Friday, March 10th
Have a beer and a cocktail, Collective Pour, 3 p.m. to midnight, $7.50 + $9
Kick off Friday night with drinks at Collective Pour. On Tuesday, Remington reviewed the Downtown Champaign bar’s beer and cocktails. She described the beer Gummy Vortex NE as a pretty intense IPA with strong hoppy flavors and a touch of candied lemon, and the lavender sunset cocktail had tequila, lemon, lime, creme de violette, vegan foam, and a spritz of lavender and sugar. Though there’s no food served at the bar, Collective Pour has plenty of craft beer on tap, cocktails on the menu, and an impressive amount of whiskey. (AB)
Check out Passing MulRAGE, Downtown Champaign, 6:30 p.m. to midnight, free
For a few weekends in May, the windows of the former Ko Fusion and Destihl spaces will be illuminated by light installations from Jake Metz and Matt Harsh, with contributions from Sean Wilkinson and Jennifer Gibas. So refreshing to have those dark spaces filled for a moment. (JM)
Saturday, March 11th
Knit (and sit), Krannert Art Museum, 1 to 3 p.m., free
Bring your knitting, crochet, or embroidery and work among the exhibition Pattern and Process. There will be some needles and yarn for beginners, as well as some instruction. How fun to learn a new craft as you sit among artwork. (JH)
Check out a meat and three popup, Baldarotta’s, 6 to 8 p.m., $18
Don’t cook dinner on Saturday night. Instead, go out for Baldarotta’s new monthly dinner event series called Meat and Three Pop Ups because the first one is this Saturday. This month’s dinner will be Chianti barbecue rib tips with fennel coleslaw, tomato-rosemary cannellini beans, and macaroni and cheese plus bread and pepperonicini. If their dinners are anything like the sparerib Osso Bucco Baldarotta’s made for Artisan Cup & Fork in October (pictured above), this Saturday night’s pop-up will be delicious. (AB)
Get some twang with Clayton Burke Band, Noah G Fowler, and Brandon Good, Rose Bowl Tavern, 8:30 p.m., $10-$15 suggested donation
These twangy musicians will bring comforting and contemporary takes on country and Americana music. If that’s your thing, this is your show. Bring some cash for the suggested donation, but there’s no cover. (JH)
Eat late night food, Alice’s Midnight Diner, 10:30 p.m. to midnight
This Saturday night, Ladro Enoteca will offer a very special one-night only dish. If you’re in Downtown Champaign, definitely head over to the intimate wine bar for a late night dish and wine pairing. The cool promo was made by local artist OHOK Things. (AB)
Sunday, March 12th
Stroll and eat s’mores, Crystal Lake Park, 3 to 5 p.m., free
Catch the last S’mores and Stroll of the season. Do a little walking by yourself or with friends, then head to the Lake House for hot chocolate, s’mores, and a warm up by the fire. (JM)
Watch the men’s gymnastics team in their last home meet, Huff Hall, 3 p.m., free
Illinois gymnastics meets are always fun, and an impressive display of strength. Watch the men battle #5 Nebraska. Can’t make it Sunday? The women compete in their last home meet at 2 p.m. on Saturday (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.