The Holiday Lights Festival will celebrate its 20th year with a new twist in the downtown lighting display. Because of construction at the Gene Leahy Mall, this year’s lights will illuminate the Old Market and surrounding streets with white lights and garland from mid-November through New Year’s Eve.
The lights will span from 10th-13th Streets and from Harney to Jackson Streets. There won't be the traditional Thanksgiving evening Lighting Ceremony and Making Spirits Bright concert this year, but organizers say the community will still enjoy the Holiday Lights Festival’s many other family-friendly events throughout the season:
- The Family Festival on December 1 will be presented in partnership with Downtown Omaha’s arts and cultural community. While this year’s participating venues are still being finalized, past Family Festivals have included activities at the Omaha Children’s Museum, Omaha Police Department Horse Barn, Durham Museum, W. Dale Clark Public Library, and Joslyn Art Museum.
- The New Year’s Eve Fireworks Spectacular will take place in a new downtown location. The public will gather in MECA Lot B near the CHI Health Center for an up-close view of the amazing fireworks display set to a unique musical score.
- Sounds of the Season will fill the Old Market on Saturday evenings from mid-November through December, featuring performances by area choral groups and musicians.
- The Capitol District Ice Rink will return this year, with a portion of the admission fee benefitting Food Bank for the Heartland as part of the Shine the Light on Hunger campaign, sponsored by the Conagra Brands Foundation.
- The Shine the Light on Hunger campaign, sponsored by the Conagra Brands Foundation encourages the public to donate non-perishable food items, household goods and monetary donations for Food Bank for the Heartland. Donation locations included Baker’s Supermarkets and various arts and cultural venues. In2018, contributions from the community and from Conagra Brands Foundation exceeded the goal of collecting enough food and money for more than 2 million meals.
For more information, visit holidaylightsfestival.org.