Joslyn Castle & Gardens

Public Tour
2025-12-07 10:30 - 12:00, 2025-11-23 10:30 - 12:00, 2025-11-16 10:30 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
Be our guest as we swing the Joslyn Castle doors open for public historical tours. No reservations required, just show up!

Step back in time to the stunning estate of Omaha’s first millionaires, George and Sarah Joslyn. Learn about their fascinating story and impact on Omaha while you stroll through their Scottish Baronial mansion and 5.5 acre grounds.

Tour Details

The tour includes a 14 minute video, and an hour long walking tour of the three levels of the Castle.

An elevator is available for guests with mobility issues.

Tours are held at 12:30pm with no advance ticket purchases or reservations required.

Tickets are $20.00 for adults, and $17.00 for students, seniors, or military with ID. Children 5 and under are free.

The front door of the Castle opens 15 minutes before tour start time.

Contact Information

mmccarthy@joslyncastle.com

402-595-2199

Krampus Ball - SOLD OUT!
2025-12-06 21:00 - 2025-12-07 01:00
Join us at Joslyn Castle & Gardens on December 6th for some hauntingly unique holiday festivities with Goth Night DJ Cemetery Gates

Saturday December 6th:
You won’t want to miss our Krampus Ball! This is a night to celebrate some of our lesser-known figures from winter lore- Krampus, Frau Perchta, La Befana, Mari Lwyd, Belsnickel, Grýla and the Yule Lads to name a few! Creative dress is highly encouraged- register your costume to win a grand prize that will be announced at midnight! The crowd will be doing the voting, so dress to impress and mingle with a motive!
Doors will open at 9pm, and merriment will immediately ensue! Grab a drink and roam the halls of our highly festive Castle, decorated to the hilt! Enjoy fun and games in various corners, a photo booth, mini tarot readings, and dance like a holiday fool to the sounds of DJ Cemetery gates who will be spinning some Post Punk, Dark Wave, New Wave, Goth, Synth and Alt classics! On the third floor, enjoy a top tier art show curated by Matthew Owens and inspired by Krampus and other unusual figures only seen in the dark half of the year. Featured artists include J Barnett, Krissy Hudson, Christian Persing and Rachel Kathryn, all from Evil Eye Tattoo- as well as Katie Martin, Simon Miller, Harison Richter and Katie Wittwer! This will be an assemblage of pieces you do NOT want to miss! Many of these pieces will be for sale- keep this in mind for the gift-giving facet of the season!
This event is for those who are at least 21 years of age- you will be asked to show your ID at check-in. We do have a coat closet for your convenience, but you will be responsible for any items that you leave within it. Doors open promptly at 9 PM, and you are invited to party heartily until 1 AM! It will be in your best interest to purchase tickets online in advance, this event will undoubtedly sell out! Tickets are $35 in advance, or $45 at the door on the 6th, should any tickets remain. We can’t wait to see your creative visions come to life!

Public Tour
2025-12-05 12:30 - 14:00, 2025-12-04 12:30 - 14:00, 2025-12-03 12:30 - 14:00, 2025-12-01 12:30 - 14:00, 2025-11-28 12:30 - 14:00, 2025-11-26 12:30 - 14:00, 2025-11-24 12:30 - 14:00, 2025-11-23 12:30 - 14:00 and 5 more dates | Joslyn Castle & Gardens, 3902 Davenport Street, Omaha, NE, 68131, United States

Glyders + Mowed Sound
2025-12-03 20:00 - 23:00
Glyders, on tour from Chicago, perform live at the Joslyn Castle Carriage House with locals Mowed Sound.

The historic Joslyn Castle opens the Carriage House doors on Wednesday, December 3rd, for a an evening of live music featuring Glyders and Mowed Sound!
Formed in Chicago by partners Josh Condon and Eliza Weber, Glyders make maximal minimal rock & roll with nocturnal mystery pulsing in the mix, cutting above rigorous roadhouse fare with sounds that twist and grind on their classic inspirations. Joined by Joe Seger on drums, Glyders’ high lonesome way is mellow but nervy, hip-shaking and deep – a multicolored trip to the ongoing beat of American weirdness.
Their second LP, “Forever,” is out November 21st, 2025 on Drag City:
Forever’s spirit is high and tight, its sinews rumbling with communal joy as Glyders’ power-trio formation, in it ‘for life,’ grooves deep into their own thing. Shuffling the deck with road-tested jams, Forever hits with the energy of a first album – which it kinda is, now that founders Josh & Eliza have met their true other, the relentless traps-man Joe Seger. Forever starts now!

