OMAHA — An annual public display of holiday lights will illuminate parts of Nebraska’s most populated city starting Nov. 29.

Running concurrently is the “Shine the Light on Hunger” campaign that this year set a goal of providing 6 million meals for the Food Bank for the Heartland.

While the Holiday Lights Festival and hunger-relief drive combo is a longtime tradition, this year’s activities come as the food bank, which serves 93 counties, faces “one of the most volatile times” in its history, says Brian Barks, president and CEO.

“Even before the government shutdown and the pause in SNAP benefits, we were already seeing the highest levels of food insecurity our service area has ever experienced,” he said. “These disruptions have only deepened the strain, pushing the food bank and our pantry partners to do even more with less.”

Barks said need is growing faster than resources, and he joined Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr. and others Tuesday in announcing details of the holiday lights and food- and fund-raising campaigns.

“For more than a quarter-century, our community has come together under the glow of downtown’s holiday lights to extend warmth to those in need,” Ewing said. “This year, we shine not only light but also hope — and we invite every resident, business and organization to join us in celebrating the holidays and shining the light on hunger.”

One in five children in Nebraska and western Iowa experience food insecurity, says the Food Bank for the Heartland, which distributed more than 24 million meals during fiscal year 2025. The food bank partners with more than 500 agencies across Nebraska and western Iowa.

The Holiday Lights Festival illuminates sections of Omaha from Saturday, Nov. 29, through Thursday, Jan. 1. Nightly displays turn on in downtown throughout the Old Market and across 72 acres of The Riverfront, along the commercial corridors of North 24th Street and South 24th Street.

Roger Dixon of the Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (MECA), which manages the downtown riverfront park system, said in a statement that the festival brings a “truly immersive holiday experience” with thousands of dazzling lights, a towering tree and dozens of seasonal events to the downtown area throughout December — free and open to the public.

The food campaign is supported by Conagra Brands, Farm Credit Services of America, WoodmenLife and Baker’s Supermarkets.

Rahul Sualy of Conagra Brands said the company created the Shine the Light on Hunger campaign to help make a tangible difference in providing food security to its neighbors.

“Everybody deserves consistent access to nutritious food,” he said. “By helping provide millions of meals for families across the Heartland, we’re turning compassion into action this holiday season.”

Among The Ways The Public Can Support:

• Donate funds online: Donate.FoodBankHeartland.org
• Donate nonperishable foods by dropping off “most needed” items into bright orange campaign bins at Baker’s Supermarkets and participating arts and cultural organizations. (Items listed include boxed meals, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, canned tuna and chicken, cereal, canned fruit and vegetables.)
• Join the “Stuff the Truck” event Friday, Dec. 5, where — from 3 to 5 p.m., at Baker’s Eagle Run, 132 Street and West Maple Road — volunteers will fill a food bank truck with food for distribution.

Holiday Lights Festival Schedule:

• Lighting ceremony, Nov. 29, 6 p.m., at The Riverfront’s Gene Leahy Mall in the performance pavilion, preceded by live music starting at 5 p.m.
• KETV Family Festival, Sunday, Dec. 7, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with free admission and trolley service connecting six family-friendly venues: Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha Children’s Museum, Omaha Public Library’s downtown branch, The Riverfront, Durham Museum and the Omaha Police Department’s Mounted Patrol Barn.

This story was published by Nebraska Examiner, an editorially independent newsroom providing a hard-hitting, daily flow of news. Read the original article: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/omaha-holiday-lights-festival-shines...