FRIDAY, August 19th
Shama Lama Ping Pong, The Accord, 7 p.m., 19+, Free.
I know, it’s sad. The Olympics are wrapping up and we come to grips with the devastating fact hat we’ll have to wait another four years to watch competitive table tennis on network television. The good news, however, is that you can win a gold medal of your own at The Accord on Friday. Enjoy. (BH)
Taste of Champaign-Urbana, West Side Park, Downtown Champaign, 5 to 11 p.m.,and Saturday, noon to 11 p.m., tickets required for food
The annual eating event is this weekend. Although the food vendor lineup doesn’t interest me very much, the addition of local brews does. Last year’s Craft Beer Festival has been more or less absorbed by Taste, with the exception of Blind Pig (see Saturday). As long as the weather holds out, this event will be something cool to do with friends and loved ones. Why not enjoy the end of summer with some food, local brews, and music? Image from Facebook. (JH)
Drone Racing at Night, Riggs Beer Company (1901 S. High Cross Road, Urbana), 8:30-10 p.m., free
The Central Illinois Drone Racers are hosting an evening of beer and drone racing. It sounds very official. From the event description:
This race will be open to ALL pilots, whether or not you qualified for the finals. This will be our first official night race! We will be using Gregg Novosad’s spectacular LED track system. This is no ordinary light system; this is a full functioning RGB LED smart track. Think animated LED wonderland. Again this race is open to ALL pilots. LEDs on your quad are HIGHLY recommended along with a beeper. We will have some plug-n-play LED/beeper systems available to rent ($5) that will snap on to your quad and plug into your battery balance plug. First come first serve.
If you know what this means, or if you don’t, show up at Riggs to drink a beer, watch some drones, and have some fun. (RP)
SATURDAY, August 20th
Third Saturday Garden Tour, Allerton Park and Recreation Center, 10-11 a.m., free
Every month Allerton offers a free tour of its fourteen formal gardens, which were created by Robert Allerton between 1899 and 1946. A tour gives you the chance to learn a little bit abou the gardens’ history and take in some of the last beautiful days of summer. (RP)
Toast of Champaign, Blind Pig Brewery (120 N Neil St), 12-8 p.m., prices vary
Last year’s Craft Beer Festival is no more. While some of the local breweries have joined up with Champaign Park District’s Taste of C-U event, Blind Pig has not. nstead of last year’s multiple locations, this year there is only one. The brewery will be offering up a huge number of special beers on tap, including ones from our local favorites like Triptych and JT Walker’s. There will be specials, but you pay per beer. Grab some eats from Taste, walk over to Blind Pig, enjoy your evening. Image from Facebook. (JH)
Make someone’s day, Helia Nursing Home, 1915 S Mattis Ave, Champaign, 3:30 p.m.
Older adults are too often overlooked. Very frequently, without human interaction, they, and most people, become sad, depressed, unhappy and their health declines even more than it might. Take some time out of your Saturday and join the Adventists volunteer group in their visit. More information here. (SL)
Pie Run, West Side Park, 5-8 p.m., free
First, check out photos from last year’s pie run. Second, head out to the park to cheer on this year’s runners as they run a 3.14 course while eating candy, pie, drinking juice, and being silly on one of the most interesting themed runs in CU. And of course at the end of the race, at West Side Park, watch runners get pied in the face! Check out the event online. (SL)
The Phantom of the Paradise, Art Theatre Co-Op, 10 p.m., $8
Sometimes, people expect Rocky Horror. Sometimes, people expect Scarface. Sometimes, people have no expectations and still come away saying, “…I didn’t expect…that.” I’d say Brian de Palma broke the mold when he made this one, but that would imply there was a template, and I can assure you, there is not. This beautiful, hilarious, sexy, glam-gorgeous Phantom-Faust-54 is an experience that will change you, even if you’ve seen it before. (RK)
Euriah record release show with Tara Terra, Grandkids, and The Inn Keepers, The Accord, 7 p.m., $8 advance/$10 door
Emo rockers Euriah are celebrating the release of their new album Passenger with a show on Saturday. Folk-indie outfit Tara Terra are returning home from the first leg of their tour and will also be there to take part in the festivities. Add Grandkids and The Inn Keepers and you’ve got a pretty stacked show of familiar favorites that are sure to please. (JM)
SUNDAY, August 21st
Dump & Run Community Garage Sale, the Stock Pavilion in Urbana, $3 admission
Two dates: Saturday, August 20th, 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m., and Sunday, August 21st, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
The time has come for the annual Dump & Run Sale, a community recycling event that will fulfill all your second-hand needs. Here you will find clothes, furniture, books, and pretty much anything you need to furnish an apartment on the cheap. Purchases will also be helping to keep potential trash out of landfills. You’d better get there early, though, before the returning students catch wind of it and pick the place clean. (JM)
Quad Day Voter Registration, U of I Main Quad, 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m., FREE
I don’t care where you stand, what color you or your homestate are, or what your political animal symbol is. If America was ever great, it’s because people turned out to vote. Hate the DMV? Fight the crowds on the quad instead, at least you’ll be outside. Register. Vote. If you’ve already done your due dilligence, volunteer to help out. Regardless of your slant, no one wins if we don’t vote, and incoming freshmen especially will need a hand. (RK)
Enjoy the cool weather, literally anywhere, at any time you like.
You heard it here, first: for the first time in central Illinois’ history, it’s going to be cool again. Enjoy it. Go outside or to the arboreturm or something. Take a bike ride, grill out and remember that this insufferable humidity’s days are numbered. (BH)
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All event information is accurate to the best of our abilities, but sometimes we make mistakes and sometimes event information, times, prices, etc., change after we look them up. Whenever possible, we’ve provided a link to the original event page; you should always double-check the source before you make any firm plans. Thanks for your understanding.