Mowed Sound
Led by Nance on vocals and guitar alongside Kevin Donahue on drums, James Schroeder on guitar, Derrick Higgins and Sam Lipsett on bass, alongside guest appearances from Megan Siebe, Skye Junginger, and Pearl LoveJoy Boyd, Nance brings together a crew of veteran Omaha musicians for a record that showcases Nance’s voracious appetite for anything that rocks, anything that soothes, and all the glorious static and disturbed transmissions in between.

Public Tour Canceled
2025-11-30 12:30 - 14:00 | Joslyn Castle & Gardens, 3902 Davenport Street, Omaha, NE, 68131, United States
Our 12:30pm tour is CANCELED on November 30th. Please excuse any inconvenience, and check our schedule for future tours.

Step back in time to the stunning estate of Omaha’s first millionaires, George and Sarah Joslyn. Learn about their fascinating story and impact on Omaha while you stroll through their Scottish Baronial mansion and 5.5 acre grounds.

Tour Details

The tour includes a 14 minute video, and an hour long walking tour of the three levels of the Castle.

An elevator is available for guests with mobility issues.

Tours are held at 12:30pm with no advance ticket purchases or reservations required.

Tickets are $17.00 for adults, and $15.00 for students, seniors, or military with ID. Children 5 and under are free.

The front door of the Castle opens 15 minutes before tour start time.

Contact Information

mmccarthy@joslyncastle.com

402-595-2199

Public Tour Canceled
2025-11-30 10:30 - 12:00
Snow is here! Due to extreme cold we will not be offering public tours on Sunday, November 30th. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope to see you soon at the Castle!

Step back in time to the stunning estate of Omaha’s first millionaires, George and Sarah Joslyn. Learn about their fascinating story and impact on Omaha while you stroll through their Scottish Baronial mansion and 5.5 acre grounds.

Tour Details

The tour includes a 14 minute video, and an hour long walking tour of the three levels of the Castle.

An elevator is available for guests with mobility issues.

Tours are held at 12:30pm with no advance ticket purchases or reservations required.

Tickets are $17.00 for adults, and $15.00 for students, seniors, or military with ID. Children 5 and under are free.

The front door of the Castle opens 15 minutes before tour start time.

Contact Information

mmccarthy@joslyncastle.com

402-595-2199

CLOSED FOR THANKSGIVING - No Public Tour
2025-11-27 12:30 - 14:00 | Joslyn Castle & Gardens, 3902 Davenport Street, Omaha, NE, 68131, United States
We are closed for Thanksgiving, no public tour today.

Ambient Night at the Castle
2025-11-21 20:00 - 23:00
Join us in the Carriage House for an evening of FREE ambient music with sets by three local synth enthusiasts

Calling all synth enthusiasts! On Friday, Nov 21, the Carriage House opens its doors for an evening of ambient music performed live by four local artists: DHX with guest Otis 12, Mindscaping by Tob, classic space music by Ladd Doane and the Dylan, the “Mad Scientist” who builds all his own gear. Accompanied by visual projections by Aaron Gum. This evening of modular music is brought to you for FREE by the Castle & Cathedral District!
Where: Carriage House at Joslyn Castle & Gardens (3902 Davenport Street, Omaha, NE 68131)
When: Friday, November 21 from 8pm-11pm (doors open at 7:30pm)
What: A FREE all ages event.

Candlelight Tours
2025-11-20 19:00 - 21:00
See the Castle sparkle in all its holiday splendor! Join us for a rare opportunity to tour the Joslyn Castle by candlelight.

See the Castle sparkle in all its holiday splendor! Join us for a rare opportunity to tour the Joslyn Castle by candlelight, as we offer limited tours on the evenings of November 20th and December 18th!
The Castle bar will be available and in keeping with the holiday spirit, we’ll be serving a spiced cider and a mulled wine for those who choose to imbibe. One drink ticket is included per admission.
Tours are at 7pm. Advanced registration is recommended!
This is a 21+ event, as there will be alcohol served. Requests for non-alcoholic “mocktail” options will of course be honored, but you must put in the request no less than three days before the event.
One featured refreshment is included in each ticket price, but additional ones may be purchased until supplies run out.

Local Author Series: Julie McCabe-Johanning
2025-11-20 18:00 - 19:00
Join us as we celebrate local Omaha author, Julie McCabe-Johanning, and her book The Gospel of Irish Music.

