Calendar of events
Dates, locations, and times are subject to change. Some workshops or events may charge a fee. Contact us to submit your event.
Upcoming in 2015
January
- January 13 Kate Benzel Presents Carl Sandburg as Folklorist 1 pm. Kearney, NE. Kate Benzel – a Carl Sandburg scholar - will speak about Carl Sandburg as a folklorist using Sandburg’s 1936 book “The People, Yes” (1936). At Kearney Public Library, 2020 First Ave.
- January 13 Mike Adams Presents Carl Sandburg as Folklorist 1 pm. Kearney, NE. Mike Adams - songwriter and musician – will discuss and perform a variety of songs from Sandburg’s compilation of American folk songs – “The American Songbag” (1927) - that speak “the hearts and voices of thousands of men and women.” At Kearney Public Library, 2020 First Ave.
- January 18 Nebraska Spirit: The North Platte Canteen 2 pm. Red Cloud, NE. A One Book One Nebraska event. Speaker: Charlotte Endorf. Contact Terri Eberly at 402-746-3352 for more information. At Auld Public Library, 537 N. Webster.
- January 20-24 Kearney Area Storytelling Festival Kearney, NE. You're invited to come hear professional storytellers--along with area tellers--present the art of storytelling in many area venues. This year's headliners include Kim Weitkamp and Michael Reno Harrell. At various locations.
- January 22 Nebraska Spirit: The North Platte Canteen 6:30 pm. Ogallala, NE. A One Book One Nebraska event. Speaker: Charlotte Endorf. Contact Kendra Caskey at 308-284-4354 for more information. At Goodall City Library, 203 West A St.
- January 23 Spoken Word Artist Buddy Wakefield 7 pm. Omaha, NE. A One Book One Nebraska event. Buddy is a three-time world champion spoken word artist featured on NPR, the BBC, HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, and ABC Radio National. At the Apollon, 1801 Vinston St.
- January 25 Book Signing with Monya Nogg 1 pm. Omaha. Monya Nogg will sign Age is Just a Number and Mine is Unlisted. At The Bookworm, 2501 South 90th St (90th & Center).
- January 28 Author Readings with Joy Castro, Zedeka Poindexter, Rodger Gerberding 7 pm. Omaha. Presented by The Backwaters Press. At the UNO Community Engagement Center, 6001 Dodge St., UNO Campus.
- January 31 Book Signing with Alex Kava 1 pm. Omaha. Alex Kava will sign Breaking Creed. At The Bookworm, 2501 South 90th St (90th & Center).
- Contact us to submit your January 2015 event.
February
- February 3 Nebraska Spirit: The North Platte Canteen 1:15 pm. Hastings, NE. A One Book One Nebraska event. Speaker: Charlotte Endorf. Contact Contact Cheryl Lockwood at 402-463-6121 for more information. At Barrett Alumni Center at Hastings College, 710 N. Turner Ave.
- February 15 Young Poets Contest Deadline This is an annual contest held to honor the memory of John G. Neihardt, Poet Laureate of Nebraska in Perpetuity, and to encourage and highlight young poets. The sponsor is the Neihardt Foundation, which operates the Neihardt State Historical Site in Bancroft, Nebraska, where Neihardt wrote many of his most important works.
- February 24 E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues “Creativity, Curiosity, and Learning” 7 pm. Lincoln, NE. In moderated debate style, Andrew Bacevich and Dr. Milton Chen will present examples of schools and afterschool programs emphasizing creative learning through project-based learning, the visual and performing arts, and experiences in authentic places, such as the National Parks. Dr. Chen's book Education Nation: Six Leading Edges of Innovation in our Schools, was named one of 2010’s best education books by the American School Board Journal. At the Lied Center for Performing Arts, 301 N. 12th Street.
- February 28 Omaha Public Library's Author Fair 1 - 4 pm. Omaha, NE. Meet local authors and publishers. At Omaha Public Library W. Dale Clark Main Library, 215 S. 15th St.
- Contact us to submit your February 2015 event.
March
- March 2 Read Across America Day Nationwide
- March 10 - 15 Omaha Film Festival and Film Conference Omaha. At Village Pointe Theatre, 304 N. 174th St.
- March 19 Humanities on the Edge 5:30 pm. Lincoln. "The Prince of This World: The Devil and Political Theology" -- public lecture by Adam Kotsko. At the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery, University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
- March 20 WillyCon Short Story and Poetry Submission Deadline All ages. All types of science fiction, fantasy, dark fantasy, or horror with fantastic elements are welcome. The story or poem winning first place in each category will be published on the WillyCon E-Zine.
