What to do

Today

Veterans Day parades are set in Bellevue and Council Bluffs.

The event in Old Towne Bellevue will begin at 10 a.m. at Jackson Street and move along Mission Avenue. The parade is sponsored by the Bellevue Public Schools and the Bellevue/Offutt community.

The Bellevue East and Bellevue West High marching bands, JROTC, students from all grade levels and the district's transportation department will be part of the parade. Units from Offutt Air Force Base and the National Guard and veterans from wars since World War II also will be featured.

“Got Freedom? Thank a Vet” is the theme for the annual parade in Council Bluffs. It begins at 11 a.m. at the corner of Second Street and West Broadway, then will travel along Broadway to Pearl Street, past the Bayliss Park Veterans Memorial Plaza, and end at the Pottawattamie County Courthouse.

Bands, Scouts and floats, as well as Civil War re-enactors and old military vehicles, will be featured. Also on hand will be members of the Iowa National Guard unit based in Council Bluffs, who were recently told to be ready for deployment to the Middle East next year.

The 2009 Animé NebrasKon will continue through the weekend at the Holiday Inn convention center, 72nd and Grover Streets.

NebrasKon will feature 150 panels and activities for fans of Japanese animation, music and comics.

NebrasKon will be held around the clock through 5 p.m. Sunday, with main events from noon to midnight today.

Adult admission is $45 for all three days, or $30 for today and $20 for Sunday. Information: www.animenebraskon.com.

Today and Sunday

Autumn Festival — An Arts and Crafts Affair will be open through Sunday at the Qwest Center Omaha.

The fair features more than 500 artists and craftsmen from across the country. Entertainment as well as food and drink will be available, along with hourly gift certificate drawings.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for senior citizens and free for children under 10. Information: www.hpifestivals.com.

Fall foliage -- It's free admission at the Fontenelle Forest Nature Center today, with a special focus on fall foliage and the autumn sun.

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. Shuttle service will be free, as well, from the nature center to the overflow parking lot and back.

The Fontenelle Forest Nature Center is at 1111 N. Bellevue Blvd. in Bellevue. Information: www.fontenelleforest.org.

Those who miss the free admission today can still attend the event from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the discounted price of $5. Children 3 and under are free. Activities including Critter Encounters and guided hikes from noon to 3 p.m.

Sunday

Bring little ones to Hitchcock Nature Center's Talking Turkey program at 1 p.m. to meet Tom Turkey and examine turkey feathers, tracks, eggs and calls.

This program is designed for children ages 3 to 6 and their parents. It is full of hands-on learning and outdoor exploration. Fee is $4 per child; children must be accompanied by an adult.

Meet at the Loess Hills Lodge at the Honey Creek, Iowa, nature center.

Health Fair -- Learn about health and wellness and get information on nutrition, weight loss, physical fitness and disease prevention at the first annual Hy-Vee Whole Health Experience.

Hours are noon to 6 p.m. at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs.

Olympic gold medalist and Iowa native Shawn Johnson will speak and will be available for a meet-and-greet afterward. Also appearing will be Olympic triathlete Hunter Kemper; world-class mountain climber and expedition leader Will Cross, who lives with Type I diabetes; Dr. David Katz, developer of the NuVal nutrition scoring system; and Amanda Gates of the national champion Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball squad

More than 80 exhibit booths showcasing health and fitness products and offering games, activities and demonstrations will be offered.

Tickets, which are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under, are available at the door or in advance at all Hy-Vee Supermarkets and Hy-Vee drugstores in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area.

--Compiled by Kenton Krueger

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