Friday, July 14th
Sip an Urbana beer, 25 O’Clock Brewing, 3 to 10 p.m., $6
This blood orange Kölsch is called Gussied Up, and it led my list of five summery things to eat or drink this month in Champaign-Urbana. I loved how smooth it was. Dry and delicious, the beer’s light fruity flavor and the crisp finish served the perfect summer sip. If you don’t drink beer, the bar has you covered with house-made ginger ale, Cloud Mountain kombucha, and Cafe Kopi cold brew. (AB)
Find some free self care, Cunningham Township Supervisor’s Office, 4 to 6 p.m., free
The folks at Cunningham Township are putting on a Self Care Fair in the Township Garden, complete with live music, sandwiches and wraps from Piato Cafe, dance, massage, and more. Sounds like a lovely community event. (JM)
Experience great music at a music store, The Upper Bout, 7 p.m., $10
The Upper Bout is the setting for Right Here Music‘s presentation of Willy Tea Taylor and the Turkey Buzzards, an incredible folk/Americana band known for their distinctive acoustic guitar finger-picking and captivating, poetic lyrics. The band, led by Taylor, renowned for his tender vocals and unique storytelling style, crafts songs that are both deeply personal and universal in their appeal. (DP)
Saturday, July 15th
Buy sweet corn, Urbana Market at The Square, 7 a.m. to noon, $1 an ear
The markets in July are bursting with produce including sweet corn, tomatoes, peaches, and more. Corn is a summer must in Illinois, and there’s truckbeds and farm tables full of corn at the Urbana Market at the Square. Bring your canvas bag and some cash to the market on Saturday morning and get some corn. (AB)
Check out the Comrades in Art exhibit, Springer Cultural Center, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., free
Champaign County Park District’s Springer Cultural Center currently has an art exhibition on display entitled The Near, the Dear, and the Faraway. The exhibition is the work of ten female artists from Comrades in Art (CIA). The exhibit is open until August 5th, but on the weekends, you can only check it out on Saturdays. (SSO)
Enjoy the fruits of young musicians’ labors at ISYM Final Concerts, locations vary, 10 a.m., free
The Illinois Summer Youth Music Program at the University of Illinois is having a series of final concerts for all of its programs. These shows are free, cover a wide variety of music and take place at various venues on campus. See the ISYM website for specific show information. (DP)
Learn to shoot some things with bows and arrows, East Central Illinois Archers, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., free but you need a ticket
Worried about the zombie apocalypse? Or maybe you want to learn to hunt? Or just try something new? East Central Illinois Archers are offering this free, entry-level class for beginners might be exactly what you’re looking for. (JH)
Get a new-to-you board game, Greener Goods Shop and Refillery, 11:30 a.m., free but bring a game to swap
Greener Goods, a sustainable goods shop in Downtown Champaign, is hosting a game swap. Bring in any games or cards in excellent condition to the store and find a new one to exchange it for. This is a great way to find a new game and get rid of one that is gathering dust in your closet. Games must have all pieces. (LKG)
Watch I Love Lucy on the big screen, The Virginia Theatre, 1 p.m., $7
The Virginia Theatre will be showing I Love Lucy: The Movie (1953) this weekend. The film, which combines three first-season episodes with new footage, was originally shown for one test screening and then shelved. If you can’t make it at 1 p.m., the film will be showing again in the evening at 7 p.m. (SSO)
Throw down in Downtown Champaign, Walnut and Chester, 5 to 11 p.m., free to attend, $5 each for food samples
Streetfest is back in Downtown Champaign with a great lineup of live music. This year, a fun food component has been added to the mix. Several Downtown Champaign restaurants will be sampling a special pork and mac ‘n cheese dish, for $5 each, and you can vote on your favorites. There will also be a family zone with fun activities, and lots of community resources. The city has designated a Downtown Festival District, so with a wristband you can grab some booze and go enjoy yourself. (JM)
Sunday, July 16th
Make a turtle island terrarium, Spurlock museum, 12 to 2 p.m., free
Oral histories of some Indigenous peoples of North America tell the story of Turtle Island. There are many different versions of this creation story that refer to the continent of North America as a turtle with the Earth on its back. Attendees at this event will explore different versions of the story and build their own mini turtle island terrarium and make their own paper turtles. While you’re there make sure to check out the Welcome to the Pow-Wow exhibit. (LKG)
Write some poetry, Urbana Dance Company, 1 to 4 p.m., free
Shanita Bigelow will lead this poetry writing workshop, “Write, Honor, and Celebrate: A ‘Golden Shovel’ Poetry Workshop.” Bigelow is a poet, educator, and researcher. If you’re looking for a welcoming environment to share your work and further develop your writing, this is it. The workshop is organized by Latrelle Bright, who knows a thing or two about storytelling and performance and creating welcoming environments. (JH)
All event information is accurate to the best of our abilities, but sometimes we make mistakes and sometimes event information, times, prices, etc., change after we look them up. Whenever possible, we’ve provided a link to the original event page; you should always double-check the source before you make any firm plans. Thanks for your understanding.