- Contact us to submit your March 2015 event.
April
- April 2015 National Poetry Month
- April 2 Humanities on the Edge 5:30 pm. Lincoln. "The Operating System of Your Life: How Tech Companies and Big Data Govern Your Identity, Knowledge and Refrigerator" -- public lecture by Siva Vaidhyanathan. At the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery, University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
- April 6 Patchwork of the Prairie 6:30 pm. Lincoln. Yvonne Hollenbeck presents a trunk show of approximately 30 quilts made by members of the same family spanning 135 years. The stories behind both the quilters and the quilts themselves are shared and accompanied with some of Hollenbeck’s own cowboy/cowgirl poetry. Contact Angel Bock at 402-429-2881 for more information. At College View Church, 4801 Prescott Ave.
- April 10 - 11 Nebraska Writers Guild Spring Conference La Vista, NE. With Deidre Knight, Michael Carr, Tim Grahl, Jeanne Veillette, and Lee Jessup. At La Vista Conference Center, 12520 Westport Pkwy.
- April 10 - 12 WillyCon Wayne, NE. Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention.
- April 15 Paul A. Olson Seminars in Great Plains Studies 3:30 pm. Lincoln, NE. "The Civil War in the Great Plains" with speaker Ken Winkle, UNL professor and award-winning Lincoln biographer. Center for Great Plains Studies, 1155 Q St.
- April 16 Humanities on the Edge 5:30 pm. Lincoln. "Immigration Reform and the Political Value of Manufactured Crisis" -- public lecture by Cristina Rodriguez. At the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery, University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
- April 20 Louder Than a Bomb: Great Plains Finals Omaha. Louder Than a Bomb is an annual teen poetry festival and competition based in Omaha and featuring schools from all over Nebraska and the Great Plains. Louder Than a Bomb is one of the programs of the Nebraska Writers Collective, an Omaha-based literary education non-profit organization. At the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St.
- April 23 Poetry from the Plains 7 pm. Hastings. Twyla Hansen will read selections from her poetry and discuss how the landscape of the Great Plains has inspired, influenced and shaped her writing. Contact Laura Marvel Wunderlich at 402-461-7343 for more information. This presentation encourages audience questions on subjects of interest to creative writers. At The Lark, 809 W 2nd St.
- April 25 Nebraska Book Festival Omaha, NE. At the UNO Community Engagement Center, 6401 Dodge Street.
- April 30 Poem in Your Pocket Day Nationwide. The idea is simple: select a poem you love during National Poetry Month then carry it with you to share with co-workers, family, and friends.
- Contact us to submit your April 2015 event.
May
- May 23 - 30 Great Plains Theatre Conference Omaha, NE. Offers playwrights the opportunity to interact with, and have their work seen by top writers, directors, and actors from around the country. In addition, playwrights will be able to work directly with these professionals in hands on writing and industry workshops. Playwrights will also participate in daily panel discussions and have tickets to evening performances with master playwrights and theatre practitioners.
- Contact us to submit your May 2015 event.
June
- June 5 - 7 60th Annual Willa Cather Spring Conference Red Cloud, NE. Fragments of Desire: Cather and the Arts. Highlights will include informative papers and panel discussions; guided town and country tours; an evening picnic on the prairie; a screening of the Nebraska Educational Telecommunications documentary, Yours, Willa Cather; ceremonial groundbreaking for the National Willa Cather Center; and the premiere of Larksong, a theatrical retelling of The Song of the Lark. Keynote speaker: Richard Norton Smith. Sponsored by the Willa Cather Foundation.
- June 10 - 14 Chautauqua: “Free Land? 1862 and the Shaping of Modern America” Alliance, NE. The “Free Land” Chautauqua will address the collective impacts of the Homestead Act, the Pacific Railway Act, and the Morrill Act on Nebraska, the Great Plains and the nation. The influences of these three pieces of legislation, all passed within six weeks of each other in 1862, will be explored through scholar portrayals of six prominent historical figures: Union general and railroad builder Grenville Dodge, author Willa Cather, Ponca chief Standing Bear, author and homesteader Laura Ingalls Wilder, homesteader and inventor George Washington Carver, and humorist Mark Twain as moderator. Sponsored by the Nebraska Humanities Council.
