Family Outings: Three days devoted to Japanese animation

A little bit of Japan, for fans right here in Omaha.

The 2009 Animé NebrasKon, Nebraska's oldest and largest animé convention, starts on Friday at the Holiday Inn convention center, 3321 S. 72nd St., and CoCo Key Water Resort.

NebrasKon will feature 150 panels and activities for fans of Japanese animation, music and comics. Main events will include a Cosplay (short for costumed role-play) Contest, Animé Idol with J-Rock and animé-related music and, in honor of the resort location, the Cosplay Swimsuit Contest.

A 24-hour gaming room, dating auction, artist and industry panels and pre-release screening of an animé will also be featured.

NebrasKon will be held around the clock from 10 a.m. Friday through 5 p.m. Sunday, with main events from noon to midnight Saturday. Admission is $45 for all three days, or $25 for Friday, $30 for Saturday and $20 for Sunday. Kids ages 6 to 10 are $15 for all three days or $10 for individual days. Visit www.animenebraskon.com.

OMAHA

Start your shopping with arts, crafts show

It comes back around every fall, and it's worth it every time.

Autumn Festival — An Arts and Crafts Affair is back for the 27th annual tour, running today through Sunday at the Qwest Center Omaha.

The fair features more than 500 artists and craftspeople from across the country selling their handcrafted wares. Everything from pottery to paintings to homemade decorations and tools will be available.

Entertainment for the whole family, food and drink will be available, along with hourly gift certificate drawings.

The fair will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for senior citizens and free for children under 10.

The Qwest Center is at 455 N. 10th St. For more information, visit www.hpifestivals.com or call 402-331-2889.

BELLEVUE

Feel free to take a fall nature stroll

It's not winter yet, so take advantage while you can.

A Fall Free Admission Day is set at the Fontenelle Forest Nature Center on Saturday, with a special focus on fall foliage and the autumn sun.

The free admission day will include parking and shuttle service from the nature center to the overflow parking lot and back. Activities include hourly guided hikes, critter encounters and introduction to birds of prey, along with permanent nature center features such as Acorn Acres, the Riverview Boardwalk and the indoor nature exploration zone Habitat Hollow.

The free admission day will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Fontenelle Forest Nature Center is located at 1111 N. Bellevue Blvd. in Bellevue.

For more information, visit www.fontenelleforest.org or call 402-731-3140.

LINCOLN

Planetarium offers new full-dome show

It's a new look at the oldest view we have.

On Saturday the Mueller Planetarium will begin showing the new full-dome show “Touching the Universe,” featuring photography from three amateur astrophotographers.

The photographers are Richard Johnson of Bemidji, Minn.; Taylor Chonis of Austin, Texas; and Martin Ratcliffe of Wichita, Kan. The show was written and produced by Mueller Planetarium supervisor Jack Dunn.

Stunning images of planets, galaxies and nebulae will make up the 40-minute show. It also will provide information about a current NASA mission to explore the boundaries of our solar system.

“Touching the Universe” will be shown at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 22.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $5.50 for children ages 5 to 18 and $2.50 for kids age 4 and under, and include admission to the University of Nebraska State Museum.

Mueller Planetarium is south of 14th and Vine Streets in Lincoln.

For more information, call 402-472-2642 or visit www.museum.unl.edu.