Friday, July 28th
Stay inside with takeout and a good book or game, your house with A/C, all weekend, prices vary
This weather is not my favorite. You can keep the humidity — it’s soul sucking and miserable. So my advice is to limit outdoor time by getting take out or delivery and picking up some books and / or movies from the library (Champaign or Urbana); you can also stream content through the library websites. Don’t heat your house by cooking, that’s silly. You can head to one of our very cool game shops and grab a game to play. Inside. With the air conditioning going. (JH)
Take a creative tour, Krannert Art Museum, 1 to 3 p.m., free
KAM and Family Service of Champaign County are getting together to host a Creative Aging Art Tour and Memory Cafe. This is tour is for seniors and their care-partners. It includes a personal tour, refreshments, activities, and conversations in the cafe of the museum. (LKG)
Attend a family-friendly art show, The Landing at Legends, 4 to 7 p.m., free, but you can buy things
The Landing at Legends is featuring The Artists of Marm in their clubhouse Friday evening. Artwork by Jeannie Vansickle, Leslie Barr, Lorraine Graham, Kathy Micek, Marilyn Whittaker, and Sue Orr will be displayed, and the event will also feature live music by Mary Madson. (SSO)
Have some wine with your poetry, Analog Wine, 6:30 p.m., free
Analog and the Urbana Arts and and Culture program are hosting Poetry and Painting with Urbana’s Poet Laureate Ja Nelle Davenport-Pleasure. This evening event will include other poets, watercolor painting, and wine. You must be 21 or older to attend. (LKG)
Celebrate an album release, Rose Bowl Tavern, 8:30 p.m., $15 suggested donation
The Clayton Burke Band is celebrating the release of their new album, promising an evening of fresh music and dynamic performances. Tap your toes to the original folk/country/honky tonk CBB is known for. Joined by Cole Bridges and Kenna Mae, the event will offer a diverse range of musical styles and sounds. Stick around for the rumored return of Chachi and the Banditos at 11 p.m. (DP)
Saturday, July 29th
Eat the hell out of some chicken wings, all over, all day long, prices vary
This Saturday is the delicious holiday of National Chicken Wing Day, and I will be partaking for sure. I love chicken wings so much (read my wings lists here, here, here, and here). If I had to pick just three, I’d eat the saucy, spicy Korean wings at San Maru (pictured above) for lunch, the mole wing appetizer at Maize for happy hour, and the smoked wings at Black Dog for dinner. (AB)
Support girls who rock, Rose Bowl Tavern, noon to 11 p.m., donations for Girls Rock! CU
Girls Rock Fest is a celebration of music and girl power. This event features a diverse lineup of talented musicians, including Patty Pershala and the Mayhaps (pictured above) coming together to raise money and celebrate femme-identifying performers that rock! There will be a showcase from the students, and Maize food truck will be there, so bring the family and enjoy a great day of music. Visit the Girls Rock! CU website for more info, and find the full lineup on the Facebook event page. (DP)
Drink coffee and and take home a lizard, BrewLab, 2 to 5 p.m. $15
This Saturday, the Campustown coffee shop BrewLab is bringing back their Pet Cafe Pop-ups, and the first one is an event for lizard-lovers. The Copper’s Friend’s Bearded Dragon Rescue will be at BrewLab with a variety of creatures, all available for adoption. Tickets are $15 and include a beverage. Sip a coffee (my favorite is the dairy-free oatmeal cookie latte) and maybe take home a new reptile pet from the Decatur dragon and gecko rescue organization. Learn more here. (AB)
Attend a Black Lives Matter March, Christopher Rudzinski Memorial Park, Rantoul, 3 p.m., free
Rantoul police officers shot and killed Azaan Lee and Jordan Richardson, two young Black men, this year. The Party for Socialism and Liberation in Champaign-Urbana is hosting this BLM march “in response to the recent series of police killings of young Black men.” The march will begin with a rally at 3 p.m. (JH)
Hear some classical piano music, Smith Memorial Hall, 7:30 p.m., $10-25
After a week long Summer Piano Institute at the U of I, hosted by Sinfonia da Camera, there will be a final concert featuring Aviram Reichert of Seoul National University, winners of the Student Concerto Competition from the week, and Sinfonia da Camera. Secure your ticket online.
Sunday, July 30th
Stay cool and learn things, Spurlock Museum, 12 to 4 p.m., free (suggested donation of $3)
Avoid the ridiculous weather and spend some time in the cool and quiet Spurlock Museum. Did you know they have a bingo sheet to help you do a little scavenger hunt for artifacts? I’m sure it’s probably designed with kids in mind, but who doesn’t love a good scavenger hunt? Get an idea of what exhibits that have to explore by perusing their website. (JM)
See a roller-coaster of a musical, The Station Theatre, 3 p.m., $10-17
Ride the Cyclone: The Musical at The Station Theatre opens this week. In the dark comedy, a mechanical fortune-teller, The Amazing Karnak, comes to life and introduces six members of a choir who were killed on the park’s roller coaster; Karnak now has the opportunity to bring one of them back to life if they can decide who is most worthy at a second chance. The musical will also be showing Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and for the next two weekends. (SSO)
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.