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Sunday, July 8: Naturally, the pick of the week is our July/August Launch Party for our latest Omaha Magazine (our food issue) and Encounter Magazine! Our second annual watermelon-eating contest is also going down, and it’s all happening at the Florence Mill Sunday Farmers Market. If you’ve never been, look forward to finding organic produce, local arts & crafts, seeing some farm animals (chickens and calves), and listening to some diverse music (flutes, folk guitar, and local rock band Daisy Distraction). There’s also an exhibition upstairs and maybe even a little fashion show in the works. (Check out Paige Modlin in the latest Encounter for a taste of what to expect.) The market begins at 10 a.m. and continues until 3 p.m. We will be there all day! Please RSVP here and bring the kids out for some tasty watermelon eating!

Thursday, July 5 to Sunday, July 8: It’s your last chance to catch Shakespeare On The Green this weekend. On Thursday and Saturday you can experience the comedy of Much Ado About Nothing. If you’re in the mood for a little more drama, head down to the green on Friday and/or Sunday (depending on how much Shakespeare you’re craving) to watch the historic classic King John. Grab a blanket, a picnic basket, and maybe even a bottle of wine and settle in for a relaxing evening of cunningly zany fun. Find out all the happenings here. 

Friday, July 6: Fridays are for family this week at the Union Pacific Museum in Council Bluffs. So get out and Celebrate Summer with free admission for all from 5-7 p.m. (Donations are always welcome, though.) There will be crafts, games, and a sidewalk chalk party. Plus, if your kids (or, you know, you) have ever wanted to see a firetruck up close, this is your chance. Don’t worry about hangry showing up and ruining the fun. You can grab a very kid-friendly snack from the hot dog cart out front. Learn more about it right here. 

Saturday, July 7: Good food, good times, and great music—you’ll find all that at the Punk Rock BBQ at Lookout Lounge. This year’s lineup includes Jeff Rosenstock, Remo Drive, and Pseudo, plus too many incredible local bands to list. If you haven’t made it a point to get to Lookout for one of their punk rock shows, this one is a definite don’t-miss event. Get all that lightning rod, firecracker energy out in a nice, intimate mosh pit scene. Check here to find out if your favorite local instigators are in the lineup.

Saturday, July 7: If the noise, smell, and overall onslaught of real fireworks has you on edge, check out the Cosmic Fireworks—Astronomy Night at Indian Cave State Park this Saturday, hosted by Branched Oak Observatory. Enjoy the natural beauty (and silence) of the outdoors. This is a free, dark-sky astronomy event (no actual fireworks) for all ages. You will have the opportunity to observe dozens of galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters in the night sky, including the chance to see planets Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn. Get your star-gazing on and learn more about this unique show here.