Please join us in the Joslyn Castle Carriage House for a free, all ages, event celebrating local author, Julie McCabe-Johanning!
Julie McCabe-Johanning is the author of The Gospel of Irish Music. She holds a B.A. in English, B.S.E. in Education from the University of Kansas, and an MFA in Creative Writing from University of Nebraska in Omaha. She has taught gifted and talented elementary students for Omaha Public Schools. She currently plays Irish fiddle with a variety of Irish bands. She originally played classical violin but began Irish fiddle in her twenties in Dublin, Ireland. She resides in Omaha, Nebraska with her family.

Julie McCabe-Johanning’s memoir recounts the formative years of her life as a teenager in Chicago, and tracks a spiritual journey leading to a traditional musical community in Ireland. The Gospel of Irish Music was published 5 September 2025 in Dublin, Ireland.

FolkHouse at the Castle: Ryan David Green
2025-11-16 19:30 - 23:00
Join us in the historic Joslyn Castle Carriage House for a night of folk music with Ryan David Green!

FolkHouse at the Castle: Ryan David Green in Concert
Located in the Carriage House at Joslyn Castle 3902 Davenport St., Omaha
Sunday, November 16th
Doors at 7:00, show at 7:30
RYAN DAVID GREEN
Ryan David Green’s music has been called “virtuosic acoustic guitar that is remarkably
accessible”, with fast fingerwork that is always in service of unmistakeable melodies.
Performing a blend of instrumental guitar pieces and delicate vocal tunes, Green takes
audiences to a place both otherworldly, and somehow surprisingly intimate.
A graduate of Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, Ryan David Green has
performed on four continents, been profiled in Acoustic Guitar Magazine, endorsed by
Takamine Guitars, and twice been named “Best Guitarist” in the Tucson Music Awards (where
he currently resides). He was awarded 1st place in the 2024 American Songwriter Song
Contest and his original compositions have received numerous film and TV placements,
including shows on E!, Lifetime, and ABC Family/Freeform.
His acoustic-duo Ryanhood (with musical partner Cameron Hood) has performed with a widerange
of artists including Jason Mraz, Matt Nathanson, and Train, and were named the “Best Group/Duo” in the International Acoustic Music Awards.
His debut solo-guitar album Off and Running released on June 14, 2024.

Art & Literary Festival: The Harlem Renaissance
2025-11-16 19:30 - 21:00, 2025-11-15 19:30 - 21:00, 2025-11-14 19:30 - 21:00
Joslyn Castle & Gardens & Metropolitan Community College present the 16th Annual Art & Literary Festival celebrating the Harlem Renaissance!

The Joslyn Castle & Gardens and Metropolitan Community College are partnering once again for the Art & Literary Festival. This year will be a celebration and exploration of one of the most electrifying and influential moments in American history, the Harlem Renaissance. In the 1920’s, in African American communities in New York City and in cities throughout the North and Midwest, creative and intellectual life thrived.
The main event of the festival is the production of an anthology of dramatized short stories, essays, and poems entitled Voices from the Harlem Renaissance, adapted by Scott Working of MCC and directed by TammyRa’ of Great Plains Theatre Commons. The evening will include selections by Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, Gwendolyn Bennett, Helene Johnson, Angela Weld Grimke, and Zora Neale Hurston.
Free lectures on the art and literature of the Harlem Renaissance, as well as Omaha’s role in it, will be offered before each performance.
Flyer features original art by Aaron Douglas.

The Great Plains Black History Museum has generously loaned the Joslyn Castle an exhibit on the history of the Dreamland Ballroom, which will be on display in the Castle Library during the festival.
A Night at the Dreamland Ballroom the History of Jazz in Omaha The Dreamland Ballroom was the heart of Jazz in Omaha, during its hey-day it hosted some of the greatest Jazz acts of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. On any given night you could see Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, The Nat King Cole Trio, Preston Love Sr., The International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Etta James, Big Mama Thornton, and Little Esther Phillips. Red, Perkings, Nat Towles, and many others. They performed at the Carnation Ballroom, Jim Bell’s Club Harlem, Cotton Club, Allen Showcase, The Off Beat, all part of Omaha’s Jazz hub.

