HERO area
The Weekender highlights free(ish) student-focused social events happening on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln campus on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoons and evenings. All students are welcome.
Ongoing
Free Bowling
- Every Friday, Saturday & Sunday
- 5:30 p.m. to midnight Friday; 1 p.m. to midnight Saturday; 1 to 8 p.m. Sunday
- Husker Bowling Center, inside the Nebraska East Union
UNL students enjoy free bowling + shoe rental w/ their NCard.
Details + Reserve a laneApril 10, 11, 12
11:00 am – 4:30 pm, April 10, 2026
Tea Time
Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center Room: 301
Every week Friday, Kawasaki reading room will have tea and snacks for everyone!!
Details4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Friday, April 10 2026
Life in Lincoln: Staples from East and Southeast Asia
Ruth Leverton Hall
This date’s activity is part of Life in Lincoln’s Global Kitchen cooking workshops, an interactive series that celebrates flavors from around the world. Each session features simple, healthy recipes made with affordable ingredients, perfect for busy student life.
Join us for a fun, interactive cooking night inspired by easy, go-to meals from East and Southeast Asia. We’ll cook fried rice, glass noodles, quick kimchi, and fresh spring rolls – perfect for busy student life and shared kitchens.
This workshop is all about learning practical skills, trying new flavors, and meeting new people. Everyone is welcome at the table!
Details5:00 PM - 9:00 PM, Friday, April 10 2026
Lazzi Improv Show
The Crib & Platte River Rooms
A free comedy improv show put on for the public!
Details1:00 PM - 5:30 PM, Saturday, April 11 2026
ISA Holi Celebration Spring-2026
Greenspace (in front of Cather)
Students will be able to celebrate the spirit of unity in diversity through this celebrative lens. The event will also provide an experience for participants to learn about the traditions of the festival. International students from South Asia along with domestic students with a South Asian heritage will be able to celebrate their traditional festival and immerse in their own cultural backgrounds. Students will be able to enjoy ethnic free Indian cuisine as a form of cultural immersion. Students attending will be playing with colors and there will be music.
DetailsStarts at 7:30 pm, April 12, 2026
Chamberfest 1
Westbrook Music Building Room: 130
This event is free and open to the public.
Please note that there are three Chamberfest performances:
Chamberfest 1 is Sunday, April 12.
Chamberfest 2 is Monday, April 13.
Chamberfest 3 is Tuesday, April 14.
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Saturday, April 11 2026 at
Challenge Course Connections: Play, Problem-Solve, and Push Your Limits—Together
Outdoor Adventures Center- City Campus
Ready to meet other UNL students, be outside, and have some serious fun? At the UNL Challenge Course, you’ll jump into a series of engaging, ground‑based group activities designed to spark laughter, and stretch your problem‑solving muscles in a supportive, low‑pressure environment.
No experience needed—just bring your curiosity, your willingness to try something new, and your best “let’s‑do‑this” attitude.
Wear clothing appropriate for the weather and wear closed toed shoes.
Meet on Campus; Transportation to the course is provided….
Details5:00 pm – 9:00 pm, April 12, 2026
Lead Climbing Clinic
Outdoor Adventures Center
Come and learn the basics of lead climbing on our on-campus rock wall. Student/Member: $10
Non-Member: $20
April 17, 18, 19
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm, April 17, 2026
Smash It! Rage Room
Nebraska East Union Room: Great Plains Room
Enjoy the liberating experience of destruction…without ever making a mess! Smash your tension into tiny pieces and unleash your frustrations inside a wickedly-fun indoor playground. It’s optimal enjoyment with ZERO mess!
Have a blast playing these immersive live action experiences:
• Zombie Axe Throw
• Nerf Target Blasting
• Rubber Chicken Stomp
• Wobble Guy Boppers
FREE for UNL students only with Event Pass.
Watch more in this video: https://player.vimeo.com/video/913123536
11:00 am – 2:00 pm, April 17, 2026
LoveFest on the Lawn
Love Library South Room: south lawn facing R St.
Relax and join the fun with LoveFest on the Lawn. Enjoy a free picnic lunch in individual containers on blankets spread out on the lawn. Play lawn games provided by Campus Rec and the Lincoln Children’s Museum. Sample of games: giant Jenga, jumbo Tetris, lawn bowling, oversized checkers, ladderball, washers, and cornhole.
The Libraries will provide a cart of books (fiction and literature) if you just want to read something fun. Food provided for 250 people by Dining Services.
In case of rain, event will be held on the 2nd floor of Love Library South and the Link.
Starts at 6:30 pm, April 17, 2026
Life In Lincoln: World Cup Soccer Tournament
Mabel Lee Rec Fields
Life in Lincoln is a series of select evenings for UNL students to gather and enjoy a nearby activity or tour to sample and learn about the local Lincoln culture, neighborhoods, and people.
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THIS WEEK’s ACTIVITY:
An action-packed 8-team tournament featuring fast-paced 8-a-side games. Each team will compete in 20-minute matches, showcasing their skills, teamwork, and determination in a friendly yet competitive environment.
