Omaha Events This Week: Parker McCollum, New Apartments & Back-to-School Drives (Jul 30-Aug 5)

It's a big week for the metro, with a fresh round of TIF deals headed downtown and a full slate of shows and festivals to fill up your calendar through next Wednesday.

Here's what's inside:

Let's dive in!

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🧹 Omaha family turns trash pickup into a Sunday tradition
One Omaha family spent a recent Sunday morning tidying up the Old Market instead of staying home. They joined the Downtown Improvement District's monthly cleanup, which works with Keep Omaha Beautiful and has collected hundreds of pounds of trash since April. Cleanups start at 9 a.m. and last one hour.

🛍️ Melanin Market grows into a bigger home for diverse vendors
The Melanin Market held its fifth year Saturday at the Omaha Design Center, a larger space that welcomed more local sellers. Organizers say it is not just for Black-owned businesses; Native, Latino and Hispanic entrepreneurs joined too. Some vendors traveled from as far as Phoenix to take part.

🎒 Omaha church revives back-to-school drive as costs climb
Lord of Host Church brought back its back-to-school supply drive this year after a six-year break, pointing to the high cost of living. One mother of four called it a real relief for working families. Several South Omaha groups are also handing out backpacks and supplies over the coming weeks.

🏠 Habitat and Lowe's mark 50 years with a housing celebration
Habitat for Humanity and Lowe's celebrated their 50-year partnership Saturday with a pop-up event in central Omaha. Families painted old doors with what home means to them and built picnic tables for a Habitat neighborhood. It was one of 20 similar events held across the country.

🎒 Goodwill hands out 750 backpacks in North Omaha
Goodwill Industries and its partners gave away 750 free backpacks, school supplies, lunch and health screenings to families at its North Omaha headquarters Saturday. Kids picked out their own bags, and groups like PTI Nebraska shared resources. Goodwill hosts another back-to-school event on August 15.

👨‍👧 Black fathers march down 30th Street for unity
About 100 Black fathers marched through North Omaha, turning 30th Street into a celebration of fatherhood and community. Children walked beside their dads in matching shirts. Organizer Leo Louis says Black fathers are often overlooked, so the group gathered afterward for a panel on supporting them.

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🏗️ $1.5M Boost Clears Way for New Pacific Street Apartments
The council approved Tax Increment Financing for the 7630 Pacific Apartments project. A single-family home at that address will come down, replaced by a new five-story apartment building. Two neighbors spoke against the plan, but it passed anyway. Expect some construction activity on Pacific Street in the months ahead.

🏠 Affordable Senior Apartments Coming to Park Avenue
A new four-story senior living building is headed for 1059 Park Avenue, backed by nearly $661,000 in city financing. Every unit will be an affordable one-bedroom, giving older Omahans another budget-friendly housing option as the city’s senior housing options keep growing.

🛠️ City Locks In $577K Concrete Sealing Contract
The council approved a contract with McGill Restoration for nearly $577,000 to apply penetrating concrete sealer at various city locations this year. It’s routine maintenance, the kind that keeps sidewalks, garages and other concrete structures from wearing down ahead of schedule.

🏢 City Pays $2.3M for Leavenworth Street Property
Omaha is buying the property at 1818 Leavenworth Street for just over $2.3 million, funded through the city’s advance acquisition account. Purchases like this often set the stage for future redevelopment, though specific plans for the site weren’t shared at this meeting.

💡 Streetlights Get $451K Upgrade Despite Pushback
The council approved a $451,131 purchase from OPPD for 48 new Acorn-style streetlight poles. Two residents spoke against the deal, but council members moved ahead. The new poles are headed to the Design Division for installation around the city.

🏋️ Old Industrial Building Cleared for Indoor Sports Use
Irvington Road 75 LLC won approval for a special use permit to bring indoor sports and recreation to 7405 Irvington Road, a property zoned for general industrial use. It’s another sign of Omaha’s underused industrial buildings finding new life as community recreation spots.

📋 Also on the Agenda
The council also approved two new liquor licenses (Forest’s Game Time Pub and Epoca Cantina), several plats and subdivision agreements for the Walvoord, State and Highway 133, Lake Street Grocery Store, The Hill and McArdle Ridge developments, plus routine utility agreements, real estate purchases and a bid award for city infrastructure work.

Watch the City Council meeting here.

Here’s the latest on Omaha’s restaurant scene - openings, moves, and what’s next.

Q: Each January 1st from 1992 through 1995, you could count on the Nebraska Cornhuskers winning what NCAA football bowl game that formerly took place annually in a namesake stadium in Miami, Florida?

(Answer below.)

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*Dates and times can change, so please confirm with the venue before you go.

*Dates and times can change, so please confirm with the venue before you go.

TRIVIA ANSWER

A: Orange Bowl