SPlog

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 …

Coverage of the local music scene has been a core component of Smile Politely since its founding. Our music section covers a wide variety of genres — from rock to hip-hop to classical and more …

The University of Illinois men’s basketball team had a great run in this year’s NCAA tournament, and even though UConn put a stop to it this weekend, it’s worth remembering that Coach Brad Underwood and …

Alas, the time has come for the Championship round of Smile Politely’s Food & Drink Tournament 2024. During the tournament rounds, readers voted for their favorites in chaotic head-to-head matchups of local foods, and last …

If you have old electronics that are taking up space and gathering dust, you’re in luck. Registration opens today for the Champaign County, City of Champaign, City of Urbana, and Village of Savoy’s collection event. …

Champaign-Urbana knows how to do National Poetry Month. With so many luminous writers and poets in town, it can be hard to keep up. But this month, I’ll be dropping bits and bobs about readings …

Thank you to those who have donated to our Spring Campaign already. We so appreciate your support! Those additional funds are allowing us to pay writers and editors more, and build a featured article budget to do …

And just like that – April is nearly here and the full lineup for Ebertfest just dropped. With Bob Fosse’s Star 80 headlining opening night and Malcolm D. Lee’s The Best Man featured center stage, …

40 North has announced this year’s MTD ART featured artists: Top left: Cris Hughes, An Invitation (3D botanical collage); top right: Alex Harvey, Rolling to the Rhythm (ink gel pen); bottom left: Kamila Glowacki, No …

Ms. Jones If You Nasty is a local hip-hop artist, and she’s opening for Trouble Chasin’ and Haki ‘N Dem this Saturday, March 30th at Rose Bowl Tavern. We sent her our three weird questions, …

Smile Politely is and always has been a community magazine, and the articles that you read week to week are written by community members just like you. Some of them have a writing background, many …

If you missed the Oscar-winning documentary 20 Days in Mariupol when it premiered on PBS’s hard-hitting series Frontline last November, now is your chance to watch it on the big screen at Spurlock’s Museum of …

This Thursday, sip my go-to coffee order: an iced Americano with white chocolate cold foam at Espresso Royale. I used to be a latte girlie, but I fell out of love with drinking so much …

Holi, the Indian festival of colors that happens every spring, fell on March 25th this year. But, you can still celebrate over in Normal on April 13th. The Asian American and Pacific Islander Club and …

Meteorologist Andrew Pritchard will be presenting for the James Kaler Science Lecture Series at Parkland Community College. He’ll talk about tornado formation, what makes North America a prime spot for the storm systems, tips to …

Downtown Champaign’s Tenkyu Izakaya opened in January this year in the old Miga space with a menu of small bites, chef specialties, ramen, and rice bowls. Because I loved Miga, I love being back in …

Cowboy Monkey is making a return to downtown, reigniting its legacy as a venue for live music enthusiasts. With its doors swinging open for a Grand Re-Opening weekend, the venue is set to entertain audiences …

Every April, a whole bunch of volunteers take a Saturday morning to clear litter and non-native plants from designated areas along Boneyard Creek. If you are interested in doing that this year, organizers are looking …

Part of the Greenfield Lynch Lecture Series, “an annual lecture on Jewish American literature and literary studies jointly organized by the Department of English and the Program in Jewish Culture & Society,” poet and novelist …

The eclectic and fearless quartet of Ralph Lewis, Susan Parenti, Brant Roberts, and Matthew Miller is set to grace the Turn Around Music Series with their innovative concerts on March 29th and 30th, promising a …

Are you doing a little spring cleaning? Champaign County ReStore would love to take any home goods donations you might be ready to part with. From their Facebook page: “Our amazing ReStore volunteers have processed …

Champaign is 164 years old today. The city was chartered on March 25, 1860 “when the Illinois Central Railroad placed its tracks two miles west of downtown Urbana.” Champaign was originally called West Urbana and …

In January, we shared that students from Carle Illinois College of Medicine were providing free women’s health services at Avicenna Community Health Center. Now, they’ve helped establish a free eye care clinic there as well. …

Do you fancy yourself a creative baking type person who also has an affinity for literature? Maybe you should submit an entry to the Edible Book Festival on April 6th at Common Ground Food Co-op. …

This event has everything: Neil St. Blues amazing brunch buffet, a live singalong with DJ Silkee, and it’s a chance to support an organization that has a mission of empowering women and combating racism. They …

Of 32 foods and drinks in Smile Politely’s Food + Drink Tournament, we’re now down to the Elite 8. At this point in the tournament, all the beverages have been eliminated. The single elimination tournament …

This week we announced our third donation campaign. Yep that’s right, we are asking for your support again.  Last fall, after much consideration, we decided that asking our readers to contribute to our work on a quarterly basis …

Are you a fan of The Emu? We sure are! Recently a Facebook page was established as a spot for all who are following the intrepid voyager as it journeys through East Central Illinois. They …

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District now has an additional mode of connecting with the community on mental health and self-care. They’ve partnered with CredibleMind, described as “a digital platform that provides expert-curated and scientifically-backed mental health …

This Saturday, March 23rd, will be the first live event for C.A.R.E.S. Talks, an effort “to foster connections between the university and the community, share innovative ideas, and celebrate the achievements of the area’s academics, …

After hard-fought battles in the first round, half of the 32 foods and drinks in Smile Politely’s Food & Drink Tournament have been eliminated. Knocking out underdogs, most top seeds dominated their first matchups: The …

Whether it’s visual or performance art, literature or film, C-U has always nurtured a vibrant arts community, and this is your opportunity to be a part of it. You can see shows before they debut, talk …

This Saturday, March 23rd, we’re handing our Instagram stories over to the Elizabeth Churchya, executive director of Sinfonia da Camera. As the chamber orchestra prepares to wrap up their 40th season with “From Ukraine to …

For the first Thirsty Thursday of spring, I’m highlighting The Spice, a brand new cocktail on the new spring drink menu at Punch! Bar & Lounge. In two glasses, The Spice cocktail ($15) has bourbon …

This week’s participant is Sweet Megg from Nashville, via Paris, via New York. Her varied influences ranging from jazz, to blues to country, are the basis of her unique sound and will be on display …

Loose Cobra in Tolono is setting the stage on March 22nd for a noteworthy collaboration as Sisters and Birdhands come together, blending talents from well-known bands in the rock and alternative music scenes. This isn’t …

The building on the corner of Market and Taylor Streets in Downtown Champaign housed two artistic endeavors that have had important impact on our community, and now another will be calling the place home. Pogo …

Ruzica (Seka) Cuk, a Serbian immigrant and original co-owner, began baking and selling bread wholesale in C-U after deciding that American bread was not cutting it, and eventually opened Pekara Bakery & Bistro on Neil …

The roadside ice cream shop Sidney Dairy Barn is now open for the season. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, Sidney Dairy Barn offers ice cream cones, bowls, pints, quarts, shakes, and signature tornadoes. Last …

Recycling is something so many of us do without thinking too much about it, but what are we really accomplishing when we do it? Are we doing it the right way? Are we really helping …

Girls Rock! C-U is hosting an exciting 18-and-over event at Rose Bowl Tavern, featuring a stellar lineup of local groups including Emily the Band, Taurus Hate Club, and Garden Girl. This event is a blend …