Join in for a evening of sportsmanship, camaraderie, and thrilling soccer action. Whether you’re playing or cheering, there will be excitement for everyone.
Free for UNL students with Event Pass.
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM, Saturday, April 18 2026
Picnic With Pride
Sheldon Art Museum Greenspace
An event with full group performances as well as karaoke-style performance
DetailsStarts at 1:00 pm, April 19, 2026
All My Sons (National Theatre)
Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center-Van Brunt Visitors Center Room: Ross Theaters (123 & 124)
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths) feature in a five-star, triumphantly acclaimed new production of Arthur Miller’s classic play, from visionary director Ivo Van Hove (A View from the Bridge).
Filmed live from the West End, Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You), Tom Glynn-Carney (House of the Dragon), and Hayley Squires (I, Daniel Blake) also feature in this disturbingly prescient play.
Additional Public Info:
TICKETS: $5 UNL Students, $12 Members, Students, Military, $15 Seniors, $18 General Admission.
April 24, 25, 26
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm, April 24, 2026
Life in Lincoln: Latin American Home Cooking
Leverton Hall
Experience the warmth and flavor of Latin American home cooking in this hands-on workshop. You’ll pick up easy cooking tips while enjoying a relaxed, social atmosphere.
The group will work as a team to create budget-friendly classics:
- black beans
- seasoned rice
- vegetable quesadillas
- fresh pico de gallo
Only 20 spots are available for UNL students.
RSVP in advance to secure a spot: https://unl.campuslabs.com/engage/event/12130930
Starts at 7:30 pm, April 24, 2026
Nebraska Rep: Bright Star
Temple Building Room: Howell Theatre
“Bright Star,” produced by the Nebraska Repertory Theatre in association with UNL Opera, with music, book and story by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, is a bluegrass-infused musical that weaves together past and present as it follows a woman’s search for redemption and reunion in 1940s North Carolina.
Performances are April 16-26 in Howell Theatre, located on the first floor of the Temple Building.
For tickets and more information, visit https://nebraskarep.org.
10:00 am – 2:00 pm, April 25, 2026
Lincoln Earth Day
Nebraska Innovation Campus
Lincoln Earth Day is a free event designed with the whole family in mind! There will be 50+ booth exhibitors, live music, local food vendors, a bike rodeo and a city wide clothing swap. Grab your friends, family and coworkers and enjoy this Earth Day celebration!
More info: https://lincolnearthday.org/.
10:30 am – 11:30 am, April 26, 2026
Yoga at the Sheldon
Sheldon Museum of Art
Sheldon Museum of Art and Campus Recreation are partnering to offer an hour-long yoga class, appropriate for all levels, at the museum. Yoga is a spiritual practice that connects the mind, body, and breath through physical postures (asanas). Breathing exercises and meditation take place to promote mindfulness and listening to the body.
The class is free and open to the public, but space and equipment is limited. Please bring your own mat, towel, or blanket.
DetailsMay 1, 2, 3
11:00 am – 1:00 pm, May 1, 2026
FriYAY Fest
Nebraska Union Room: Plaza
Take a study break and unwind with a midday farmers market and party on the plaza outside the Nebraska Union. Enjoy with free food, local farmer vendors, and relaxing activities, including:
* Free Pulled Pork sandwich with cabbage slaw from Harper Smokehouse Food Truck (while supplies last)
* Commencement cap decorating
* Games: Cornhole, Ladder Golf, etc.
* Sidewalk chalking
* Music, prizes, and more
Free for UNL students with NCard
11:00 am – 4:30 pm, May 1, 2026
Tea Time
Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center Room: 301
Every week Friday, Kawasaki reading room will have tea and snacks for everyone!!
Details3:30 pm – 5:00 pm, May 1, 2026
End of Semester Party
Louise Pound Hall Room: Atrium
Celebrate the end of the semester with us! Join in for an evening of fun, music, and relaxation as we wrap up the academic term. Take a break, enjoy good company, and let’s end the semester on a high note!
Details5:00 pm – 7:00 pm, May 1, 2026
First Friday at Sheldon Museum of Art
Sheldon Museum of Art
Start your weekend by celebrating the end of spring semester classes at Sheldon Museum of Art. May’s First Friday offers lawn games, activities, and refreshments, with drop in tours available at 6:00 p.m.
This event is free and open to the public.
https://sheldonartmuseum.doubleknot.com/event/first-friday-end-of-year-celebration/3132508
Details3:00 pm – 6:00 pm, May 2, 2026
End of Year Bash
Nebraska Union Room: Memorial Plaza + Meier Common
The perennial campus tradition is back! Cap off the school year at a free outdoor carnival with your Husker friends.
FREE for UNL students with Event Pass.
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Enjoy fun games, food, and entertainment:
* INFLATABLE GAMES: X-Treme Radical Run; Warped Wall Obstacle Course
* MECHANICAL BULL
* YARD GAMES: Cornhole; Spikeball; Ladder Golf.
* SNACKS: Cotton Candy; Popcorn
* SPECIAL FEATURE: Therapy Dogs from Domesti-PUPS
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INCLEMENT WEATHER
In the event of rain or severe inclement weather, this event is canceled and will not be rescheduled.