The University of Illinois Press, University of Illinois System, and CARLI have announced a literary symposium, Free People Read Freely: Literacy, Inclusion, and Democracy, which takes place August 20-21 at Krannert Center for the Performing …
Dim Sum House restaurant will soon open on Green Street beside Northern Cuisine and across from Four Breakfast & More. The corner restaurant space was previously the unlimited hot pot restaurant Chong Qing House (which …
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 …
Later this summer, a new restaurant called El Trujillanito Kitchen & Bar will open with a menu of Peruvian and American cuisine on State Street. El Trujillanito will offer ceviche, arroz caufa (Peruvian fried rice), …
Toast to Taylor kicked off its season back in May with a headlining performance by C-U ex-pats Mother Nature, and now they’ve announced the remaining lineups for their upcoming shows in August and September. This …
Juneteenth might be technically over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t continue to support Black businesses in Champaign-Urbana. Food and Drink editor Alyssa Buckley has put together a list of places for — you guessed …
WEFT 90.1FM, located in Downtown Champaign, has been on the air since 1981, putting forth their version of community-driven radio covering a wide variety of genres and voices. I recently posted about the origin story …
Big Daddy Pride and the East Side Five have released a captivating new music video for their song “Risk It for the Biscuit.” The video (also available below), inspired by Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles,” …
Built in 1874 (yes, you read that correctly), the McDowell House in nearby Sidell is a farmstead home that has undergone a variety of changes since it was built nearly 150 years ago. The fifth …
It is National Pollinator Week, and to wrap things up, the tenth annual BeeBlitz is taking place at the Pollinatarium and Meadowbrook Park. I was looking back at some of the posts we’d done in …
Davenport-Pleasure invites you to an evening filled with poetry, movement, and plenty of heart. She is a multi-talented poet, spoken word performer, avid dancer, and a jewelry and recycled clothing designer. Davenport-Pleasure was selected as …
These hot 90° temps have me straight up parched for something cold and refreshing. This Thursday, I’m thirsty for the pineapple margarita at Esquire Lounge. This pineapple margarita ($6.25) is made with a special tequila …
Eastern Illinois University’s Tarble Arts Center has issued a call for local professional artists to submit work for an engaging upcoming exhibition. If you’ve got art that displays well flat and you want it to …
We celebrate Juneteenth tomorrow, Wednesday, June 19th. Juneteenth is a holiday that centers the accomplishments and contributions of Black Americans. Celebrations should have good food, and those looking for Black excellence in our local food …
We’ve covered the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail at length in a few forms, and as time goes on, there’s still more to discuss when it comes to the creation and celebration of the …
Tim Abel’s artist statement is too brilliant not to quote directly: lookforpattern Accumulate. Revise. Contain. In the making, I can see my place within this large network; I can impose my own order, which exists …
Allerton Park & Retreat Center in Monticello is giving adults and opportunity to have some summer fun through their weekend called Camp Lost Garden. Next weekend, June 27-30, they’ll be hosting Camp Lost Garden featuring …
ZENtheRapper‘s Summer Solstice Show returns for its second year on June 21st, celebrating the start of summer with a night of Hip-Hop at its finest. Hosted, curated, and headlined by ZENtheRapper, this event promises an …
The Audiofeed Festival 2024 is gearing up to take place from July 4th to July 7th at the Champaign County Fairgrounds in Urbana, Illinois. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the festival, which is …
Just re-watching the trailer for this masterpiece makes my heart leap and my eyes well up with tears. Since I first saw his 2018 documentary about Fred Rogers, Won’t You Be My Neighbor? at Ebertfest …
Most of us have had someone in our lives affected by cancer in one way, shape, or form. Navigating that process is difficult enough, and thanks to this student at Carle Illinois College of Medicine, …
UPDATE (3:45 p.m.): Shortly after this published, we were alerted by organizers that this event has been postponed to a later date. We will provide an update when more details become available. (PS) If you …
Joshua Harris, better known as Mousepad, has just released his new album, In My Head, now available on all streaming platforms. Featuring collaborations with Alyssa Allen of Taurus Hate Club, Justus Payne of Haunted X …
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 …
Four Breakfast & More restaurant has been open on Green Street since 2018, and a few months ago, Four launched a food truck. The new truck is a regular fixture at Urbana’s Market at the …
This weekend our twin cities celebrate Juneteenth, which is Wednesday, June 19th. It’s really nice to see several different celebrations, all scheduled at different times (find details in The Weekender). This allows people to get …
