Weekender: July 22—24 -

FRIDAY, JULY 22

Champaign County Fair at the Fairgrounds, July 22 to 30, $5

While there are myriad reasons to attend the Champaign County Fair this year — and every year — nothing takes the proverbial deep-fried twinkie as much as the array of delicious and terrible foods that you can stuff your face with throughout the week. For me, it starts with the french fry stand, which is a classic vinegar-and-salt style joint, and then moves along to the corndog, which is the only acceptable way to eat a non-beef frank, ever. After that, perhaps some saltwater taffy as a mid-course, before an entree like a Philly Cheese or Italian Sausage. And for dessert, you can go with the aforementioned twinkie, but deep frying anything these days is all the rage, so pick your poison and spend an extra hour in the gym this week. (SF)

You can also pick up some easy money (RH)

Champaign-Urbana Theatre Company at Cherry Jam, Cherry Alley adjacent to Urbana Free Library, 4 p.m., Free

The 39 Steps at the Station Theatre, Fri/Sat/Sun at 8 p.m., $15 Fri/Sat, $10 Sun

Believe it or not, it is a complete coincidence that The Station is doing Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps during this, it’s 39th season. You cannot let good serendipity like this go to waste, nor should you overlook how awesome it is to have such an active company that brings in stimulating and entertaining shows like The 39 Steps. See you there this weekend. (CDC)

PechaKucha at Krannert Amphitheatre, 8:20 p.m., Free
They moved this inside to the lobby becaue it’s going to be hot. So now it’s in the lobby. (JStein)

Beginners at the Art Theater, 5 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Fri, 2:45 show added on Sat/Sun, $6.50 before 6 p.m., $9 after

After the success of Mike Mills’ 2005 film, Thumbsucker, he returns six years later with a heartwarming tale of love and loss starring Ewan McGregor. The story starts out with… ah fuck it, who am I kidding — I haven’t seen this film, but between its 81% on Rotten Tomatoes and its star in Ewan McGregor, it’s likely worth your time. Oh, and, right — it’s literally a hundred damned degrees outside, so a little R n’ R in the icy cold theater seems like a good move right about now. (SF)

Rock Music at the Iron Post. 10 p.m., $5

Come on, admit it; you haven’t been to the Iron Post in a long time. Plus, My Werewolf Diary will be debuting a new setup. (BV)

SATURDAY, JULY 23

Anime Mini-Convention at Urbana Free Library, 1 p.m., Free

Cosplay always sounds to me like some of the activities engaged in by the characters in the manga I’d read over the shoulders of the dudes riding the subway in Japan. Nasty. (RH) Cosplay always sounds to me like dirty fan fiction involving Theo and some of Dr. Huxtable’s patients. (JStein)

Book Signing with C.C. Wills, author of Treasure in the Shawnee Hills, Borders, 2 p.m., Free

What do you do after working at Kraft Foods for 35 years? You blend historical fiction and family geneaology into a bad-ass adventure set in the hills of southern Illinois. (RH)

Air Conditioning

You’re destroying the environment and you’re killing your pocket book in one fell swoop. But so what? We live in times when we can just sit in our homes an enjoy the sweet breath of Freon, while the outside air feels like 110. We should revel in it. Our children probably won’t get this opportunity as they’ll have to make do with scavenging for shade in the ruins of post-apocalyptic C-U’s half-built minor league baseball stadium. I recommend you enjoy America’s decline by watching all five seasons of Friday Night Lights and letting Coach Taylor mold you into the man you never knew you could be. (JStein)

Twin City Derby Girls at home vs. St. Chux Derby Chix, U of I Ice Arena see comments for location, 6 p.m., $12

They use unneccesary x’s in their name. They are our enemies. Get out there and support your hometown proud Twin City Derby Girls as they smash the larynxes of their reviled opponents, the stupid-name-having St. Chux Derby Chix [sic]. (CDC)

Danville Dans at home vs. Terre Haute Rex, 6:30 p.m., $6

Bring back the good shaved ice! (RH)

Breakfast at Tiffany’s at the Virginia Theatre, 1 & 7 p.m., $5

If you’re not familiar with this film, based on Truman Capote’s novel (yeah, the In Cold Blood dude that Phillip Seymour Hoffman played in that film), this would be a good time to check it out. Maybe you haven’t been to The Virginia in awhile. Maybe it’s 1000 degrees outside. So, go watch Audrey Hepburn’s performace as the quirky Holly Golightly. George Peppard (years before his days as “Hannibal” in The A-Team) also stars. (JS)

Blithe Spirit at Krannert, 7:30 p.m. Fri/Sat, $18

Quoth Percy Bysshe Shelley:

Hail to thee, blithe Spirit!
Bird thou never wert,
That from Heaven, or near it,
Pourest thy full heart
In profuse strains of unpremeditated art.

How could you not want to see a play based upon a stanza like that? Beautiful. And it’s a comedy to boot. Tickets are only $18, you paint-huffing philistine. Hup to, now. Before it’s too late. (CDC)

Harry Potter or Captain America at Harvest Moon in Gibson City, Dusk, $6