10 Things to Do in October in Omaha

The region’s favorite vintage festival takes place on an old horse farm. Named as an “unforgettable fall festival worth traveling for” by USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards, Junkstock features more than 200 vendors from across the country who sell their one-of-a-kind wares, from vintage finds and antiques to fashions and repurposed relics. Also part of the fun: live music, tasty food, pumpkins galore, plentiful photo ops and all the fall feels to kick off the season.

Cozy autumn attractions await you in Omaha. Navigate corn mazes or snuggle with loved ones on hayrack rides before picking the perfect pumpkins. For a rural-rustic autumn adventure, check out Skinny Bones with its 10-acre corn maze and 20 old-fashioned fun attractions. Mert's Market & Farm is a budget-friendly charmer open on weekends. Free admission gives you access to activities including a corn maze, wagon basketball hoop, pumpkin bowling, cornhole, photo opportunities and a scavenger hunt. Be on the lookout for special events, too. At Bellevue Berry & Pumpkin Ranch, catch the fall breeze on a giant bounce pad and careen around a wrecked pirate ship. Vala's Pumpkin Patch has 50 themed attractions, seasonal eats, and train and hayrack rides.

Capture Omaha’s eerie side at photo-worthy spots a shadowy swamp at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium to an historic cemetery. These atmospheric backdrops blend history, mystery and just the right amount of goosebumps — perfect for October or anytime you’re chasing spooky vibes.

Estefania Aguilar Photography

Catch more than 80 performances across porches, stages and pop-ups in Gifford Park at the annual Porchfest Omaha. With live music, poetry, comedy, art, food trucks, markets and more — plus an after party at the Fox Hole — it’s a neighborhood festival that buzzes all day long.

Omaha Dog Bar is a watering hole for dogs and their owners with 15,000 square feet of play space indoors and out. Bonus: They serve a lovingly crafted menu of drinks and eats for pups and people. Order from sandwiches, snacks, sweet treats, coffee, and of course, cocktails. A daily, monthly or annual membership is required to visit, and vaccination records are required, so visit their website to upload them before you arrive.

Sign up, get your pass on your phone, then redeem to enjoy buy one, get one for a cent beer at each of the participating craft breweries with the Omaha Craft Brew Penny Pack. This pass is your exclusive opportunity to sample award-winning beers on your self-guided beer tour in the Omaha area. Bonus: Get a free souvenir flight glass at the Omaha Visitors Center after completing your “tour.”

Ricardo Soltero’s vibrant skeleton figures bring Día de los Muertos to life, surrounded by bright marigolds symbolizing memory and connection between the living and the dead. This colorful, cultural tribute is on display through Nov. 8.

The beloved slides in Omaha’s Gene Leahy Mall at The RiverFront have been an Omaha staple since their installation in the early ’80s. The brand new RiverFront park has mostly new amenities, but this former favorite feature stayed with the park’s redesign and reopening. Tip: Bring a piece of wax paper to work up some speed

From the rolling Ponca Hills in Nebraska to the scenic Loess Hills across the river in Iowa, there are plenty of hiking opportunities to explore in the Omaha area. Plus, many of these same trails offer other recreational fun like snowshoeing, mountain biking and birding. So lace up your sneakers and hit one of the area trails/parks for some good old-fashioned hiking. Bonus: After a hike at Fontenelle Forest, head to TreeRush Adventures for more thrills.

Join your undertaker-dressed guide aboard Ollie the Trolley for a two-hour ride into Omaha’s wicked past, filled with eerie tales of gangsters, brothels and restless spirits.

Visit our events page for even more seasonal Omaha inspiration.