Whether you are new to Greater Omaha or just looking to expand your horizons, there are an abundance of activities for young professionals. YPC has compiled information to help you connect socially and professionally.
YP scene
Greater Omaha's young professionals realize that having a strong business network of peers can be as important as having a large network of friends. Several young professional organizations and clubs have been formed to help build a professional network of peers. All About Omaha, the Omaha Jaycees and the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce's Young Professionals Council have led the endeavor to host networking events tailored to young professionals at local venues across the metropolitan area. The Joslyn Art Museum, Opera Omaha, Omaha Community Playhouse, Nebraska Shakespeare Festival and the Omaha Symphony have all formed similar clubs to not only promote networking, but to also expose them to the vibrant art scene in Greater Omaha.
Night life
Young professionals also need to leave work behind and unwind and in Greater Omaha, there is never a lack of entertainment options. The event and night life information below will help you find entertainment that appeals to your interests.
Hottest bars
The 114th and Dodge streets intersection has become the busiest bar hopping location Thursday through Saturday. The Green Onion is the oldest bar in this area and offers a stiff drink, making it the starting point for an entire evening of fun. Within this same area are Liquid Lounge, Barfly, Fedora, Peacock Room, DJ's Dugout, Jackets Bar and Grill, Nico Dance Club, Club Patrick's, and Naughty Lounge. In west Omaha, Citrus Lounge, The Coliseum, Stumble Inn, Lit, Drafthouse, Red Lounge and VegaLou's are among some of the more frequented. In downtown Omaha, The Dubliner, The 415, Nomad Ultra Lounge, The Max and The 1507 are the busiest locations.
Dance clubs
Nico is Greater Omaha's hottest night club. Nico often has guest DJ's from the hottest clubs around the United States. The Naughty is another very popular dance club located only a few blocks from Nico. Club Patrick's is also located within a few blocks of Nico and Naughty and attracts a younger crowd. One of the hottest dance clubs for R & B and Hip Hop is The 1507 in downtown Omaha. If you are looking for techno or house type music, the 415 in downtown Omaha is the primary location. The Max is one of downtown Omaha's most unique dance clubs with not only techno, but various types of dance music all in numerous themed rooms. Many also head to NYX's in Council Bluffs, Iowa, for techno dancing since they are open until 2 a.m. Nomad Lounge, new to downtown Omaha, is more of an ultra lounge than a dance club.
Live Music
There is no shortage of live music in Omaha. Mick's Music Bar in Benson is one of the most notable venues for local and national music talent. It is a smaller, swankier venue than most other venues advertised. Ozone Lounge is a newer venue that offers a big dance floor and some of the hottest cover bands. The Manhattan Club and The Prestige are two west Omaha lounges that also offer great live bands. If you are into blues, Murphy's Lounge and Downtown Blues are both known for providing local and national blues talent. Shea Riley's regularly books rock bands. The Anchor Inn is right on the Missouri River and is known for its outdoor concerts during the warmer months of the year. Stir Concert Cove at Harrah's Casino also has great outdoor concerts in the summer. Sokol and Sokol Underground are most known for local and national rock, alternative, punk and emo bands. The Waiting Room in Benson and Slowdown in north downtown offer similar rock band performances.
Sports and Recreation
Omaha is a sports and recreational utopia. After all, once you have a chance to enjoy all the fabulous restaurants this city has to offer there must be an activity to burn off all those calories. Take the dogs to the Hefflinger Dog Park or take a bike ride on Keystone Trail. Try out a new sport by taking up Kayak Polo or shake your stuff with a belly dancing group. Not your speed? Check out our roller derby scene.Sports fans are guaranteed to jam the city each June for the NCAA Men's College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium, and the Cox Classic each summer at Champions Run Golf Club. Grab your friends and support your home town teams by checking out the Creighton Jays or the UNO Mavs.
Arts and Attractions
When it comes to arts and attractions, variety is more than the spice of life, it's the way of life in Greater Omaha. The city and the region are recognized as fertile ground for artists, musicians and creativity in all forms. The Old Market historic area has a thriving artists' community. Internationally-known artist and sculptor Jun Kaneko has a massive studio here and is planning a $22 million, non-profit "center for creativity" he hopes will attract artists, poets, philosophers and scientists. The Omaha Symphony, under the musical direction of Thomas Wilkins, enjoys the stunning acoustics of the Holland Performing Arts Center. A short stroll from the Holland, big-name acts including The Rolling Stones, Justin Timberlake, Kenny Chesney, Billy Joel and U2 play before packed audiences at Qwest Center Omaha, which ranks among the top twenty venues in the world for ticket sales.
Independence is more than a concept here. The Omaha Community Playhouse leads a star-studded roster of imaginative community theater venues. Independent films have found a home in the two-screen Film Streams cinema, the Ruth Sokolof Theater, part of the Saddle Creek Records project in the North Downtown mixed-use development near Creighton University.
In the summertime, free outdoor events include the annual Playing With Fire music series at Lewis and Clark Landing along the Missouri River. Jazz on the Green draws quite a crowd to the Joslyn Art Museum lawn on Thursday evenings. In May, the Cinco de Mayo parade fills the streets in South Omaha, while in late September, the River City Roundup Heritage Parade ropes 'em in downtown.