SPlog

Professor James H. Yang, a visiting scholar from Taiwan and University of Illinois alum, is a digital painter whose art is being featured in an exhibit at the Anita Purves Nature Center from July 20 …

UPDATE: July 30th at 1:40 p.m.: Thank you for your overwhelming support! In just over a week, we’ve hit our goal for this campaign. We’ll be launching another campaign in the fall with more incentives …

This week was a big week for food. Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery won four medals — the most they’ve ever won — at this year’s American Cheese Society Annual Competition. Urbana’s Sicilian sandwich shop Baldarotta’s announced the opening …

This past week, The Land Connection‘s Farmers Market in Downtown Champaign updated their layout to accommodate the beginning of the construction of the plaza project. Their market runs through October 22nd, so for the next …

It’s Tanguero time! Next week (July 21-27) we’ll experience the dynamic energy of all things tango happening at Urbana’s Independent Media Center. On Monday, July 22nd at 8 p.m., the week kicks off with a …

BakeLab Pâtisserie and Café opened this morning in Champaign as an expansion of the coffee and baked goods offerings by Urbana’s BakeLab. Located inside the Lodgic building, the new café currently offers a small selection of BakeLab …

This week, I’m thirsty for wine at Art Mart. This glass of sauvignon blanc ($8) was the loveliest sip I’ve had all week. Served in an elegant thin-lipped, slender-stemmed glass, this chilled South African sauvignon …

Could It Be Magic, a Barry Manilow tribute concert organized by St. Joseph-Ogden High School senior Logan Allen, is set to take place on Saturday, July 20th at 7 p.m. This one-night-only event will feature …

YWCA of Champaign County has established its desire to empower Black and Brown women through their project of the same name. In addition to programs like Strive, generally speaking, their work in the community aims …

The Champaign-Urbana Folk and Roots Festival has unveiled its first round of lineup announcements and began selling tickets for the 2024 event, scheduled from October 3rd through October 5th. National touring artists such as Jerron …

T’is the season for checking out Krannert Center for the Performing Arts’ events calendar so you can pop online and get tickets in August as some events go on sale as early as August 14th. …

Right around this time each year during the dog days of summer, it gets really nasty hot out. Although it isn’t in the 90s like it was last week, it is still pretty balmy, and …

The Grainger College of Engineering is known for many things in the realm of innovation and technology, and transportation has been the topic of discussion lately. With the help of funding from the US Department …

A big congratulations to Champaign’s creamery Prairie Fruits Farm for winning in all four categories entered at American Cheese Society’s 2024 Annual Competition. This year, Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery won first-place gold medals for …

A new cannabis dispensary named The Dispensary Champaign is now open in Champaign. After a soft launch two weeks prior, Champaign’s newest dispensary hosted a grand opening party last Friday with vendors and the Maize …

After June wrapped up with Moroccan, Common Ground has their next virtual cooking class coming up on Saturday, July 27th with Greek cuisine. Chef Alisa DeMarco will be leading the course, which takes place from …

Busey is active in the community in a variety of ways, and their supply drives are one of them. They’re hosting their School Supply Drive all this month to benefit those in need around Champaign …

The next installment of the summer Olympics is coming up in a few weeks, kicking off with an opening ceremony on Friday, July 26th and running through Monday, August 11th. This time around, the games …

You know, we really love a good creature SPlog here at Smile Politely. There’s been a ton of discussion within our group of editors about the recent news that the elusive emu had been captured …

This Tuesday, July 16th, we’re handing our Instagram to Nichole Millage of City of Champaign’s Feed the Thing for our next installment in our Instagram Story Takeover series. Read Julie’s feature on Millage from 2021 to …

In sad restaurant news, A Taste of Both Worlds, the Filipino-Cambodian restaurant inside Broadway Food Hall, is closed permanently. A Taste of Both Worlds opened at the beginning of 2021 as Champaign-Urbana’s only Filipino and Cambodian …

Champaign’s Immaterial Books seeks photographers to submit work for a new exhibition and a future catalog. They are looking for work that critically engages with our local landscape. Questions to think about include: how does …

We are looking to hire an editor for our Culture section.  Editors are responsible for curating content within their section, including editing the work of writers, recruiting and working with writers, and contributing their own …

