Weekender: April 18-21
So many things to do this weekend, including Ebertfest’s 25th anniversary, vegan “burgers,” live music, and celebrating 4/20, if that’s your thing.
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Let’s get it together, Unit 4
We have written many, many, many, many times about the issues and dramas in both Champaign Unit 4 and Urbana District 116 schools. We’re writing again this week about Unit 4, not to break down …
A conversation with Food Power Politics author Dr. Bobby J. Smith II
In his brand new book Food Power Politics, Dr. Bobby J. Smith II builds on the stories and legacies of Mississippi activists and researchers to tell more of the food injustice story. With a background …
Andrea Hunt makes her own rules
Andrea Hunt considers herself a dreamer and artist at heart. After a painful divorce, she funneled her creative passions and independent spirit into floral design. The CU Flower House is a bit like a phoenix, …
Weekender: April 4-7
Enjoy plenty of food, arts, music, and edutainment this weekend.
Old Orchard thin-crust pizza wins the 2024 Food & Drink Tournament
A big congratulations to Old Orchard’s thin-crust pizza for being crowned the champion and last food standing in Smile Politely’s 2024 Food & Drink Tournament. Determined by reader vote, last night’s intense matchup of Old …
Horsch Radish is a taste of Germany in Central Illinois
Recently, some friends and I had the opportunity to try Horsch Radish, the farm-to-table, German-type restaurant in Gibson City. German-type because the restaurant won’t actually transport you to Germany; there was no wormhole or portal …
Five things in arts: April 2024
Robert Browning famously opened his poem “Home thoughts, from Abroad” with the line “O to be in England/Now that April’s there.” England’s got nothing on April in Champaign-Urbana. From Boneyard, to Ebertfest, to the proliferation …
Smile Politely’s Food + Drink Tournament 2024: Championship
We’ve reached the Championship matchup of our Food + Drink Tournament, and if you’re just now joining us, here’s how you can catch up: Revisit the Round of 32, Sweet 16, Elite Eight, and Final …
Smile Politely’s Food + Drink Tournament 2024: Final Four
You showed up and voted in the Elite Eight, for which voting closed yesterday evening. We’re moving on to the Final Four. The participation for this year’s tourney has been great to see, and there’s …
Weekender: March 28-31
If you are needing some help making plans for this last weekend in March, we have some ideas!
Even more spaces we need in C-U
A couple weeks ago, we did a poll about what cuisines we were missing in Champaign-Urbana. There was a lot of great feedback, so we decided to poll you again to ask what else C-U …
Tempered Mettle is building a community around historical fencing
A few weeks ago, I stood in the gym of CU Jiu Jitsu, holding a big foam sword. Across from me was Matthew Currey, co-owner of Tempered Mettle Historical Fencing. Currey, also holding a foam …
Mid Summer Lounge has dreamy dumplings and fire lunch in Campustown
Those sneaky, sunny warm days earlier this month were a tease of nice weather that’s to come, but before chilly days are gone, I want to eat dumplings. And last week, when a craving for …
Smile Politely’s Food + Drink Tournament 2024: Elite Eight
If you’re anything like us, you tuned into the game on Saturday to root on the Illini, and obviously, it was good because we’re headed to our first Sweet 16 in nearly two decades. It …
Smile Politely’s Food + Drink Tournament 2024: Sweet 16
That was a lot to take in for the first round of our Food + Drink Tournament, which kicked off on Monday with our Round of 32 matchups. Our Food + Drink Editor Alyssa Buckley …
Weekender: March 21-24
We have a jam-packed Weekender for you. Enjoy!
For women in C-U, it could be worse
March is International Women’s Month and an excellent opportunity to do a temperature check of how women are faring in C-U. Spoiler alert: We have a long way to go in dismantling the patriarchy and …
The Maple Syrup festival was a pretty good time
The Vermillion County Conservation District hosted their Maple Syrup Festival in Forest Glen Preserve on March 17th. In preparation for the festival, 500 sugar maple trees were tapped to collect the sap that was cooked …
Smile Politely’s Food + Drink Tournament 2024 announced: Round of 32
March has arrived, which means it is bracket time. If you’ve followed along for the last few years here on Smile Politely, you’re familiar with our tournament of Champaign-Urbana related things. We’ve done food and drink (2019), icons (2020), pizza (2022), parks (2023), and …
Weekender: March 14-17
Whether you’re taking in some Big Ten basketball, donning your green for St. Paddy’s Day, or enjoying the waning days of Spring Break, there are plenty of options for weekend fun.
More than five cuisines we need in C-U
Here are Smile Politely, we know you have strong opinions about food and drink — we do, too. As we noted in our 2020 editorial listicle on five cuisines missing in Champaign-Urbana, C-U is home …
The power of language
The Bengali Student Organization wanted to celebrate International Mother Language Day by gathering together a group of students from various language backgrounds to celebrate their culture, identity, and language and asking, “what does your language …
The Overture: March 11 – 17
The Overture is a rundown of live music and performances happening in and around Champaign-Urbana each week. All of the information is as accurate as we can publish; however, all shows and performances are subject …
Weekender: March 7-10
Do you have plans for this first weekend of spring break? We have a few ideas for you.
