through Sunday, September 27. Apply here.
Sunday, October 25
Music: Battle of the Band$
+ When: 5 pm (doors) | 6 pm (show)
+ Where: MBX, 1330 N St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: PWYC | All proceeds go to Center for People
More details: It's a halloween themed show featuring a lineup of some of Nebraska's coolest young bands. Featuring Jet Set!, Boy Seeking Band, Lazarus Go Home, Valley Street, alls, and Price of Humility.
Things to do later this year:
Thursday, October 29
Celebration: Lincoln Literacy’s 2026 Global Celebration
+ When: 5:30 to 8 pm
+ Where: The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel, 333 S 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $75 | Buy tickets here
More details: "This year, Lincoln Literacy is celebrating student achievements, volunteer tutor dedication, and a record number of students served. Back by popular demand will be the Kokyo Taiko drum group! The Global Celebration will also feature a plated dinner and cash bar with table service provided by The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel. If you plan to attend, please let the Lincoln Literacy team know about any dietary requirements you might have, and they will be happy to accommodate you."
Friday, October 30
Music: The Haunting of 1867
+ When: 9 pm to late
+ Where: 1867 Bar, 101 N 14th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $12 advance | $15 at the door | Buy tickets here
More details: Three bands are playing: Boy Seeking Band, The Breakroom and P.O.E. Show up in costume! There will be a contest with a $50 cash prize.
All ages!
Saturday, October 31
Music: Emo Night Halloween
+ When: 8 pm
+ Where: 1867 Bar, 101 N 14th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $15 | Buy tickets here
More details: 1867 will be spinning Emo hits and deep cuts all night. Come prepared for a costume contest, themed drinks and more!
All ages!
Wednesday, November 4
Community: Post-election gathering
+ When: 6 to 9 pm
+ Where: Meadowlark Coffee, 1624 South St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free!
More details: Not really an agenda for this meeting. It's just a space for folks to process the election and potentially plan immediate next steps. Organized by our local Indivisible chapter.
Friday, November 6
Music: Your Own Knife + Price of Humility + Black Strat + Empty Suits
+ When: 6 pm (doors)
+ Where: The Mudhole | DM them for the address
+ Cost: PWYC
More details: A big DIY punk show featuring Nebraska screamo Your Own Knife, screamocore Price of Humility, hardcore punk band from Lincoln Black Strat and local post-hardcore post-punk rockers Empty Suits.
All ages!
Saturday, November 7
Music: Wild Fall Festival and Bison Day
+ When: 10 am to 2 pm
+ Where: Pioneers Park Nature Center, 3201 South Coddington (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free!
More details: This festival highlights the nature, history, and wildlife of the tallgrass prairie. There will be a bunch of opportunities for hands on activities guided by staff and volunteers, including:
+ Workshops focused on bison and native prairie plants
+ Animal meet‑and‑greets with turtles and snakes
+ Nature activities, art projects, and story time
+ Guided nature exploration
+ Tours of historic buildings
+ Wagon rides ($5/person, ages 3+)
Saturday, November 14
Books: Nebraska Celebration of Books
+ When: 10 am to 5:30 pm
+ Where: Nebraska Union, 1400 R St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Free and open to the public!
More details: "The festival is held to celebrate Nebraska’s literary heritage and contemporary authors and to stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. By gathering together contemporary writing talent of our state and surrounding areas, the festival provides an opportunity for participants to cultivate an understanding of our history, culture and community."
Featuring a big lineup of cool panels and events! Find the full schedule here.
Saturday, November 14
Music: The Zooeys + Isiah Driessen + Jacklyn Rose
+ When: 6 pm (doors) | 7 pm (show)
+ Where: Rococo Theatre, 140 N 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: $18 GA | $20 day of the show
More details: The Zooeys are returning home for the grand finale of their eight-city, multi-state tour. They'll be joined by Isiah Driessen's Americana-rooted songwriting and Jacklyn Rose who moves between neo-soul, folk, gospel, pop, and singer-songwriter music.
Saturday, November 21
Poetry: Tri-State Showdown
+ When: 11 am (workshop), noon (writing social), 2 pm (open mic), 6 pm (showdown slam)
+ Where: The Ellery, 1247 S 11th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Sliding scale entry fee ($5 to $20) | Buy tickets here
More details: An annual collaboration between the Nebraska, Missouri, and Iowa poetry scenes! It's an effort to build and uplift the tri-state area’s poetry community. All poets are welcome to join, and any poet living in Nebraska/Missouri/Iowa is welcome to sign up to compete.
Sunday, December 6
Market: Midwest Merry Market 2026
+ When: 10 am to 4 pm
+ Where: The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel, 333 S 13th St. (Google Maps)
+ Cost: Seems to be free, though there will be items for sale!
More details: "Kick off the holiday season in the most festive way at the Midwest Merry Market, a festive shopping event celebrating small businesses and holiday cheer! This event brings together a curated selection of makers, artisans, and small businesses offering unique gifts, handmade treasures, and seasonal must-haves."