Events

Bass Pro Shop's Santa’s Wonderland featuring Free Photos with Santa

Santa will be cruising into Council Bluffs this Saturday, November 6 to officially kick off Santa’s Wonderland, the ultimate free family Christmas event, at Bass Pro Shops. Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s plans to deliver free photos with Santa to more than two million kids and families this holiday season with a “Contactless Claus” experience. Photos with Santa will start on November 7 with free advance reservations, which can be made beginning November 1. To learn more and make a reservation, visit www.basspro.com/santa. Santa will arrive at Bass Pro on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. Contactless visits with Santa will start on Nov. 7 and continue through Friday, Dec. 24, 2021.

Share the Warmth - Blanket Drive

Join us in giving the Gift of Warmth as the cold season sets in! We will be accepting donations of new and gently used blankets, towels, and twin-sized bedsheets to benefit the New Visions Homeless Services and Promise 4 Paws animal rescue and sanctuary. We are accepting drop-offs until Monday, November 29th!

39th Annual Walnut Christmas Walk

It's never too early to gear up in Walnut Iowa for Christmas!! Iowas antique city is open daily with many antique and specialty shops for your buying or browsing!! Our 39th Annual Christmas Antique Walk runs November 26 and 27th 9 - 5 and November 28th 9-4, get away from the crowds and malls and shop our streets. Yep, all roads lead to Walnut and parking is everywhere!! All Indoor shopping with food and family fun!! See our Christmas lights and tree judging contest.

#GivingTuesday, powered by SHARE Omaha

As we count the blessings of this past year, we celebrate the power of coming together. We are grateful for one another and energized by what we can do when we rally together and give. Giving Tuesday will happen across the globe on November 30 this year. In our corner of the world, this is our day to prove the power of our region. We declare November 30th as #GivingTuesday402 in the Omaha metro and #GivingTuesday712 in Southwest Iowa. It is time to give what we can and do what is needed. Join SHARE Omaha on November 30 and be a part of hearts and hands giving to hundreds of local nonprofits across the metro. You can easily make needed donations, find volunteer opportunities and be counted on this powerful day of giving in the Omaha/Council Bluffs metro. Give on November 30, all in one stop, at SHAREomaha.org. Giving Tuesday in the metro is powered by SHARE Omaha, with #GivingTuesday402 presented by Core Bank and #GivingTuesday712 presented by TS Bank.

#GivingTuesday712, Live from Council Bluffs!

Tune in on Facebook as SHARE Omaha brings you Giving Tuesday LIVE with an hour-long celebration of your local giving and a few surprises as we unlock giving goals together and help propel Southwest Iowa nonprofits to an even better 2022!

Prairie Seed Processing & Uses of Native Plants

Celebrate Giving Tuesday by volunteering to help process prairie seed harvested this fall. We'll also discuss some of the practical uses of native plants, such as fibers, dyes, & pollinator nests, and have books & resources about native plants. Free and open to the public. No experience is needed. No registration is required.

City of Council Bluffs Historic Preservation Commission Meeting

The City of Council Bluffs Historic Preservation Commission meets the first Wednesday of every month unless otherwise notified.

28th Annual Christmas in Carson Community Celebration

You won’t want to miss the 28th Annual Carson Christmas Celebration on Wednesday, December 1. We’re going to light up the streets of Broadway with our traditional milk jug luminaries. The Luminaries will lead you to all of the events. Over 600 luminaries will line Commercial Street and Broadway.

-Concert at the Dreamland Theatre: 5:30 PM $2/person admission. “Paul Hart & Jacki Akers”

-Santa Arrives at the Theatre at 7 PM (Bring your camera)

-Business Open Houses from 5-8 PM. Sign up for prizes at each location.

-Wine Tasting at the Country Store

-Free Christmas Fire Truck Rides from 5-8 PM at the Fire Station

-Community Center Attractions 5-7:30 PM : Soup Supper (hosted by CVFD)

-Craft & Vendor Fair, Kids Activities (sponsored by Eckles Library), Selfie Station, Bake Sale, Quilt Raffle, and Reindeer Run (poker run style-$5 to play-50/50 prize)

FAMILY, Inc. Holiday Photo Event

FAMILY, Inc. will be celebrating the holidays by hosting free professional photos with Santa! Come enjoy crafts, holiday games, and cookies & cocoa while capturing precious memories to share. Families receive their photo via email with full rights to print and post wherever you like. You must reserve your photo time slot in advance.

There is also a link for registration in Spanish available here. 

The registration deadline is Monday, November 29th.

An Evening of One-acts

Join the Iowa Western Theatre Department for an evening of one-act plays: November 11, 12, and 13 at 7:00 pm. Productions and dates are subject to change. Tickets are available for purchase at the Arts Center Box Office.

Christmas in Macedonia

Check out Christmas in Macedonia! Visit the Museums, visit Santa on Saturday, get a Christmas gift at the Painted Camel! And then go see our Grist Mill McCready Theater group present Dashing Through the Snow. A hilarious romp written by writers from The Golden Girls tv series. Enjoy the laughs from the lobby of the Snowflake Inn B&B in Tinsel, Texas, where every day is Christmas. 

For the full schedule of events, view our poster or visit us on Facebook! 

Holiday Model Trains at the Union Pacific Museum

Carrying on a heart-warming tradition, the Union Pacific Railroad Museum will once again host the N-Trak model train club’s holiday model train display beginning Dec. 3, 2021. The museum will have a fully operational tabletop N-scale train and HO layout available through December 18, 2021. Visitors will even be encouraged to operate the HO layout themselves. The model trains will be available from 12 to 6 p.m. on the following Fridays and Saturdays:

• Dec. 3 and 4
• Dec. 10 and 11
• Dec. 17 and 18

Visitors will need to reserve their time to visit online at www.uprrmuseum.org. Appointments are plentiful but schedule ahead to avoid missing out. Walk-ins will be accommodated if possible.