Weekender: June 6-9

Thursday, June 6th

Attend the next BIPOC Artist Collective meet up, Gallery Art Bar patio, 5 to 7 p.m., free, but you can buy drinks

The next CU BIPOC Artist Collective meet up is happening at Urbana’s Gallery Art Bar. Paint on the back patio and work on the community Freedom Quilt to be displayed for Juneteenth. Grab a brush and participate in this wonderful display of art and community. (AP)

A blue and white ceramic plate is painted with a black and white bird in flight and next to that is a painting of a pink tablecloth with a bowl of fruit, a book, a laptop, and a vase of red flowers. — Liza Wynette’s Swallow in Flight (left) and Paula McCarty’s Fruit, Flowers, and Hockney (right) on Facebook

Attend an art reception, Springer Cultural Center, 5:30 to 7 p.m., free

Under the Milk Moon, an exhibition of work by C-U artists Paula McCarty and Liza Wynette, is on view through June 15th. This reception is a great way to meet the artists, see the work, and connect with like-minded and -interested people. (JH)

Play some trivia, Pour Bros., 7 to 9:15 p.m., free, but you can buy drinks

Pour Bros. hosts trivia every Thursday night, so grab a team and get registered by emailing the bar, or sending a message via social media. There’s a max of six people per team. If the weather is nice (and it should be), trivia will be on the patio. (JH)

Far away shot of an upright bass player and a guitarist playing on an outdoor stage that has psychedelic tapestries hung in the background — The Woke Mountain Boys on Facebook

Get down to a new album from Woke Mountain Boys, Rose Bowl Tavern, 8 p.m., tips in bucket

Celebrate the album release of the Woke Mountain Boys at Rose Bowl Tavern. Hear their new tunes and enjoy a night filled with their unique blend of bluegrass and folk music. (DP)

Friday, June 7th

Get some doughnuts, doughnut shops, hours and cost varies

This Friday is National Doughnut Day, and you best believe I will be celebrating. Not sure where to get doughnuts? Check out this list of half dozen doughnuts from half a dozen places in Champaign-Urbana featuring doughnuts from Rick’s Bakery, Industrial Donut, Ye Olde Donut Shoppe, Pandamonium, and Carmella’s Creme. (AB)

Saturday, June 8th

Boxes of soda are stacked. On the upper left of the image is a green box that says "bubble up" underneath are bottles poking out of the top of a brown box. There are two boxes on the bottom of the stack that say "brownie." — Jessica Hammie

Drink soda until you feel ill, Mahomet Soda Fest, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., $5-$50

Once upon a time the soda festival was in Homer, but it’s been in Mahomet for the last few years. You can buy tickets or wristbands that offer unlimited-samples of all sorts of sodas. I’m a fan of the old-timey ones like Cheerwine and Moxie, but there are electric-colored fruity ones, and colas, and all sorts of stuff. There will be vendors, train rides, and food trucks. Don’t forget to drink water! (JH)

Bobby Tomberlin and Tess Frizzell; photo by Haley Mitchell Godwin

Hear some stories and music while enjoying the sun, Allerton Park, noon, $10 suggested donation

The Nashville Singer-Songwriter Round at Allerton Park features Grammy Award-nominated Bobby Tomberlin and Tess Frizzell, daughter of Shelly West and Allen Frizzell, and niece of country music star Lefty Frizzell. Attendees can bring lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy food and drinks from the Greenhouse Café during this event set in the Meadow. (DP)

Meet and greet some cicadas, Triptych Brewing, 1 to 4 p.m., free but you’ll want to try some beer

Triptych brewed a special IPA, EMERGENCE CONVERGENCE, in celebration of the double brood emergence that has yet to happen in C-U. Tommy McElrath is the Insect Collection Manager at the Illinois Natural History Survey and other entomologists will be on hand to talk about bugs (and beer, presumably). No, you will not be drinking cicadas. (JH)

Sunday, June 9th

The author's plate of brunch foods from Neil St. Blues Sunday brunch buffet. — Alyssa Buckley

Eat brunch and celebrate Pride, Neil St. Blues, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., $45-$50

Eat the most epic Sunday buffet brunch at Neil St. Blues restaurant in Downtown Champaign while enjoying an epic drag show featuring performers from Chicago. Bring cash for tips and come hungry because the buffet has both yummy breakfast and dinner options. I put this brunch as a must in my Five things to eat this June list that published earlier this week. At the buffet, go for the fried fish for sure, the collard greens, and a big scoop of those Southern sweet potatoes. For more info about the Pride brunch, check out the event page. (AB)

A large cast of a high school musical poses for the camera in rehearsal. — Legally Blonde rehearsal; Photo provided by Erin Tarr

Check in with Elle Woods, CUTC’s Legally Blonde, Parkland’s Miner Theatre, 2 p.m., $12-$17

Don’t miss your last chance to enjoy Champaign Urbana Theatre Company’s 2024 Kathy Murphy Student Production of Legally Blonde: The Musical. Follow Elle Woods, who has a passion for pink and the brains for Harvard Law. This production runs June 6th through 9th, with the final performance at 2 p.m. on Sunday. (AP)

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.

Smile Politely