SPlog

Champaign’s AM-KO Oriental Foods and Gifts store located at the corner of First Street and Springfield Avenue will close next month. The Asian grocery first opened in 1978 and has had the same owners for …

For a decade now, Town of Normal has been staging their free, all-ages music festival on the streets of Uptown Normal. June 28-29 marks their 10 year anniversary and they’re celebrating with this lineup of …

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 …

Mother Nature, the rap duo of Klevah and T.R.U.T.H., has strong ties to the Champaign-Urbana community, where they first collaborated while attending the University of Illinois. Their first real gig was at the PYGMALION festival …

The Land Connection offers a wide variety of programming outside of producing their farmers’ markets, including this event coming up in June north of Champaign-Urbana in Danforth. A walk through a pasture seems like a …

Happy Pride Month! June is one of the best times to be in Champaign-Urbana, with lots of live music, Pride celebrations (in Danville, too), good weather, and restaurant patios (which I’ve mentioned in previous newsletters).  …

The Beat, a brand new, but somewhat controversial, initiative in Downtown Champaign, aims to expand late-night entertainment options on weekends throughout the summer. Launching its first performances this Friday and Saturday May 31st and June …

Whiskey lovers, listen up: Fiala Brothers in Uptown Normal has blind taste testing event coming up on Thursday, June 20th. Perhaps you’re interested in trying a bunch of rye varieties, but not overdoing it, so …

With the help of funding from the US Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), National University Rail Center of Excellence (NURail CoE) has been launched at the Grainger College of Engineering. Just this …

The Urbana Pops Orchestra (UPO) is celebrating its 15th season with a special concert titled Rags to Rhapsody on Saturday, June 15th, at 7 p.m. at Urbana High School. This free event will feature an …

Do you know the difference between Flying Scots, Thistles, cabin boats, Lasers, kiteboards, and windsurfers? The Clinton Lake Sailing Association is hosting it’s annual Sailing open house. This is a chance to meet other sailors, …

I want a pretty pink drink to go with the pretty nice weather we’re having, so this week, I’m thirsty for prickly pear lemonade with cherry cold foam at Cafe Kopi. This pink drink with …

Every year, Parkland College‘s annual CobraVenture awards students for their entrepreneurial spirit through this program, which is a “cohort for current Parkland College students who want to start their own business while still enrolled in …

Urbana Park District‘s annual series Neighborhood Nights has returned as we tumble into summertime rapidly here in Champaign County. It is a fun opportunity to check out various parks and appreciate all they have to …

Hopscotch Bakery + Market has a new owner: Jenny Kim. She’s a big fan of Hopscotch and hopes to keep all of the neighborhood spot‘s charm in the John Street bakery’s next chapter. Seven years …

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 …

Both Champaign and Urbana school districts are offering breakfast and lunch to children under 18 all summer long. Students do not need to attend the districts to access meals, but meals do need to be …

This weekend marks the unofficial start to the summer. It’s time to break out your white pants, open-toed shoes, and your bathing suits as both Champaign’s Sholem and Urbana’s Crystal Lake pools open this weekend.  …

As our Food + Drink Editor Alyssa Buckley noted not too long ago, Columbia Street Roastery is a coffee haven of Champaign. The varieties of blends they offer is quite impressive, and the local roaster …

Opened just a few weeks ago at Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, this collaboration between the museum and the Native American House at the University of Illinois brings to light the MMIR (Missing and Murdered Indigenous …

This warm week in Champaign-Urbana, I was thirsty for something cold and refreshing: the Seven of Limes at Avionics. This brand-new drink ($6.38) tasted fantastic: a bright and deliciously funky iced tea. It had oolong …

Next Tuesday, May 28th, we’re handing our Instagram to Bluestem Hall Nature School for our next installment in our Instagram Story Takeover series. Julie wrote a feature story about the school back in 2021 if …

The City of Urbana is soon to undergo redistricting due to the 2020 Census (here’s more about the need for a Partial Special Census, too) and the need to adjust the boundaries of the wards. …

Flyover Studios will hold an information session tomorrow night, Thursday, May 23rd, for local businesses including hotels, restaurants, catering, truck and mobile home rentals, and anyone else who might be curious about the impact of …

