Friday, July 21st
Head to the fair, Champaign County Fairgrounds, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. $8 admission for adults and $2 for children
The Champaign County Fair opens on Friday. There will be special events in the grandstand (dirt track racing is on Friday), exhibitors and vendors throughout the day, and of course the carnival will be running in the afternoons. You can see the full schedule on their website. The fair runs through July 29th. (LKG)
Sip a Pegu Club on a patio for Friday Night Live, Punch! Bar, 4 p.m. to midnight, $12
Every Friday night this summer, there will be music performances outside in Downtown Champaign. Make a night of it, and enjoy a Pegu Club cocktail, which is a classic cocktail made with gin, dry curacao, orange and angostura bitters, and lime. This drink is tart and summery especially on the patio of Punch! Bar with live music in the background. From bar’s menu of summer cocktails, I love the Pleasure & ‘Paign, Pedro Pisco, and the tiki drink with smoked watermelon foam. (AB)
Attend a stage combat workshop, Boneyard Creek near 25 O’Clock, 5 p.m., free
Before an outdoor performance of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, you can take a stage combat workshop with the performers. The double event is being hosted by The Urbana Arts and Culture Program, and being staged by the traveling group the Starling Shakespeare Company. Both events are free, but tickets should be reserved online. (SSO)
Celebrate Halloween in July, Rose Bowl Tavern, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., $12-15
Halloween need not be contained to one month of the year. At least in the opinion of Darkness Underground. The group, dedicated to growing the goth scene in C-U, is celebrating with Carnivale Debauche, fire performers, a costume contest, Mama D’s food truck, and DJs that will keep you partying until the wee hours. Save a few bucks and grab a ticket online. (JM)
Saturday, July 22nd
Go to a Bike Rodeo, Champaign County Restore, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., free
Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County is gearing up for their next year of home building with Bike to Build, two bike focused events to help build community and raise funds. First up is this family friendly event, that will include a bike rodeo course, bike related crafts, bike maintenance, music from DJ Silkee, treats from Ice Daddy, and more. Register online or at the event. (JM)
Photograph some flowers, Delight Flower Farm, 10 a.m., $40
Delight Flower Farm is hosting a photography workshop this weekend called “Petals & Portraits.” Photography enthusiasts will learn some new techniques, then explore the farm to put their new skill set to practice. Tickets can be purchased online, and attendees should bring their own camera or phone. (SSO)
Walk a farm and sip a mocktail, Sola Gratia Farm, 4 p.m., walk is free, $5 for a drink
The Urbana farm Sola Gratia is opening up the farm’s new acreage for Urbana Amble, with mocktails by Katie Carrillo. If the drink is anything like the ones in her mocktail labs, it’ll be delicious, but it’s not required for the free Saturday stroll of the farm. (AB)
Reunite with your old pal(s), Rose Bowl Tavern, 8 p.m., $15 suggested donation
The Lorenzo Goetz Reunion Show features Temple of Low Man and Ryan Groff, promising an exciting night of dynamic music and engaging performances. Proceeds from this show will fund a re-recording of their album Jesus Elephant for its 20th anniversary next year. (DP)
Sunday, July 23rd
Spend the day rocking and rolling at Pricklefest, Rose Bowl Tavern, 2:30 p.m., no cover
Pricklefest is back for its 3rd year and is a celebration of rock-based, all-original music under the tent at Rose Bowl Tavern. You can find the lineup (including Sweetmelk) for this year’s rock music extravaganza on the event page. (DP)
Take a “boozy trip through science and history,” Riggs Beer Company, 3 p.m., free but bring money for beverages
Graduate students from the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology are hosting Science on Tap at Riggs. For this event, Andrew Riley will be walking participants through the history of alcohol from 11,000 BCE to present day, and will also talk about how our bodies convert alcohol into energy. (LKG)
Listen to some music by the lake, Homer Lake Forest Preserve, 5 to 7 p.m., free
Champaign County Forest Preserve District’s Summer Concert Series continues with One Foot In! performing at Walnut Hill Shelter at Homer Lake. They’ll be playing some classic rock ‘n roll. Such a lovely place to spend an evening! If you want to sneak in a hike, check out Mara’s review of the Scenic Route Trail from last year. (JM)
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.