Are you out there enjoying Ebertfest? Their 25th anniversary celebration kicked off on Wednesday in Downtown Champaign, and if you haven’t figured out what you’re interested in checking out, be sure to look no further …
This Friday, April 19th, we’re handing our Instagram stories over to Sumer Hazeen of Roger Ebert’s Film Festival, aka Ebertfest. As you’ve seen on Smile Politely, the film festival is taking place this weekend, kicking …
This Thursday, I’m thirsty for the cucumber gimlet at Farren’s Pub. I’ve been craving something cold and refreshing with this week’s warm spring weather, and yesterday, I ordered the Downtown Champaign restaurant’s thirst-quenching cucumber gimlet …
On Thursday, April 18th WILL-TV’s Prairie Fire will air a segment from Deke Weaver’s CETACEAN (The Whale). The show opens with ten minutes of introduction to this unique interdisciplinary and multi-media performance, followed by 50 …
Japan House will be celebrating their 25th anniversary and Professor Emeritus Kimiko Gunji’s legacy of 50 years of teaching next month. The full weekend celebration will include a book signing, tea ceremonies, a celebration dinner, …
Common Ground Food Co-op is providing yet another opportunity to learn more about sustainable eating and consumption practices through this day of learning at the very cool Kalyx Center for Sustainability in Monticello. If you’ve …
Each year, Springer Cultural Center hosts the Town & Country Amateur Art Show, giving aspiring artists in the area a chance to have their art on display. Those artists that submitted and were chosen have …
Rob Kanter is a photographer and an associate clinical professor at the University of Illinois in the school of School of Earth, Society, and Environment. He will be at The Urbana Free Library for his …
This Sunday, April 21st from 1 to 5 p.m., a student-led initiative by students at Carle Illinois College of Medicine will be hosting Diabetes Dash, which they’re putting on at Champaign Park District’s Martens Center …
University of Illinois Assistant Professor of English Corey Van Landingham has a new book of poetry, Reader, I, released today on Sarabande Books. If you’re unfamiliar with her work, take a look at this article from a …
On Monday, April 22nd, a celebration will be taking place to commemorate the connectivity between the University of Illinois and the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail. If you’re unfamiliar with the trail and how …
Small Business Development Center here in Champaign County is a great resource for businesses to utilize, offering training events, programs to help make your business successful, advising, and more. In a couple of weeks, they’ll …
Whether it’s visual or performance art, literature or film, Champaign-Urbana has always nurtured a vibrant arts community. We are looking for new contributors for our Arts section: You can see shows before they debut, talk to …
A national doughnut shop chain by the name of Parlor Doughnuts is opening in Champaign. The new Parlor Doughnuts will be located in the Old Farm Shops plaza at the corner of Mattis and Kirby …
This week ahead of the Roger Ebert Film Festival which runs Wednesday through Saturday, we get what may be one of my favorite features of Ebertfest week: the pre-festival symposium. The 2024 Chaz and Roger …
Last year, news broke that Maize Mexican Grill‘s original location at First and Green was going to be demolished in 2024. Their new restaurant inside the Illini Union has been up and running for some …
Julie recently featured Illinois Soul, the brand new radio station that “elevates Black voices, music, and culture throughout central Illinois, and online, with the power of public media”, so if this is the first you’re hearing …
University YMCA recently opened a new exhibition featuring painter Steven Boyd Hudson‘s work. The collection is on display now through August 11th. From the University YMCA’s website: The paintings in this new body of work …
There is an unbelievable amount of programming being offered through Urbana Park District this summer, and you should take a look at their Summer program guide to show you the way. From Crystal Lake Art …
Last year, MTD debuted their inaugural Juneteenth bus as part of their effort to commemorate the holiday. They’ve announced that tomorrow, Saturday, April 13th, they’ll be revealing their next one. The photo you see above …
To celebrate the one-year anniversary of Champaign-Urbana’s favorite new restaurant/live music venue, The Space, we asked part owner, and also the drummer for Snack’d Out, Doug Hodge some strange questions to commemorate the occasion. Smile …
The 4th Annual Cheap Instrument Sale, happening on May 12th at Rose Bowl Tavern, offers a quiet opportunity for musicians and enthusiasts to explore a variety of used instruments and music gear. This event, hosted …
Both of Downtown Champaign’s The Blind Pig locations have new owners now. This weekend, the dual bars will reopen with fresh paint and a new theme for Boneyard Arts Festival, which starts tomorrow, April 12th. …
Urbana-Champaign Reproductive Justice has partnered with the Midwest Access Coalition to provide residents with access to free emergency contraceptives. While EC is available over the counter, the price tag (over $50 per dose) can make …
