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📚 Back-to-back brand-new chapters for Omaha

📚 Back-to-back brand-new chapters for Omaha

Plus, your most beloved Mexican chef is back and the city is lining up all over again.

April 09, 2026

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Spring in Omaha always feels like a return rather than an arrival. The Gene Leahy Mall starts buzzing again, concert venues start booking up, and you remember exactly why you live here.

This Scoop has that feeling in abundance. A storied chef who's been gone too long. A library that's about to change what "public space" means in this city. A symphony making Motown feel like a full-body experience. Read on:

🎭 Tenaska Center's Community Day Is This Saturday

The Gist: The Tenaska Center for Arts Engagement, Omaha Performing Arts' $108 million new arts education building at 11th and Dodge downtown, is celebrating its Community Day on Saturday, April 11, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The free event includes drop-in classes across dance, music, theater, hip hop, and visual arts, plus bounce houses, performances, and food. The evening continues at 7 p.m. with the Hip Hop Lab Block Party and Street Market in the Tenaska Center Garden.

Why It Matters: This is the largest free arts event Omaha has hosted in years, and it's the public's best chance to explore a building that is genuinely going to become a fixture of life downtown. Classes and camps for spring and summer are also open for enrollment now, with a Community Day flash sale offering 50 percent off signups on April 11.

📚 Omaha's New Central Library Is Almost Here

The Gist: The new Omaha Central Library opens to the public on April 19, 2026, at 7205 Dodge St. (72nd and Dodge). The 96,000-square-foot building is one of the largest philanthropic commitments to a public library in recent years, supported by over $1.3 million in donations toward local artwork alone. The space is designed to serve every generation, with an automated book storage and retrieval system, digital equity resources, creative studios, and 16 commissioned works by Omaha-area artists.

Why It Matters: This isn't just a library upgrade. It's a statement about what Omaha believes public space should be: open, gorgeous, accessible, and built for the long haul. Whether you have a library card or not, April 19 is worth marking. Grand opening day is just around the corner.

🥘 Mole, murals, and the very grand return

8601 W Dodge Rd ste 101, Omaha, NE

Chef Jesús Rivera’s storied return to the kitchen with Santoro is on its way to its first anniversary, and just in time for Cinco de Mayo. Occupying a transformed industrial boiler room, the resto trades on the deep, soulful flavors of Puebla.

The mole enchiladas (drenched in a cinnamon-warmed sauce perfected over two years) are essential, as is the citrus-charred carne asada. With a sprawling patio and a hundred-bottle tequila library, it is the neighborhood’s definitive celebratory destination.

🦜 A quiet Midtown corner honoring a feathered legacy

2508 Farnam St, Omaha, NE

The Next Chapter carries the lived-in warmth of a space built on a deep family legacy. While the shop recently said goodbye to its beloved mascot, Dickens the parrot, her cheerful spirit still lingers among the shelves of new releases.

This week, the community is coming together to vote on local T-shirt designs for Independent Bookstore Day through April 12. It remains a thoughtful spot for finding a new favorite paperback and a quiet moment on the front patio.

Click here to be the business everyone hears about next week!

🐾 Meet Zumie, a bright young Cairn Terrier mix

With a charming cream-colored wire coat at nearly a year old, this small fellow is full of curiosity and thrives in the company of other dogs. His friendly nature suggests a wonderful companion for an active Omaha household.

He is neutered, vaccinated, and requires a secure fence for his outdoor adventures. The adoption fee is $350 through Hands, Hearts and Paws.

To learn more about this handsome boy,

🎨 Spring Arts & Crafts Festival | Liberty First Credit Union Arena | Omaha | 04/10-04/12 | More
Over 500 artists and crafters from 30 states fill the arena with handmade goods!

🎨 Holi - Festival of Colors | The RiverFront | Omaha | 04/11 | More
A vibrant celebration featuring hourly color throws, global beats, and local flavors.

🌸 Goldie's April Vintage Pop-Up | Goldie's Pop-Up Shop | Omaha | 04/11 | More Wander through fresh vintage finds, soft pastels, and playful whimsical decor.

🎶 Holi Mega Concert | Hindu Temple Social Hall | Omaha | 04/11 | More
Immersive Bollywood hits and melodies paired with live dance and face painting.

🐱 The Cat in the Hat | Orpheum Theater | Omaha | 04/12 | More
Dr. Seuss’s mischievous character leaps from the page in a vibrant stage production.

📿 Science Sunday: Pi Bracelets | The RiverFront | Omaha | 04/12 | More
Hands-on activities exploring mathematical constants through colorful jewelry.

🎤 Brandon Lake Live | CHI Health Center Omaha | Omaha | 04/11 | More
Top Christian artist performance featuring hits from the King of Hearts tour.

🎷 Unlimited Miles: Miles Davis at 100 | Orpheum Theater | Omaha | 04/11 | More
A century of Miles Davis, from bebop to fusion!

🏎️ Tuner Evo Omaha | Oak View Mall | Omaha | 04/11 | More
A massive automotive lifestyle event: RC drift demos, sneaker contests, and live music.

🎤 Omaha Symphony: Let's Groove Tonight (Motown & The Philly Sound) | Holland Performing Arts Center | Omaha | 04/11-04/12 | More
An evening of classic hits by The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, and more.

🎵 Dance with the Dead & Magic Sword | The Slowdown | Omaha | 04/14 | More Two of the most cinematic names in synthwave team up for a Tuesday show!

🎸 Selwyn Birchwood Album Release | The Waiting Room | Omaha | 04/16 | More
Gritty, soulful swamp funk and electric blues from a powerhouse visionary guitarist.