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PICK OF THE WEEK: Sunday, Dec. 10: Don’t miss this year-end event at Ralston Arena’s side room. The Urban Voize Winter Festival is an event for the whole family to celebrate and learn about poetry, comedy, acting, and dance. Urban Voize’s goal is to get people working together to share their art and knowledge. There’s a rhythm work shop, youth talent show, vendor fair, and collaborative concert featuring different musical genres. The festival starts at 10 a.m. with the concert closing out the day, starting at 7 p.m. Be sure to get your tickets here.
Thursday, Dec. 7: Get to Baxter Arena today for the WOWT Holiday Food Drive today. All donations benefit the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, which serves over 25,000 people in our community each year. Help make someone else’s Christmas better by getting to Baxter and donating what you can. They will be accepting food all day, through their 10 p.m. newscast this evening, so you have plenty of time to get out and help. To find out more, click here.
Friday, Dec. 8 to Sunday, Dec. 10: For the next two weekends, you’ll be able to visit a vintage Winter Wonderland at Sycamore Farms in Waterloo, Nebraska. Shop indoor vendors, makers, and artisans for Christmas décor and gifts. Take a carriage ride, kiss under the mistletoe, or relax and watch a classic Christmas movie while munching on tasty treats from one of the food trucks in Frosty’s Food Court. Whatever gets you in the holiday spirit, you’ll find it here. Get the full list of fun here.
Saturday, Dec. 9 to Sunday, Dec. 10: Avoid the mundane Christmas presents and get your loved ones something unique at the Prosecco Pop Up in the Blackstone District this weekend. Show your support for local vendors while sipping a little bubbly. Plus, you’ll be able to check out some wares from over the border (the Nebraska-Iowa border, that is). There’s even a little something for your furry loved ones here, so don’t let the chilly weather keep you away. Get the complete list of vendors here.
Saturday, Dec. 9: Experience Tchaikovsky’s Christmas classic The Nutcracker in a whole new way when you see Hip Hop Nutcracker at the Orpheum Theater. The reimagined classic features a dozen dancers, an electric violinist, and of course, a DJ. Special guest MC, rapper, and producer Kurtis Blow, will be there breaking it down for you. Don’t miss your chance to see this unique performance as the dancers challenge themselves to move in new ways to the classic music of the popular Russian composer. Pop on over here to lock in your tickets now.
Saturday, Dec. 9 to Sunday, Dec.10: This weekend offers plenty of opportunities to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas by donating toys and/or money to The Toy Drive for Pine Ridge. The nonprofit has several shows going on throughout the city, giving you plenty of chances to get out and have fun while making a difference. Founder Lash LaRue is performing with the Hired Guns at Reverb Lounge on Saturday and at Chrome on Sunday. Several bands will be performing at the Waiting Room and Harney St. Tavern on Saturday as well. Proceeds and toys will be used to make Christmas, and life in general, better for residents of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. To find out who’s playing where, go here. If you can’t make it out this weekend, don’t worry. You can still help by making a donation here.
Sunday, Dec. 10: Looking for something fun, free, and educational to do this Sunday? Joslyn Art Museum can help with that. Enjoy the Hispanic Cultural Festival, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. You can catch dance performances by the Mexican Dance Academy of Nebraska, make some art, and even get some dance lessons in, all while enjoying some refreshments and soaking in the culture. This event is part of a service-learning project for UNO Spanish language students. To learn more, go here.