Thursday, Nov 13
Poetry Night 6:30-7:45 in the Carriage House, Free

Noni Williams
Paula Bell
“LP”

Friday, Nov 14
Peggy Jones: The Harlem Renaissance and Aaron Douglas, 6pm-7pm, Free
Peggy Jones, M.F.A. (UNL ’93-Painting/Printmaking) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Theatre and affiliate faculty in both Women’s and Gender Studies and Medical Humanities at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO). She is an artist and playwright who has won awards for both her visual art and writing. She received an Individual Artist Fellowship from the Nebraska Arts Council for her play, The Journey, about Aaron Douglas, the first black graduate from the art department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1922. Her creative and research interests include intersections between race, gender, and language. She wrote a book chapter titled My Mother Tongue: A Linguistic Autoethnography in African American Women’s Language: Discourse, Education and Identity. She has six essays on African American artists in a catalog of paintings in the permanent collection of the Sheldon Art Museum in Lincoln, NE. Her most recent publication is a book chapter titled It’s All in the Game: How NOT to Teach The Wire in Predominantly White Institutions, which was published in 2016 in the edited volume, Using HBO’s The Wire to Teach Urban Issues. Her most recent play about Black radical feminist Florynce Kennedy was performed in January 2018 at the Union for Contemporary Art in Omaha, NE. She is also in the Speaker’s Bureau of Humanities Nebraska on the topic, Aaron Douglas, UNL ’22.
Dramatic Performances, doors at 7pm, Production at 7:30pm, $22

Saturday, Nov 15
Public reading of two original one-act plays by local playwrights Kim Louise and Peggy Jones, 2pm, Free
Eric Ewing: Our Role in the Harlem Renaissance, 6pm – 7pm, Free
Eric Ewing is the Executive Director for the Great Plains Black History Museum. His presentation will discuss the local impact the Harlem Reneaissance had in Omaha and the Midwest region. The Dreamland Ballroom was the epicentre of the North Omaha jazz scene hosting touring acts from coast to coast and giving a spotlight to local artists.
Dramatic Performances, Doors at 7pm, Production at 7:30pm $22

Sunday, Nov 16
Ramon Guerra: Literature of the Harlem Renaissance, 6pm-7pm, Free
Dr. Ramon Guerra is a distinguished scholar and educator who has been a vital part of the University of Nebraska at Omaha since 2008. As an Associate Professor in the Department of English and an active member of the Office of Latino and Latin American Studies (OLLAS), Dr. Guerra has made significant contributions to the study of Latinx, postmodern, and ethnic literatures, as well as American Studies. He has researched, published, and taught broadly on multiple topics of the 20th and 21st centuries in American Literature.
“The Harlem Renaissance” was the name given to the explosion in cultural, artistic, and social awareness that was focused on Harlem, an area of New York City, between the end of World War I and the middle of the 1930s. The movement embodied the evolution of Black involvement in all parts of society but also had variations within its elements that invoked issues of class, gender, color, and general sense of purpose, among others. Trying to configure the whole of these aspects into a unifying message is difficult; the essence of a “renaissance” is a renewal or rebirth, and that is the primary characteristic of the cultural production from this time: a renewal of Black identity and experience. The result is a “boom” that shifts the outcomes that follow and informs the subsequent cultural production and civil rights ideologies of Black Americans in later years.
Dramatic Performances, Doors at 7pm, Production at 7:30pm, $22

The Joslyn Dreamland: Jazz Night with Luigi Inc.
2025-11-15 21:30 - 23:30
Join us for the Lit Fest Jazz Night in the Joslyn Castle Carriage House for an evening of cocktails and live music by Luigi Inc.

Jazz music was a key element in the Harlem Renaissance. In celebration of our 16th Annual Art & Literary Festival, we invite you to join us for a swanky evening of live music at the Joslyn Dreamland! Old Market Omaha favorites, Luigi Inc. will perform jazz classics from from the era of Langston Hughes and Aaron Douglas in the Joslyn Castle Carriage House. Dress in your Art Deco inspired cocktail attire for a night to dance and mingle with great minds!

What: Jazz Night at the Castle
When: Saturday, Nov. 15 at 9:30pm, doors open at 9pm
Where: Joslyn Castle Carriage House
3902 Davenport St. Omaha, NE 681310
Ages 21+

Tickets are available to the public for $20
Combo Ticket $30 for those attending any evening of ticketed Lit Fest performances!
There will be a cash bar serving beer, wine and a featured jazz age cocktail!

