Thursday, March 7th
Prepare yourself for severe weather, your house, all weekend (and really all year), free (sort of)
This week is Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Illinois. Do you have a severe weather plan? Some supplies or a go-back packed up? Do you have a radio, or a way to charge your phone if you lose power? Most of us don’t like to think about horrible things happening, but it’s a good exercise to double check your plan (or make one), and figure out what you’d do should a tornado come through C-U. Since you’re at it, it’s not a bad idea to check and / or install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, too. Meteorologist Andrew Pritchard is a good follow for weather forecasts and severe weather notifications. (JH)
Shop Owner Appreciation Days, Common Ground Food Co-op, 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Deals upon deals will rain down on Common Ground owners this weekend during the Owner Appreciation Days at the Urbana grocery. It’s 10% off an entire purchase plus a coupon book and prizes. There’s even a Facebook event for it. (AB)
Get outside and look for some birds, Anita Purves Nature Center, 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., free
Birdwatching with the Champaign County Audubon Society officially started last weekend but in case you’re like me and missed it, these Saturday morning walks will go from March to October. Bring your own binoculars or CCAS will have some available to use as you explore Busey woods with other birders. (LKG)
Celebrate women’s history with Silent Sky at Parkland’s Planetarium, 7:30 pm, $20
Laura Gunderson’s Silent Sky traces the story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt. This is the first time Parkland College’s Actor’s Studio will team up with the Staerkel Planetarium. The show runs Thursday through Sunday, but opening night is always special. (AP)
Hear harmonies that will make your ears happy, Rose Bowl Tavern, 5 p.m., no cover
The harmonies of the Americana duo My Politic are chilling and beautiful, and they’ll be available to hear at Rose Bowl Tavern during Americana Happy Hour. This national touring band is kicking off their next major tour right here in Urbana, so don’t miss the opportunity to hear those harmonies in a local, intimate setting. (DP)
Head to a book talk, The Literary, 7 to 8 p.m., free
As I mentioned in my March edition of Get your Culture here, The Literary will be hosting Jason P. Chambers, Professor of Advertising and Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. He will be reading and discussing his new biography Advertising Revolutionary about the life and work of William Burrell. Chambers is a writer, historian, and author. “His books examine the history and contributions of African Americans in the advertising industry.” (LKG)
Friday, March 8th
Enjoy Campustown restaurants, all down Green Street, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., prices vary
Many students have gone away for spring break, and that means Green Street restaurants will be less busy and parking easier to find. Go for the crispy, battered fried pork in a sweet and sour glaze at Northern Cuisine restaurant, Cravings’ sliced chicken with chili oil sauce, the taco flight or kimbap at Spoon House Korean Kitchen, all the things at Cao’s Hot Pot, or arancini at Dee Dee’s beef. (AB)
Keep up with that Oscar pool with Past Lives, Virginia Theatre, 7 p.m., $7
Oscar Night is upon us this Sunday, March 10th. Don’t miss your chance to see Celine Song’s Past Lives, nominated for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture, at the historic Virginia Theatre as part of the Arthouse Experience Film Series. (AP)
Saturday, March 9th
Check out the Eric Show, Illini Union Art Gallery, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., free
Since you’ll already be dining on Green Street, as Alyssa suggested above, swing by the Illini Union to see all the submissions for the Eric Show, an art show featuring the work of high school students from around the area. These kids are awfully talented, and the Illini Union Art Gallery is a lovely and peaceful place to have a wander. (JM)
Stop by the Winter Farmers Market, Lincoln Square Mall, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., free but bring money for goods
I’m starting to think about outdoor markets opening in a couple of months, but let’s not forget that there’s a nice little indoor market happening every Saturday morning. Get produce from Sola Gratia, cheeses from Prairie Fruits Farms, tasty treats from Sugga Shai Sweets…just to name a few. (JM)
Eat some onion rings, Smith Burger Co, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., $10
I wrote about my favorite onion rings in Champaign-Urbana this week, and if you’ve never had Smith Burger Co’s delicious rings of onion, go ahead and add “eat onion rings” in the calendar for this Saturday. Look, now you have exciting weekend plans, you’re welcome. (AB)
Learn about local history, Museum of the Grand Prairie, 1 to 5 p.m., free
After a temporary winter closure, Museum of the Grand Prairie at Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve has reopened. If you haven’t been, or haven’t been in a while, maybe today is the day! You can learn about the history of East Central Illinois, Abraham Lincoln’s experiences in Champaign County, check out the special exhibit on infectious disease in this area, and more. (JM)
Sunday, March 10th
Drown everything in ranch, a restaurant (or your house if you can’t be civilized about it), all day, prices vary
Hallelujah, this Sunday, March 10th is National Ranch Dressing Day. Often, I thank the heavens that I live in the Midwest where ranch dressing is not just for salads, it’s for everything our little hearts want to put it on. The scratch-made, drippy delicious ranches at Bunny’s, Watson’s, and Hamilton Walker’s (which comes in a large genie-lamp pitcher) are all top-tier. My other favorite spots for ranch in C-U are Smith Burger Co, Seven Saints, The Space, and Farren’s in Downtown Champaign where they sell the pub’s awesome ranch by the bottle. (AB)
Drink beer, eat cheese, Riggs Beer Company, 1 p.m., $38
Cheese & Crackers will provide a selection of cheeses and Riggs will provide the beer, you just need to provide the open mindedness to try new things. Cheese & Crackers will have more of the cheese you’ll be sampling, so you can buy that on site after the tasting. Get your tickets before they sell out. (JH)
Take a walk, eat some s’mores, The Lake House at Crystal Lake, 3 to 5 p.m., free but donations accepted to offset cost of s’mores
In theory this is a nice wintery walk through Crystal Lake Park, with some light snow dusting the trees and edge of the lake. In reality, it’s probably a damp and chilly early spring stroll around the park. Trees are already starting to bud, and it’s about to be peak bird watching time, so grab your binos and galoshes, and enjoy those s’mores after your amble. (JH)
Enjoy cabaret and karaoke, Anthem, 3 to 9 p.m., free but buy drinks
Anthem’s Sunday afternoon and evening cabaret and karaoke will leave you entertained and maybe even doing some entertaining. Performances are from 3 to 5 p.m., with karaoke kicking off at 6 p.m. This week’s theme is the Oscars and Celexa will be the special guest. There are also $3 drink specials. With all the money you’re saving, you can make a donation to the UP Center while you’re there. (JH)
Taste the sound of sweet blues and soul with Candy Foster and Shades of Blue, Neil St. Blues, 9 p.m., $15 to $20
Local legend Candy Foster brings his voice and talented band to Neil St. Blues. Come get the full Candy Foster experience complete with a horn section and backup singers. (DP)
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.