This fall, Baldarotta’s Porketta & Sicilian Sausage will open a second location that will be a neighborhood Italian bodega offering grab-and-go and made-to-order food. The new location is on Griggs Street in the same building …

How are you spending your weekends this summer? As I’ve noted before, summer is my favorite season in Champaign-Urbana. There’s a really nice vibe in the area, and there are so many things to do …

In news only slightly less disappointing than last month’s presidential debate, the legendary emu that escaped captivity in Danville two years ago has been caught.   For the two years she was on the lam, she …

Consider yourself invited to get your tickets now for Youth Summer Theatre’s Oliver! Tickets are on sale for UPD’s summer production. Area youth are excited to put on the performance for the public. And who …

This week, I’m thirsty for something beachy and boozy: the perro salado at La Bahía Grill. This cocktail ($7) was a summer sip that hit as good as salty beach air. Perro salado, or salty …

I never know who may be up to take part in our silly “Three questions with…” segment, but this week I decided to reach out to Maestro Ian Hobson of Sinfonia da Camera, who will …

Urbana Park District wants to hear from the community about two parks, Weaver Park and Prairie Park, that have been discussed over the last year or so because of some proposed changes. As we mentioned …

The University YMCA’s annual Dump & Run has been at it for 24 years now, and they’ve recently announced the dates and times for collection at the University of Illinois Stock Pavilion. The project has …

The burnt ends horseshoe at Smoky’s House BBQ is the stuff dreams are made of. This pile of deliciousness is a horseshoe, an open-faced sandwich that originated in Springfield, Illinois with Texas toast, meat, fries, …

According to the City of Champaign’s Instagram, work will soon begin on the plaza in Downtown Champaign. This plaza has been a discussion for many years now, and earlier this year, the city updated us …

Local rockers Drew Cagle & The Reputation have recorded and released a new single “All Figured Out” and are embarking on a national tour in support. Known for their boisterous rock ‘n’ roll attitude, the …

Champaign-Urbana has been hard at work establishing itself as a center of innovation for decades, and recently, agricultural technology been at the forefront. Champaign County Economic Development Corporation announced that iFAB, Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture …

After calling a brief timeout for an event that typically takes place in April, Keep Champaign Beautiful is ready to accept registrations for this year’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection event, taking place on Saturday, August …

Celebrating a decade since its release, Braid’s No Coast stands as a testament to the band’s enduring impact on the emo and indie rock scene. Released on July 8th, 2014, No Coast marked Braid’s triumphant …

After closing production last fall, The Blind Pig Brewery is once again brewing beer in its Champaign brewery. New owner Matt Monahan took over the brewery this May and began brewing right away starting with …

We see you sharing your opinions on Champaign-Urbana’s food and drink scene on our social media pages. Why not formalize it and contribute to our Food & Drink section? What’s required? It’s helpful to have …

SvenStock 2024, organized by Stephen ‘Sven’ Johnson of Champaign is Also a Band podcast, will take place on Saturday, August 3rd, starting at 3 p.m. at 280 County Road 300 E, in Sadorus. This public …

The Heartland Theatre Company hosts an annual 10-minute play festival, recruiting some of the best work from writers all over the world. Normal’s wonderful theatre company also hosts a yearly call for new plays for …

Cobrafest 2024 will take over Loose Cobra in Tolono on Saturday, July 6th, starting at 4 p.m. Prepare for a scorching lineup, headlined by FACS, who are back with their original member. This Chicago-based trio …

James Treichler has been inducted as a voting member of the Recording Academy for the 2024 class. Treichler, a local recording and sound engineer, took to Facebook recently to announce the news and comment on …

This is huge, people. We’ve already covered John Milas’ 2023 debut novel The Militia House here and here. But now, ladies and gents, it’s up for a Shirley Jackson Award. Named for one of the …

DJ Belly (aka Kevin Miller) is a staple of the Champaign-Urbana hip-hop and dance music scene. You can see him provide the beats for Trouble Chasin’, or by himself onstage creating music that makes you …

Scrolling through my Instagram video feed yesterday, I was presented a video from a content creator named Jacob Givens. Givens is famous for filming hilarious reaction videos to older, but popular songs. On tap yesterday …

We’re hopeful it will be worth the wait. According to the News-Gazette, the developers of Hotel Royer in Downtown Urbana, the much-anticipated Hilton-brand hotel renovating the historic Lincoln Hotel, is hopeful to open its doors …