- June 17 - 21 Chautauqua: “Free Land? 1862 and the Shaping of Modern America” Kearney, NE. The “Free Land” Chautauqua will address the collective impacts of the Homestead Act, the Pacific Railway Act, and the Morrill Act on Nebraska, the Great Plains and the nation. The influences of these three pieces of legislation, all passed within six weeks of each other in 1862, will be explored through scholar portrayals of six prominent historical figures: Union general and railroad builder Grenville Dodge, author Willa Cather, Ponca chief Standing Bear, author and homesteader Laura Ingalls Wilder, homesteader and inventor George Washington Carver, and humorist Mark Twain as moderator. Sponsored by the Nebraska Humanities Council.
- Contact us to submit your June 2015 event.
July
- July 10 - 12 BritishFest Council Bluffs, IA. Do you like British TV, movies, games, and books? We have a few fan clubs, panels, tea time, history, and anything else that is British!
- July 31 - August 2 OSFest Omaha, NE. Science Fiction and Fantasy Festival: Workshops, Science talks, Anime programming, Film and Television activities, Costuming workshops, Coffee with the Guests of Honor, Free book library, Masquerade and Hall costume contests, Author readings, OSFest Independent Film Festival, Room Parties. Sponsored by the Omaha Science Fiction Education Society.
- Contact us to submit your July 2015 event.
August
- July 31 - August 2 OSFest Omaha, NE. Science Fiction and Fantasy Festival: Workshops, Science talks, Anime programming, Film and Television activities, Costuming workshops, Coffee with the Guests of Honor, Free book library, Masquerade and Hall costume contests, Author readings, OSFest Independent Film Festival, Room Parties. Sponsored by the Omaha Science Fiction Education Society.
- Contact us to submit your August 2015 event.
September
- Contact us to submit your September 2015 event.
October
- Contact us to submit your October 2015 event.
November
- Contact us to submit your November 2015 event.
December
- Contact us to submit your December 2015 event.
Ongoing
Lincoln
- Acoustic Open Mic Lincoln, NE. Wednesdays, 8 pm - 12 am, at Meadowlark Coffee & Espresso, 1624 South St. For musicians and poets. Hosted by Spencer. Call 402-477-2007 for more information.
- F Street Writers Workshop Lincoln, NE. At the F Street Community Center. Humor, flash-fiction, romance. With Terrance Oberst, facilitator. Contact Terrance, terranceoberst (at) gmail (dot) com for more information.
- Lincoln City Libraries Book Talks and Book Discussion Groups Lincoln, NE. Includes Books Talk at Bethany and Gere branches, Courtyard Book Chats in the Garden, Just Desserts Mystery Discussion Group, and Great Books Reading and Discussion Group.
- Lunch at the Library Lincoln, NE. 12:10 pm, 1st Wednesday. Bring your lunch and enjoy coffee provided by The Mill. Sponsored by Nebraska Literary Heritage Association, support group for the Jane Pope Geske Heritage for Nebraska Authors. At Bennett Martin Public Library, 14th & N Streets. For more information: heritage (at) lincolnlibraries.org.
- Nebraska Romance Writers Lincoln, NE. Last Tuesday, with a few special exceptions. Unless otherwise noted, meetings are held at the Lincoln City Libraries Gere Branch. Meetings generally feature several mini-workshops on motivation, craft, or a potpourri presentation designed to inspire our writing members.
- no name reading series Lincoln, NE. 4pm; Sept. 6 & 27; Oct. 18; Nov. 1 & 22; Jan. 10 & 24, 2013; Feb. 7 & 21; Mar. 21; April 11. Run by the graduate students in the UNL English department, the series aims to support the creative talent that comes out of the department by promoting that talent throughout the greater Lincoln community. At Zen's Lounge, 122 N. 11th St. Contact Jason at jason.hertz (at) huskers.unl.edu for more information.
- One Book One Lincoln Lincoln, NE. Various activities. Inviting Lincoln to read and discuss the same book. Become a fan on Facebook.
- Open Mic Night Tuesdays, 9:30 p.m., Lincoln, NE. Open Mic night for Singer/Songwriters, Slam Poets, and Stand Ups. Hosted by Susan Steele and Aimless Entertainment. To pre-register to perform, email treynolds [at] AimlessEntertainment.com. At The Alley, 1031 M Street.
- Park Teen Center Underground Open Mike Coffeehouse Night Lincoln, NE. Last Thursday of the month, 7 - 8:30 pm. Open mic/slam poetry/hot cocoa/coffee/acoustic music for Grades 8-12 at Park School (855 S 8th St., basement). Call 402-441-9471 for more information.
- Poet Show It Lincoln, NE. 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, 8 pm. Local writers come and read. Local people come and drink. Coffee, booze, poetry, fiction. Discovery. At 1122 D St.