We’re hoping Hotel Royer will be worth the wait
The story of the former Urbana Landmark Hotel has been a dramatic one. With the progress that’s been made thus far to transform it into Hotel Royer, it seems like a functioning hotel is just …
Airness celebrates the joy of expression and belonging
Illinois Theatre recently unveiled a production that, quite literally, plays the air: Airness by Chelsea Marcantel. Staged at Fat City Bar and Grill, a venue that, before this event, had been criminally underutilized for live …
The 2024 guide to CSA
Do boxes of local food excite you? If so, great news: it’s 2024 CSA sign-up season. Winter is thankfully nearing its end, and soon plants will sprout and we’ll eat delicious, summer Illinois tomatoes once …
Weekender: February 29-March 3
We have some ideas for how to spend this extra day in February, and the rest of the weekend.
Illinois Soul found a formula for building a community radio station
Back in December, Illinois Public Media announced the launch of a brand new radio station that “elevates Black voices, music, and culture throughout central Illinois, and online, with the power of public media.” Illinois Soul, …
Let’s be thoughtful about transforming our parks
With the teardown of Meadowbrook Park’s Prairie Play playground happening soon and glimpses of warmer weather in the forecast, we’ve got spending more time outdoors on the brain. Champaign and Urbana’s parks are wonderful and …
Midwest Scuba Center: C-U’s local dive
A recent string of sinus surgeries stranded Alex Gentner on dry land for two months — the longest stretch of time he’s gone between scuba dives in a decade. Since 2007, Gentner has suited up and …
Inaugural UI Con is not to be missed
In the last decade and a half, comics and comics-adjacent culture have become mainstream. Even if you don’t know what anime is, or the names of indie comics publishers, you’ve probably seen a Marvel Cinematic …
It’s a vibe: First date edition
Food and Drink editor Alyssa and I were chatting earlier this year about places to go in Champaign-Urbana that have a certain vibe — a place you can go with a distinct feeling and can …
Weekender: February 22-25
Let us help you plan your weekend.
Willard Airport could use an expansion, maybe
Willard Airport is in the local news again, and we don’t just mean in our editorial about the extent to which our community meets the benchmarks for being considered a “city.” In that editorial, we …
Downstate Third Act on working to leave a more sustainable planet
Downstate Third Act (a branch of Third Act) is an organization working to protect the planet and support a vigorous democracy for people over the age of 60. Pat Simpson is a retired academic who …
The Sankofa RoboBuilders are building a path to success
The Sankofa RoboBuilders did not win the FIRST Lego League Qualifier competition held on the University of Illinois campus back in December. But that’s only if you have a very strict definition of “winning.” When …
Weekender: February 15-18
Need some help planning your weekend? Our editors have you covered.
Delivering for Champaign-Urbana
The US Postal Service (USPS) is something that we all take for granted. It’s just about as old as this country (it was established in 1792), and we expect it to always be there. It …
First Wok Chinese is a gem worth seeking out
Chinese takeout restaurants are one of America’s favorite ways to dine out. Often found as a small storefront tucked into a strip mall, they serve up a kind of Asian-style comfort food great when no one …
Some secondhand stores to explore with your Valentine (or whomever)
Here in the capitalist hellscape we all live in, it can be hard to find cheap, fun, outings to do with your Valentine. There’s The Great Outdoors of course (which is often free), though it’s …
Champaign’s Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery now owned by Martinelli’s Market
The new owners of Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery are no strangers to the Champaign food scene. Prairie Fruits Farm is now owned by the same people who own Martinelli’s Market & Deli. The purchase …
Weekender: February 8-11
There is no shortage of cool things to do this weekend. Let our editors help you plan.
Why are county positions partisan, and should they be?
The 2024 primary election is upon us. Early voting begins tomorrow, February 8th. There are not many primary races to speak of in this cycle, including at the county level. In fact, the only contested …
Five things in Music: February 2024
For February, I’m going to switch up my five things format a bit and talk about parts of the music scene here in Champaign-Urbana I’d like to see change or improve a bit. I’ve been …
Meet Executive Chef DeAngelo Newson at ClarkLindsey Village
Chef DeAngelo Newson is adroit in the kitchen. On his Instagram, Chef Newson shares photos (and videos) of stunning dishes, and as Executive Chef for ClarkLindsey Village, Newson is responsible for preparing a fine-dining dinner …
Weekender: February 1-4
It’s finally February, which is a much better month than January. Here are some suggestions for starting the month out right.
Recovering from snow day fumbles
Snow and other types of terrible weather aren’t new in Central Illinois. We’ve seen school closures, historic snow days, and intense weather happen pretty regularly, and climate change will only make things worse. So why …