The Rainbow Connection: January 10–16
THIS WEEK’S SPECIAL EVENTS (please see below for year-round weekly events, announcements, and selected regional events)
WHAT: Play It UP
WHERE: The UP Center of Champaign County
WHEN: Thursday, Jan. 12, 6:30–7:30 p.m.
Play it UP is a social group for LGBTQA middle and high school youth. Play it UP is peer-led, adult-supported, and an official program of The UP Center. The facilitators of the group include two board members and the youth seat on the Board of Directors.
Youth involved in Play it UP organize monthly social events for LGBTQA youth to engage in, including movie nights, putt-putt, bowling, etc.
Information shared at Play it UP is strictly confidential, including youths’ presence at the group.
For more information, please contact Megan.
WHAT: What's UP: LGBTQA Young Adult Social/Support Group
WHERE: The UP Center of Champaign County
WHEN: Monday, Jan. 16, 6:30–7:30 p.m.
What's UP is a group for LGBTQA people aged 18–25 to come together and work out problems, rant, socialize, philosophize, commiserate, speculate, or just plain talk.
For more information, email Bronwyn.
YEAR-ROUND, WEEKLY EVENTS
WHAT: Mpowerment Meeting
WHERE: Green Street Center
24 E. Green St., Suite 14
Champaign
WHEN: Tuesday, Jan. 10, 6:00–9:00 p.m.
Mpowerment is a local social and HIV prevention group for young gay/bisexual men. Meetings are open to all young gay and bisexual men interested in becoming involved.
For more information, please contact Carrie Keenan.
WHAT: Man UP: Men’s Social Group
WHERE: The UP Center of Champaign County
WHEN: Tuesday, Jan. 10, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
This group is for adult men, ages 18 and up, who meet in a social setting for casual discussion, games, and more.
For more information go here, or contact Kevin.
WHAT: Brother II Brother Meeting
WHERE: Green Street Center
24 E. Green St., Suite 14
Champaign
WHEN: Wednesday, Jan. 11, 6:30–9:00 p.m.
B II B is a social group for young men of color who have sexual or loving relationships with other men. The goal is to create a strong positive and healthy community for men of color in Champaign-Urbana.
For more information, please email.
WHAT: Boys Night Out
WHERE: Boltini Lounge
WHEN: Wednesday, Jan. 11, 9:00 p.m.
Every Wednesday is Boys Night Out at Boltini Lounge.
- DJ Randall Ellison at the decks
- FREE candy and condoms
- Half price food specials (4:00–6:30 p.m. only)
WHAT: Nekromancy
WHERE: Chester Street Bar
WHEN: Monday, Jan. 16, 9:00 p.m.–2:00 a.m.
Every Monday, DJ SorceryKid crafts a continuous audio-visual mixshow of the latest and the greatest in dark alternative and underground dance music.
Doors: 9:00 p.m.
Cover: $2.00
Age: 19+
PRIDE AROUND THE REGION
WHAT: Gay and Lesbian Association of Decatur, IL (GLAD)
WHERE: Peerless Corporate Training Facility
1304 N. 20th Street
Decatur
WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 14, 6:30 p.m.
On the second Saturday of each month, GLAD has its social meeting and potluck dinner. The socials average between 25 and 30 people of all ages — both men and women.
This month's social focuses on small business ownership. We welcome three people who will discuss their businesses:
- Patti Faulkner, owner of Counseling Solutions
- Chelso Frescura, representing Legal Shield
- Mark Doyle, of Remarkables Latham
Ever thought about starting your own business? This will be the night to ask. These entrepreneurs, who‘ve been in the trenches, can answer your questions. We‘ll also have a prize drawing courtesy of Mark Doyle.
In addition, Douglas W. has lined up another speaker for our series on coming out stories.
The social starts at 6:30 p.m., with potluck dinner at 7:00. Please bring a dish to share. A $5.00 suggested donation is appreciated. We hope to see you there.
GLAD's January newsletter (pdf)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Amasong Auditions
Auditions are now open for the spring season of Amasong, Champaign-Urbana's Premiere Lesbian/Feminist Chorus. Be part of an award-winning amateur chorus and a friendly community of lesbian and feminist women. This chorus performs folkloric, world, women-oriented, and classical music.
Auditions are Jan. 5–18. Amasong accepts women at varying levels of experience and ability — all you need is a love of singing!
To schedule an audition, fill out the online form here. The director will contact you.
~~*~~
Anti-Bullying Training Offered in Urbana
Where: King Elementary School
When: Tuesday, Jan. 24, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
A "train the trainers" opportunity is coming ot Urbana. Anti-bullying training will be offered by the East Central Illinois Safe Schools Alliance.
Two trainers from Illinois Safe Schools will visit to conduct this one day training. The
purpose is to train those who are willing to go into area elementary and middle schools to
conduct teacher training that could vary in length from 1 hour to several hours.
