Friday, August 3rd
Dinner and a movie, Miga/Farren’s/Watson’s and The Art Theater, all weekend, about $30 per person
I’ve been trying to get the most from my Moviepass subscription before the company goes under, and The Art Theater is such gem, I’ve been trying to go there and buy candy/popcorn/soda, too. This weekend The Art will bring Three Identical Strangers, a documentary about triplets separated at birth who find each other as young adults. From what I’ve heard, don’t read the spoilers, don’t watch the trailer; just go see it and be surprised. But before (or after) you do, grab a bite to eat at Watson’s (slushies are $5 on Sundays) or Miga (if you’re feeling fancier) or Farren’s. It’s a nice little friend outing, or date night, or treat your damn self afternoon. (JH) Photo by Jessica Hammie
Eat a chili dog and check out some art, Common Ground Food Co-op, 5 to 7:30 p.m., $5 if you eat
The co-op will have some new artwork up in their gallery and the artists, Mary Ciaccio and Tom Layman will be on hand to chat with. Also, you can enjoy a chili dog or burger or tofurky dog on the patio for just $5 until 7 p.m. (JM)
April Verch Band, The Iron Post, $15, 8 p.m.
C-U Folk & Roots Fest is presenting April Verch Band on Friday evening, and she’s known for her traditional fiddle playing. The trio is Verch, Cody Walters (upright bass, banjo) and Alex Ruin (guitar, mandolin). (PS)
Go look at Mars, Meadowbrook Park, 8 to 11 p.m., free
According to the folks who know about such things, Mars is closer to us than it’s been in 15 years. The Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society will have their large and powerful telescopes out near the playground so you can check out the red planet up close. (JM)
Saturday, August 4th
Go to the farmers’ market, Urbana’s Market at the Square, 7 a.m. to noon, free unless you buy stuff
Did you catch us at the market last weekend? We won’t be back until later this month, but hanging out there all morning is really quite fun. There are plenty of things to discover — crafts, goods, things — but there are also a bunch of smaller vendors that I often overlook on my way to get the items on my shopping list. I bought some tomatoes from a new vendor; some friends said they had an amazing melon from another. Last weekend there were so many people walking around with beautiful flowers. I know the market can be overwhelming, but take a moment to try to locate a new person/shop/space you haven’t seen before. (JH)
SvenStock, 280 County Road 300 E, Sadorus, $10 suggested donation, 3-11 p.m.-ish
Here’s an awesome opportunity to support Girls Rock! CU via SvenStock, which takes place on Saturday. There are a ton of bands lined up for this show: Motes, This is a Stick Up, Snayl, Ghoul Jr, The Subsect, Kenna Mae, and a bunch more. This sounds like a fun Saturday afternoon of live music if you’re looking to help out a good cause at the same time. (PS)
Meet some candidates, Quality, 6 to 7:30 p.m., free (unless you buy beverages)
The midterms are approaching, so expect a lot of opportunities to interact with candidates. And you should. Get to know these people and be informed about the names that will be on your ballot. This round you can meet three Democratic candidates: Dustin Heuerman (Sheriff), Ramona Sullivan (Circuit Judge), and Chad Beckett (Circuit Judge). (JM)
Sunday, August 5th
Go see Annie, Virginia Theatre, 2 p.m., $10-24
I was caught the opening performance of the show last night, and I literally smiled through the whole thing. The entire cast is solid, and there are some amazing standouts along the way. There are Friday and Saturday night performances as well, and you can find tickets here. And there’s a dog. (JM) Photo from Facebook
Top photo by Jessica Hammie
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