- Crescent Moon Readings Series Lincoln, NE. Mondays, 7 pm. They offer the microphone to anyone who has written poetry, stories, or songs and wishes to have the opportunity to share them. Contact crescentmoon (at) inebraska.com for more information. At Crescent Moon Coffee, 816 P St.
- Smash Teeth Poetry Slam Lincoln, NE. 2nd Wednesday, 7 pm. With Oracle Jones and Ryley G. At the Panic (218 N St). 21 and over.
- SP CE Lincoln, NE. Every Saturday, 2 pm. Writing group. At SP CE. 2nd floor of the 14th and O building, northeast corner. Go up the stairs next to Novel Idea Books.
- Tuesdays with Writers Lincoln, NE. 1st Tuesday, 7 pm, at the South Mill, 4736 Prescott. Featured speaker. Open mic follows. Contact Deborah McGinn, dmcginn (at) lps (dot) org for more information.
Omaha
- 2nd Saturday Poetry Workshop Omaha, NE. Meets monthly, 1 - 3 pm, at various branches of the Omaha Public Library. This monthly workshop is open to all ages and will work in crafting spoken word poetry. Presented by Omaha Public Library and the Nebraska Writers Collective.
- FEATURED EVENT Beaux Arts at Brewsky's Omaha, NE. Meets 2nd Thursdays, 7 - 10 pm, at Brewsky's, 8528 Park Dr. Every second Thursday of the month, WriteLife and Brewsky’s will host a local author, artist or artisan, and musician who will share about their craft.
- GET LIT with Brigit Saint Brigit Theatre Fridays, 6:30 pm. Omaha, NE. actors will give vivid voice to animate readings that traverse all the genres of literature. GET LIT! will begin with some brief background on the authors and stories and introductions of the actors. The readings will run less than an hour, and will be followed by some sprightly discussion for those in the mood. Designed as an informal but satisfying after-supper interlude, it will deliver a whimsical and unique wind-down from the work week/wind-up for the weekend. The selections for each Friday will be announced a week in advance on posters at the Bookworm, via Brigit email, and at Bridgit’s website www.bsbtheatre.com. At The Bookworm, 8702 Pacific St.
- Lil Divas Book Club for Teens Omaha, NE. Meets monthly, 2 - 4 pm, at the Charles B. Washington Branch of the Omaha Public Library. Come join a book club especially for African American girls! Each month we’ll sample another hot young adult urban fiction title. Join us for food, friends and fun! E-mail Russ Harper at rharper (at) omahalibrary (dot) org for more information.
- The Midwest Poetry Vibe Omaha, NE. Wednesdays, 9 pm - 1 am, at Arthur’s, 8025 W. Dodge Rd. One of the most diverse events in the Midwest, come feel the vibe. Poetry, the latest R&B and Neosoul music, live performances, a different concert DVD of a national artist, food and drink specials, and much more. Presented by Versatile Entertainment Group, Inc.
- Writer's Workshop at Scooters Omaha, NE. 1st and 3rd Thursdays, 6:30 pm, at Scooters Coffeehouse, 9229 Mormon Bridge Plaza. Meet other writers, workshop your projects, and give feedback to creative individuals. Sponsored by WriteLife Publishing Company.
- Writer's Workshop Reading Series Omaha, NE. For going on 40 years, the Writer's Workshop Reading Series at UNO has featured free public readings and discussions by nationally renowned authors. Authors offer fascinating information about their own books and expertise on the craft of writing itself. Afterward, they will be available to sign books, which may be purchased on site. Traditionally held in the fall.
- Naked Words Open Mike Omaha, NE. 1st Wednesday, 6 - 8 pm. Poetry, frivolty, the occasional Pop-Tart. Hosted by Heidi Hermanson. At Soul Desires, 1026 Jackson St. Email Heidi, prairie (dot) sky (at) gmail (dot) com for more information.
- Omaha Healing Arts Center Poetry Slam Omaha, NE. Year-round, 2nd Saturday of each month, doors open at 7 pm, at the Omaha Healing Arts Center in the Old Market. Open mic and slam. Join their Facebook group.
- Open Mic at Aroma's Omaha, NE. Last Saturday, 7 - 9:30 pm. For musicians, poets, any and all. Come in and talk to Leslie (the dude with the beard) or Becks (the redhead) behind the counter to sign up. 20 minute time slots are allotted, unless the night is slow. Then they will be longer. At 1033 Jones St. Visit the Aromas Coffeehouse Facebook page.