I am loving the warm weather and all the springtime vibes we’ve been having lately. One fun thing that spring brings is the seasonal launch of Just BEE Açaí‘s adorable açaí cart. Every Saturday, find …

Evolution, ecology and behavior Professor Alison Bell has been awarded a 2024 Guggenheim Fellowship. Bell was awarded among “188 writers, scholars, artists and scientists chosen through a rigorous peer-review process from nearly 3,000 applicants”. The …

Yesterday, an Emergency Alert went out to warn us of a large dust storm moving through the area with words like “Stay Alive!”. And indeed, severe storms and high winds came through our area, causing …

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District provides so many resources for the community (this is Mental Health Awareness Month, by the way), one of which is their Child Safety Seat Inspection Station. That program oftentimes books out …

We enjoy dance here at Smile Politely, it is frequently covered in our Arts section these days. There are plenty of stories to tell from within Department of Dance, and one story was recently told …

The News-Gazette is reporting the news that the City of Champaign was awarded $12M from Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for the next phase of the project in Downtown Champaign. The City of …

Urbana’s Best of Africa Food Store has a new spot — still in Urbana. The African grocery store has relocated to what used to be I Heart Mac & Cheese right next to Po’ Boys …

Sticky Rice restaurant will soon have a second location in Campustown. The new restaurant will open in the old Mandarin Wok spot on Green Street beside Sakanaya. This Sticky Rice location will offer a smaller, …

There’s a new burrito restaurant opening up on University Avenue called The Burrito Lab. The new fast-casual eatery’s slogan is “Life deserves mas guac,” and they promise fresh guacamole at no extra cost. Previously, the …

My heart went numb for a hot second when I saw the Virginia Theatre will close in January, 2025. The Virginia is going dark to upgrade the technology powering the fly space above the stage …

The tenth Born Learning Trail by United Way has been officially installed. If you’re unfamiliar with these free, interactive paved paths for children, they’re located in Beardsley Park, Human Kinetics Park, Garden Hills Park, and …

Downtown Champaign’s Stango Cuisine restaurant has expanded hours to now include lunch service. Five days a week, Stango Cuisine offers a menu of delicious Zambian food: appetizers, entrees, sampler platters, and the best beignets in …

Every day of the week, North African Cuisine is cooking up hot meals inside Downtown Urbana’s Strawberry Fields. The menu includes rice, salad, mains with meat, and vegetarian entrees as well. Last week, I stopped …

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 …

Earlier this week, we shared the news that Afghan Cuisine restaurant has permanently closed. Among Smile Politely editors, this is terribly sad news. The restaurant’s food was absolutely delicious. We hope that the owners are able to land …

Tomorrow, Saturday, May 18th, University Library is hosting this interesting event that will help you understand how items are preserved. Whether those are photos, instruments, artwork, or something in between, the Preservation Emporium is open …

The emu lives! It’s been a while since it was last sighted, but Jacob Dickey just shared this video on his Facebook page, taken by Arnoud Buzing. Look at this emu, just out there, living …

Flesor’s Candy Kitchen in nearby Tuscola has been in operation since 1871. Last year, Flesor’s Candy Kitchen received a $40,000 grant from the Backing Historic Small Restaurants Grant Program, which is helpful no doubt, but …

This Thursday, I’m thirsty for something fun and boozy, and it’s the bold-fashioned at The Space. This spicy take on an old-fashioned cocktail has Amargo de Chile liqueur, kicking the heat up with seven chili …

This year’s Juneteenth celebration by Champaign Park District is coming up, just a month from today at Douglass Park on Saturday, June 15th. From 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., there will be music, food vendors, …

This Saturday, Toast to Taylor Street marks the first street festival of the year, this being the fourth edition of the independent, woman-run, volunteer-driven series on Taylor Street next to Farren’s Pub and Eatery. The …

Illini Union Board’s annual Summer Movies on the Quad series returns net Thursday, May 23rd. Kicking the series off is Bob Marly: One Love, followed by Dune II, Arthur the King, and many more after …

In tragic news, Champaign’s Afghan Cuisine restaurant is now permanently closed. A message from the restaurant was posted on social media: We regret to announce the closure of the Afghan Cuisine restaurant in Champaign, almost …

After a long, long wait, things are finally happening at the spot for our very own H Mart grocery store. Even in the yesterday’s rain, there were construction vehicles and workers starting to renovate Urbana’s …