Currently, interested school administrators are being notified in order to schedule this training sometime in the academic school year 2012–2013.
Details are still being worked out; please contact the UP Center of Champaign County for more information.
*** ***
Disclaimer: This is not a comprehensive list of all LGBTQ events in our community. Please always feel free to email me or post other events/updates/corrections in the comments.
Except on rare occasions, all language is taken directly from event pages and websites, and only minimally edited. If I attempted to write this myself, I'd never get it done.
Most Recent Culture Comments
@Jason: You’re right about that. I get groceries at Schnucks (they carry what I buy, which I can’t say of any other single grocery store in town), and if they have a beer I’m in the market for it’s usually a quarter or two cheaper per 6-…
Best Neighborhood Bar (& Grill) : Urbana - My ‘hood- the ‘Boom! http://www.boomerangbarandgrill.com Go on a Wing Wednesday or Fish Friday, or see a band play some night. Local blue-collar Urbana terroir galore. My only beer snobbish gripe is lack of a pale hopped ale, but you…
The one thing that’s bothered me for a while about the Friar is that, for most commonly purchased adult beverages, you can actually walk down the strip mall to Schnucks and get them cheaper. It makes no sense, but there it is. I suspect it’s because Schnucks…
Maybe I complained enough in person. One time I even explained to the (wholly uninterested) clerk how to navigate the Illinois Statutes web page, and Savoy’s Municipal Code database I wouldn’t know because I only go there when I want to pay 30% more for anything, which is never.
@Rob: You seem to have the weirdest experiences. I’m in Friar Tuck every other week (don’t tell my mom that I’m a lush). They never fail to ask for my birth date but never my age, they never card afterwards, and they often allow me to use…
This column affords me a long-awaited opportunity. I’ve wanted to write my own column called Fuck You Friar Tuck Liquors. but I always thought it’d be too pithy. Here, I can say Fuck You Friar Tuck Liquors and not feel bothered to stretch it out to 750…
Ha! Exactly. You, sir, are welcome at the bar in My House.
Why wait ‘til 3 pm?
I’m excited to go tonight- should be very fun!
Most Recent Comments
High-profile whining. AKA Lobbying.
it’s quite choice. looking forward to seeing how it and its patronage grow and develop over the course of the year. could be a neat little ecosystem.
“It was at this point, before he started his business, that working with city employees should’ve raised red flags…” But they didn’t because: 1) The City Clerk’s office originally mis-interpreted the rules, or are indeed re-interpreting them. 2) Champaign’s brick-n-mortar merchants hadn’t yet started whining about The Crave Truck.
Super cool! Excellent track, Excellent band.
Looking forward to trying this place!
I’m in the middle (or the beginning or end, depending on how you look at it) of re-reading Slaughterhouse Five. What a great companion column.
Get yours early. The Rave’s CD will be available at Exile and at The C-U Flea on Saturday. C-U Flea details here: http://www.smilepolitely.com/news/sp_radio_podcast_c-u_flea_arrives/
I don’t know about Gerard and a random police sargeant. My (mild) outrage is based on this: “...he worked closely with Champaign City Clerk Marilyn Banks to make sure he was licensed properly as a transient food peddler, filling out the necessary paperwork and paying a $225…
Local Yocal pretty much nails it here. I suspect there will be merchants who oppose food trucks because they arguably don’t pay their fair share to locate their trucks in high traffic (high rent) areas. The food trucks take away business from rent payers, park in city…
Oh nice! I’d totally vote for Matt Campbell!
“Smile Politely sports writer announces candidacy for city government.”
I also got to visit Big Grove Tavern during the soft open and definitely enjoyed the pork belly the most of all the dishes I sampled. The cheesy grits and the vinegary pickled vegetables were a perfect compliment to the rich pork belly.
The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!
Snell and the little Hitlers of the neighborhood association need to chill out. Legitimate businesses should have the freedom to exist without having to endure the slings and arrows of ignorant and misguided opposition.
represent, Matt.
Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.
Food trucks are the start-up, small businesses of the future for those unable to afford real estate. No surprise, that merchants who pay rent, utilities, and maintenance on a property would despise the traveling competition. Or developers who build more empty retail spaces would want to close…
Not so much far-right Tea Party as a balanced, moderate viewpoint between letting businesses succeed and protecting society with reasonable regulations. In spite of what the city reps are saying, the interpretation of policy on this issue certainly has changed. Letting a business start up under one…
I think it’s neat that SP has turned rightward, now espousing a Tea Party-style frustration with government regulations & taxes.
This makes me so sad. (Happy to live in Urbana, though!) Crave Truck has been a GREAT addition to the food choices in C-U, and it’d be a travesty to chase them away. This town should be supporting small businesses. I’m glad to hear that they’ll still…
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The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!