YWCA of Champaign County is once again offering their Strive program to individuals interested in developing their skills to build confidence, improve their resume, increase employment opportunities, and more. Their program provides digital skills training …
Illini 4000, a non-profit group that was founded by University of Illinois students to raise money and awareness for cancer research, just made their way through Champaign-Urbana yesterday on their cross country trek. Way back …
Gay Meat is an indie rock band from Chicago, IL, led by Karl Kuehn, who is also known for his work with Museum Mouth and his stint as drummer/vocalist for Say Anything. The band blends …
Peaches have arrived at the Urbana farmers’ market. A bit earlier than usual, Mileur Orchard’s peaches are here, and they’re delicious. I bought a carton of Murphysboro white peaches, and I’m already hungry for Saturday’s …
These hot temps feel like summer, don’t it? I want to scream for ice cream. This week, order a chocolate malt milkshake at Jarling’s Custard Cup. With whipped cream and a cherry on top, this …
At the beginning of the month, Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County hosted their Bike to Build Tour, and later this month, there’s another opportunity to support them as they raise funds for affordable housing. …
The bricks are coming down and the work continues at Tuscola’s Candy Kitchen. Third generation Greek candy maker and businesswoman extraordinaire Devon Flesor Story said she “hopes this gives encouragement to other small businesses who …
The forthcoming Ngoma African Festival is slated to take place in various venues across Urbana in just a few weeks on Sunday, June 23rd. The festival will take place at Krannert Center, Spurlock Museum, Music …
The Odyssey Project, Humanities Research Institute’s adult learning program, is accepting applications for their fall 2024 cohort. The program is open to low-income adults who are looking to further their learning through college courses. Registration …
On Thursday, June 20th, the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts will host a special Juneteenth edition of its Uncorked series, featuring Chicago’s Billboard chart-topping singer and songwriter, Syleena Johnson. The event, presented in collaboration …
Blackmau artists Stacey “BLACKSTAR” Robinson and Kamau “DJ Kamaumau” Grantham teamed up to design this year’s Juneteenth bus for MTD and it is stunning in all the best ways. Every inch of the bus combines …
The Main Scoop, the local ice cream parlor with locations on Main Street in Mahomet, Monticello, and Urbana, has added a fourth location. The Main Scoop’s newest location is on Broadmeadow Road in Rantoul and …
The longtime owner of Strawberry Fields and World Harvest has retired, but thankfully, the Urbana stores will not close. The stores have a new owner Jihad Shalabi, and he is keeping the same selection of …
Our Opinion section is mostly populated with our weekly Editorial Board offerings, but every once in a while someone with an opinion to share will reach out with a pitch. We’ve published articles on the foul smells emanating from Kraft, the emu, school district issues, jail …
This week we learned that Maize’s Green Street location is officially closed, as the building will be demolished to make way for new development. Don’t worry, though, you can still get your Maize fix at …
I’m excited to visit the new exhibit at Parkland’s Giertz Gallery starting next week. We’ve had gorgeous spring weather so far, but summer’s coming and I love the open and cool indoor space of Parkland’s …
Girls Rock! C-U is excited to announce the grand opening of their headquarters with a special Open House and “instrument petting zoo” on June 15th. This event invites children and their families to explore various …
The University YMCA provides a variety of resources for the community, and they’re hosting this event next week alongside Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights on Thursday, June 13th. The organization is seeking volunteers “who …
Hessel Park in Champaign will host a vibrant, free, all-ages event on Saturday, July 13th, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. The evening will feature a diverse lineup including Sinfonia da Camera, the in-residence professional …
It’s my birthday week, so let’s cheers with one of my favorites: a dry gin martini with a twist at Collective Pour. Even though the Downtown Champaign bar is known for craft beer and whiskey, …
“Professor Jay,” as he’s affectionately known, is gearing up for the album release this week for his band Woke Mountain Boys, and he graciously agreed to respond to my silly questions. You can hear the …
Decatur poet Anastasia Lindsey will be on hand at Champaign’s Barnes and Noble this Sunday to read from her new collection of poems, Ocean. This collection explores grief, transformation, and the revitalizing power of love. …
There’s a phone application called Deep Cover that’s being developed in an effort to help people not fall victim to scammers online. Anita Nikolich, National Center for Supercomputing Applications affiliate and director of innovation, research and technology …