Remember when we did that Instagram Story Takeover with Prairie Rivers Network, wherein they discussed the spread of herbicides and how they drift into the community in ways you might not have otherwise known? The …
Tyler James Williams, the actor known for his work in Everybody Hates Chris, Abbott Elementary, and Let It Shine, is coming to the Illini Union on Tuesday, April 23rd from 7 to 9 p.m. Williams …
On May 29th and 30th, Hamilton Walker’s is hosting their next wine dinner alongside Napa Valley’s Robert Mondavi Winery. Chef Zach will be preparing a five course dinner to pair with the winery’s offerings. In …
Back in February, the beloved Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery (and their amazing goats) were acquired by the same ownership as Martinelli’s Market. They’ve announced that they have some surprises in store (“big announcements” forthcoming), …
Urbana’s BakeLab is expanding their coffee and delicious baked goods offerings to Champaign. BakeLab will open a new location inside the Lodgic coworking space this summer. The Champaign café will be called BakeLab Pâtisserie and …
This week, I’m all about the billion dollar dream cocktail at Seven Saints in Downtown Champaign. I like pretty much every drink on the restaurant’s cocktail menu (especially the Flight of Icarus), but when I …
Set against the backdrop of the Champaign County Fairgrounds, the Audiofeed Music Festival 2024 will unfold July 4th through July 7th, offering a contemplative escape into the world of music and fellowship. This year’s lineup, …
Sure, Easter has come and gone, but the weather is looking up and that means it is time for Champaign County Forest Preserve District’s egg hunt. As you can see, they’ve hidden large, creatively painted …
Community Foundation of East Central Illinois hosts a variety of free and engaging workshops that are tailored towards helping those in the nonprofit sector. Coming up on April 23rd from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., …
While we refer to ourselves as Champaign-Urbana’s culture magazine, our Culture section occupies a specific space within that. It attempts to capture the essence of this community that we call home. We write about the …
Himalayan Chimney’s lassoni gobi is flawless in my opinion. Yesterday, I ordered the lassoni gobi appetizer ($9.99) as a vegetarian lunch, and that plate of hot, saucy fried cauliflower was totally delicious just like every …
Next weekend, there’s an opportunity to perhaps see Allerton Park & Retreat Center in a way that you haven’t before: by running a race throughout the park. This year’s Allerton Races takes place April 19-20 …
The Perimeter Road Music Festival 2024, happening on Saturday, May 4th from noon to 6 p.m. at the Student Union Parking Lot (B1), is a cozy gathering for music enthusiasts of all ages. This free, …
Next week on Tuesday, April 16th, Mad Goat Coffee will open on Main Street in Downtown Champaign. This will be Mad Goat Coffee’s third location but the first in Champaign-Urbana. The first location opened in …
Joy Harjo, the 23rd United States Poet Laureate and member of the Muscogee [Creek] Nation, will be visiting April 23-24 as part of Humanities Research Institute‘s programming on campus at the University of Illinois. There …
My family and I went to check out this year’s Engineering Open House this past weekend on campus at the University of Illinois. Packed full of programming, there really is something for everyone and acts …
Spring is springing, which means Urbana’s Market at the Square will soon return. The City of Urbana announced the opening date for this year’s season is Saturday, May 4th (Star Wars fans are very excited). …
As the week closes out, readers have determined a winner in our 2024 March Food + Drink Tournament, and our Spring Donation Campaign is nearing its end. While the opportunity to vote for your favorite foods in …
Approximately a half-hour into his March 20th show at Anthem in Downtown Champaign, John Hoeffleur asked the crowd of around 20 people, “You guys ever been to prom?” In Anthem’s darkened space reserved for music …
Cornfields are a common sight around these parts. There’s corn pretty much everywhere once we get out of the business-lined streets and onto country roads. A lot of restaurants serve dishes with corn, but there’s …
The University of Illinois women’s basketball team won the inaugural WBIT tournament, marking the first postseason title the team has ever won. The Illini beat Villanova 71-57, and were led by Makira Cook, who scored …
Circle April 20th on your rock ‘n’ roll calendars because that’s when the Didjits are set to blast through your speakers with Strictly Dynamite: The Best of Didjits. This isn’t just any release; it’s a …
The Illini women’s basketball team has been dominating in the National Invitational Tournament. They beat Missouri State, Stony Brook, Tulsa, and Washington State to make their first ever appearance in the championship round of a …
Hit the road with the Lyric Theatre @ Illinois’ program’s Fugitive Songs, where every note is a mile, and every lyric is a landscape. Under the direction of voice professor Sarah Wigley, the University of …
Champaign-Urbana’s newest restaurant Aroma Garden opens this weekend in the space that was once the Urbana location of Rainbow Garden Chinese restaurant. Tentatively scheduled to open this Friday, April 5th, Aroma Garden will offer Chinese …
