FRIDAY
Eat lunch with your good friend, Ryan Groff: The Champaign Park District’s Eat to the Beat program is from noon to 1 p.m. at West Side Park, and features some lunchtime tunes from Groff in the band shell. Free.
Get your face melted: In the summertime, Canopy Club is known as ground zero for Metal and this weekend they start by hosting some of the hardest hitting, bone-crunching rawk in all of Illinois. Friday night is no different as they present five bands whose names alone should make women and children flee. With bands like Scathe and Future Cadavers of America, who needs movies like Drag Me to Hell? (Everyone, actually. That movie was sick.)
Ol’ Lady Blue Eyes: The Virgina is having themselves a nice show to benefitthe Carle Foundation Auxiliary’s Guest House, featuring Dena Vermette and the Woody Woodward Quartet. She’ll be singing the songs of Frank Sinatra, and likely wowing the audience in the meantime. Tickets are on sale for $25.
SATURDAY
Back again with more local food: The Farmers’ Table is back for its second week at the Red Herring, cooking up produce from the Market on the Square for $20 a plate from 7 to 9 p.m. SP’s Tony Cherolis went last week, and his report couldn’t have been more positive. Speaking of the Famer’s Market, stop by the Smile Politely booth on Saturday morning and say “hi.”
Gaming on the cheap: In April The Dragon’s Table, one of C-U’s gaming stores, moved into a new space in downtown Champaign at 205 N. Market Street (just up the street from Mike & Molly’s and WEFT). This Saturday they’ll be celebrating their 8th anniversary with a 25% off storewide sale and plenty of game demos. Whether you dig first-person or Euro board games, here’s your excuse to check out their inventory and their new digs. Free pizza and pop in the afternoon, too.
Plenty of space available to cut a rug: Ever been to a Big Band dance in an airplane hangar? Me neither! Well, here’s your chance: “Hangin’ at the Hangar” is at 1011 Pacesetter Drive (across from the aircraft museum) from 5 to 10 p.m. Check out the flyer for more info (careful, it’s a pdf).
Good day, sunshine: Saturday is supposed to be party sunny and in the low 80s, perfect weather for getting outdoors. (Now that I’ve written that, it will probably storm.) If Turkey Run seems a bit too far away and Kickapoo isn’t doing it for you, I’d recommend going for an afternoon hike at Fox Ridge State Park just south of Charleston. Or, you could always settle for putt putt at Old Orchard in Savory.
Mr. Larry Gates in action: Larry is taking an evening off from his DJ duties to perform as Curb Service at Bentley’s Pub in downtown Champaign. This 21-and-up show starts at 10 p.m.
SUNDAY
You had me at “talking puppies”: The Urbana Free Library is featuring Space Buddies for their Family Film Fest at 2 p.m.
Never a bad time for it: Stop whatever you are doing after dinner. Drive north, east, west, south — whatever — and head to Custard Cup on Kirby Ave. before 10 p.m. Seriously. You can’t ever go wrong.