- PROVOKE! Spoken Word Omaha, NE. 1st Monday, 7 - 9 pm. Open mic hosted by Jack Hubbell; it’s the poetic equivalent to that sharp pointy stick your mom always warned you about. At the Pizza Shoppe Collective.
- Shoot Your Mouth Off III Omaha, NE. Tuesdays, 9 pm sign-up, 9:30 pm start, at The Hideout, 320 S 72nd St, 402-504-4434. “An evening of poetry, comedy and chaos the way it was meant to be seen: in a bar with 50 of your closest friends!”
- Verbal Gumbo 7 - 11 pm. Omaha, NE. 3rd Thursday. Crabby about the political climate? Want some okra change? Just want to discuss your relationshrimps– or the andouille sausage in your life? Well, Verbal Gumbo is here with some hot, spicey flava with a side o’ rice and rhythm. This is the spoken word event that promotes our rich diversity of culture and style. At House of Loom, 1012 S. 10th St.
- Wednesday Words Omaha, NE. 2nd Wednesday, 11:45 am - 1 pm. An ongoing reading series recognizing award-winning writers from Nebraska, including Nebraska Arts Council's Individual Artist Fellowships in Literature honorees. Bring your lunch and enjoy the show. At KANEKO's KANEKO-UNO Library, 1111 Jones St.
- Writelife Open Mic Omaha, NE. Last Monday. 7 pm. At the Pizza Shoppe Collective, 6056 Maple St.
- Writelife Workshops Omaha, NE. 1st and 3rd Thursdays, 6:30 pm. At the Pizza Shoppe Collective, 6056 Maple St.
- X Poetry CommUNITY, Open Mic Omaha, NE. 2nd and 4th Saturdays, 4 - 5:45 pm, at The Spot, Charles B. Washington Branch Library, 2868 Ames Ave, 402-444-4849. For teens, tweens, and all ages. Open mic event with occasional features. Contact prahduct at productoftha88 (at) yahoo (dot) com or 402-659-8353 for more information.
Various
- Animanga Club Council Bluffs, NE. Meets every other Thursday, 3:30-5 pm, at the Council Bluffs Public Library, 400 Willow Ave. Call 712-323-7553 for details.
- Geocaching the Literary Map of Nebraska Statewide. Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online.
- Nebraska Writers Workshop Ralston, NE. Wednesdays, 5:30 - 9 pm, at the Baright Public Library directly east of Ralston City Hall, 5555 South 77th St.
- Not Just a Book, Club Kearney, NE. 1st Tuesday, 10:30 am, at Museum of Nebraska Art, 2401 Central Ave. For the avid reader whose interests lie in authors from Nebraska and about Nebraska including many that pertain to artists relevant to our state. There is no cost for this program, however occasionally you may want to purchase a book. Call 308-865-8559 to register.
- Open Mic Poetry Night at A to Z Books North Platte, NE. 2nd Friday and 4th Saturday, 7 pm, at A to Z Books, 507 North Jeffers. It’s a fun, funny, widely varied group. Poems can be short or long, funny or touching, rhymed or free verse. Musicians too. George Lauby of The North Platte Bulletin emcees and makes you feel comfortable. Call 308-534-0140 for details.
- Poetry Downtown on the Bricks Kearney, NE. 3rd Tuesday, 7 pm, at Book Ends Used and Collectible Books, 2218 Central Ave. They are actively seeking poets who are interested in sharing their work at these readings. Call Book Ends at 308-293-0031 or email bookends(at)rcom-ne.com for more information.
- Vermillion Literary Project Poetry Slam One of the best things about poetry slam is the range of poets it attracts. You’ll find a diverse range of work within slam, including heartfelt love poetry, searing social commentary, uproarious comic routines, and bittersweet personal confessional pieces. Poets are free to do work in any style on any subject. Contact Marcella Remund, mremund (at) usd.edu, for more information.
- Volkswalk: Walking with Wright Morris Central City, NE. Walk in the footsteps of Wright Morris. This volkswalk was designed to take walkers past famous landmarks from Wright Morris’ life and writings. Sponsored by the Omaha Science Fiction Education Society.
Related Links
- Links to other book-related calendars
- Events sponsored by the Library of Congress Center for the Book
- Library of Congress Center for the Book compendium of One Book projects, book fairs, storytelling festivals and other literary events across the U.S. and around the world
- Library calendar posted by the Nebraska Library Commission
- Lincoln City Libraries programs and events
- Omaha Public Library calendar of library events
- Nebraska event information from The Poetry Menu
- National Storytelling Network calendar
- Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America upcoming book fairs and events