Luigi Inc. is a five-piece jazz ensemble based in Omaha, Nebraska, carrying forward the legacy of the late jazz legend Luigi Waites. Founded in 1975, the group’s name — “Luigi Inc.” — stands for including, not incorporated, reflecting its inclusive spirit and collaborative approach to music. Luigi Inc. holds the distinct honor of maintaining one of the longest-running live jazz residencies in the country, performing every Sunday at Mr. Toad in Omaha’s Old Market.
The original lineup featured harp, bass, saxophone, and drums, and the group quickly became known for blending jazz standards, popular music, and original compositions. Over the decades, while personnel and instrumentation have evolved, Luigi Inc. has remained true to its mission of presenting high-quality, soulful jazz to audiences of all kinds. The current lineup features Curt McKean on saxophone, Jeff Scheffler on guitar, Steve Gomez on bass, Steve Knight on drums, and Doyle Tipler on trumpet.

The Great Plains Black History Museum has generously loaned the Joslyn Castle an exhibit on the history of the Dreamland Ballroom, which will be on display in the Castle Library during the festival.
A Night at the Dreamland Ballroom the History of Jazz in Omaha The Dreamland Ballroom was the heart of Jazz in Omaha, during its hey-day it hosted some of the greatest Jazz acts of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. On any given night you could see Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, The Nat King Cole Trio, Preston Love Sr., The International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Etta James, Big Mama Thornton, and Little Esther Phillips. Red, Perkings, Nat Towles, and many others. They performed at the Carnation Ballroom, Jim Bell’s Club Harlem, Cotton Club, Allen Showcase, The Off Beat, all part of Omaha’s Jazz hub.

Art & Literary Festival: Play-Reading
2025-11-15 14:00 - 16:00
Join us for the Lit Fest free public play-reading of works by two local playwrights, Kim Louise and Peggy Jones.

All are welcome to attend a free public play-reading of works by two local playwrights, Kim Louise and Peggy Jones, presented as part of the Art & Literary Festival. Following the reading TammyRa’ Jackson, Community Connector for the Great Plains Theatre Commons, will host a panel of Omaha-based Black Female Playwrights.

What: free public play-reading of works by two local playwrights
When: Saturday, Nov. 15 at 2pm, doors open at 1:30pm
Where: Joslyn Castle Carriage House
3902 Davenport St. Omaha, NE 68131

“The Journey,” by Peggy Jones, follows acclaimed artist, Aaron Douglas, on a theatrical journey toward his destiny and his dream. Douglas, a Topeka, Kansas native, travelled from Kansas, through Nebraska, and Minnesota, on his way to his fame as a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance.

“Wanted Negrotarians,” by Kim Louise, is set during the Harlem Renaissance, where a young girl takes her first, awkward steps into adolescence while listening through a wall vent to writers reciting poetry in the apartment next door.

The post-show panel discussion will include playwrights Kim Louise, Peggy Jones, Alanna Pommier, and Verla Collier.

Allana G. Pommier is an evolving piece of work, inspired by the world around her and impassioned with what it means to push humans forward. The enduring nuances of Black womanhood inspire her writing, serving as a purposeful force in the pursuit of liberation for those who have long been denied it. She is a GPTC Commoners Fellow for Playwriting and an active member of Omaha’s creative community. Most recently, Allana’s play things not seen was produced through her fellowship at GPTC. Allana worked as a dramaturg and sound tech for Northside Carnation at the Shirley Tyree Theatre and continues to seek opportunities to grow alongside her mentors. Additionally, Allana teaches an acting class for young people at PearTree Performing Arts. Allana is a Teaching Artist with Nebraska Writers’ Collective, working with students as well as incarcerated individuals to express their inner worlds and be a constant reminder to one another to remain audacious. Allana’s heart resides with the stories of the people within her community and the lives we create in between acts.
Verla Collier is a multimedia artist focusing on singing, writing, drawing, and acting. She has recently found a home in the theatre scene of Omaha. Sharing her talents on and behind the stage in places like Great Plains Theatre Commons. Flixx Cabaret, Benson Theatre, and even Shelterbelt. Her short play “Imposing PTSD” was recently featured in Shelterskelter Returns at The Shelterbelt Theatre.Marie Schuett is a Brazilian American playwright with a passion for storytelling and the arts. Awards and recognition include Stuck with Lemons (2019 O’Neill National Playwright Conference semi-finalist), Neighbors, Lovers and All the Others (OEAA Award), The Other Sewing Circle (TAG Outstanding New Script Award), and L’Chaim co-written with Laura Leininger Campbell (TAG Outstanding New Script Award). Other work includes Coming Up for Air (William Inge Festival, GPTC Playlab), and The Break (Amplify Arts grant recipient). Her plays The Suburban Set and About Time: A Love Story Between Three People and Sometimes a Goose were featured in the Omaha Community Playhouse’s Alternative Programming series.
