Thursday, May 30th
Hunt for cicadas, Lake of the Woods, Allerton Park, or further south of C-U, all weekend, free-ish
The cicadas aren’t really in C-U right now, but you can find some in more heavily wooded areas like Lake of the Woods in Mahomet or Allerton Park. Allerton is even hosting an Emergence Convergence celebration weekend, Saturday through Monday (details here). If you’re really lucky, maybe you’ll even find one of those rare blue-eyed bugs. (JH)
Sample some local tunes, Cowboy Monkey, 6 p.m., free
If you want to get a little sampling of some of the incredible music available in our area, head to Cowboy Monkey for its first 217 Collective Original Showcase, featuring a plethora of original music from artists including Modern Drugs, Ryan Byfield, Curb Service, Sass, Project M, Cameron Sheets Trio, and Booth Blues. (DP)
Friday, May 31st
Go out for seriously good spaghetti, Padano’s Pizza, $10.75, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. + 4 to 10 p.m.
If you don’t have plans this Friday, make it a spa[ghetti] day. Take a drive over to Padano’s Pizza, a wholesome small town pizzeria, and try the spaghetti. I love the St. Joe corner restaurant’s crumbly meatballs and tangy marinara sauce topped with big flakes of coarse salt, but the pizza is solid as well. (AB)
PechaKucha night, Gallery Art Bar, 6:30 to 9 p.m., $10
PechaKucha is wonderfully creative project on a theme, in this case on the theme of “Waste Not: A Sustainability Event.” Audiences will enjoy the performative aspects of the creative mind at work. They’re part TED talk, part comedy, sometimes infused with music, and always lively and entertaining. And, you know, if it’s at Gallery Art Bar, it is just more fun. (AP)
Get yourself downtown and shake it all around, Downtown Champaign, 6 p.m., free
Friday Night Live is back, and ready to rock three street corners in Downtown Champaign from 6 to 9 p.m. every Friday night through August 23rd. This year’s festivities kick off with local acts such as Hot Club of Urbana, Tom Grassman Band, David Howie – The Live Jukebox Show, Love Sign, Tessa Turner and Ian Shepherd and Friends. (DP)
Flashback to your youth, Neil St. Blues, 10 p.m., free before 11 p.m.
DJ I.C. Dré will be spinning classic hip-hop, Afrobeat, R&B, and all your favorites until 1 a.m. There is no cover before 11 p.m., and the kitchen will be open. Grab your friends, grab some drinks, and dance until your feet hurt. (JH)
Saturday, June 1st
Learn photography basics, Delight Flower Farm, 10 a.m., $40
Kiki and Delight Flower Farm will be hosting a photography workshop. You’ll learn the basics of photography, followed by a farm photo scavenger hunt to practice. You’ll learn a new skill, take pictures of beautiful flowers, and spend some time outside. Register in advance and bring your own camera or phone to take pictures. (LKG)
Play an immersive scavenger hunt / escape room game in C-U, around town, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., $40 for up to six adults (kids are free)
This escape room-style game is an immersive experience, and takes places outdoors in Champaign. Teams of two to six adults (kids play for free) will try to escape from Oz (as in The Wizard of, not the 90s HBO show). Per the website, “You will use your phone to follow hidden clues, solve witty puzzles and complete fun challenges as you walk around the city.” The game is based on the book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. You can play at your own pace or against the clock, and dress up if that is your thing. Details and tickets are here. (JH)
Celebrate Pride with Vermilion County Pride Coalition, Temple Plaza, Danville, noon, free (but bring money to support vendors)
VC Pride Coalition’s second annual PrideFest will feature vendors, a pet parade (!), speakers, drag story hour, and plenty of other fun programs. Get the full line up here. (JH)
Celebrate our local music scene within the beauty of nature, Kalyx Center for Sustainability, 4 p.m., $20
Twice a year the wonderful folks at Hogchute Opry bring the music of our scene out to nature in the idyllic setting of the barn at Kaylyx Center for Sustainability in Monticello. Some wonderfully organic moments happen at this event that just don’t happen everywhere else. Bring your tent (or sleep in your car) because enjoying the two-story tall bonfire with a cold beverage at the end of the night is definitely a highlight. (DP)
Kick off Pride Month with a drag menagerie, The Space, 7 p.m., free
Herra Winn is celebrating the first day of June with Herra’s Drag Menagerie. The show will feature talent from all over including Venus DeMilo and many others. Grab some food and drinks before to grab a spot, this one looks like fun! (LKG)
Shop for books, listen to some comedy, The Literary, 7 p.m., free
C-U Broad Comedy will have a show at The Literary, featuring Andrew Schiver, Gretchen Conlin, Rachel Lindemann, Sagar Chaudhary, and Tai Josek, with host Michelle Lore. The show is free and family-friendly, so no worrying about having to explain something awkward to the kids. (JH)
Sunday, June 2nd
Have cheese on a farm, Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., prices vary
Every weekend, Champaign’s goat farm and creamery opens up the working farm to guests, and it’s a beautifully quite place to be. They have delicious gelato and awesome cheese. Try the feta — it’s my favorite. While you’re there, be sure to pet the baby goats! (AB)
Sing along with Brahms and BACH, Grace Lutheran Church, 313 S Prospect, Champaign, 4 to 6 p.m., $5
The Baroque Artists of Champaign (BACH) is presenting a summer sing with Brahms. Featured soloists include Dr. Ollie Watts Davis, soprano, and Dr. Ricardo Herrera, baritone. Other local choirs will fill out this musical afternoon which focuses on Brahms’ German requiem (but sung in English) with scores available. Tickets are cash/check only and doors open at 3:30 p.m. (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.