Friday, October 21st
Attend the Folk and Roots Festival, Downtown Urbana, 5 p.m., prices vary
The Folk and Roots Festival returns for another year in Downtown Urbana. While the fest technically started yesterday, it’s not too late to catch some amazing acts and a wide array of musical styles. The fest runs until Saturday night, with some events being free, and some requiring tickets. Checkout their website for more information. I had a blast at my first Folk and Roots Fest last year, and I have no doubt this year will be amazing as well. (SW)
See The Mostest, Bloc Gallery, 6 to 8 p.m., free
This group art exhibition, curated by Therese Kolodzk, celebrates all things too. Too loud, too decorative, too busy. The Mostest, according to its social media promos, “provides a space for work that is unrestrained, gratuitious, where self-expression is paramount and creative boundaries dissolve.” Stop by the closing reception and chat with the participating artists.(DD)
Experience Circa: Sacre, Krannert Center, 7:30 p.m., $10-40
Experience the power and beauty of this troupe of acrobats as they perform to Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. According to the Krannert website, Sacre “penetrates the senses and stirs the soul.” Get tickets here. (DD)
Saturday, October 22nd
Eat wings, gyros, and tacos, DREAAM Fall Festival, noon to 3 p.m., free to attend
Local non-profit Driven to Reach Excellence & Academic Achievement for Males (DREAAM) is hosting a Dream Big! Fall Festival at Vineyard Church on Lincoln Avenue this Saturday afternoon. It’s free to attend. The event will have music, games, pumpkin decorating, and food trucks Marrakesh Grill and Señores Tacos. The wings from Marrakesh Grill and the pastor tacos from Señores Tacos are awesome, and this fall festival sounds like a really fun event for the whole family. (AB)
Check out Froth Fest, Big Thorn Farm & Brewery, noon to 9 p.m., free entry but beer and food will cost you
Big Thorn Farm & Brewery is hosting Froth Fest, a celebration of Illinois breweries. You can have beer from C-U’s favorite breweries like Blind Pig, Triptych, and Riggs, as well as brews from Bloomington-Normal and Decatur, among others. It’ll be the perfect day for a drive to Georgetown. (JH)
Try boba drinks, Urbana Boba Fest, 2 to 8 p.m., free to attend
This weekend at the Lincoln Square Mall, there will be a Boba Festival. Try out bubble tea, mochi doughnuts, and lots of boba flavors at the Urbana event. There will be samples, performers, carnival games, and the La Mixteca food truck. (AB)
Celebrate Diwali, the Main Quad, 5:30 p.m., bring money for food
Each year, the Indian Graduate Students Association lines the walkways of the Main Quad with lights to recognize Diwali, which celebrates “victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.” In addition to being a great opportunity for photos, it’s a fundraiser for the organization. Buy some delicious Indian food and support a great cause. (JM)
Sunday, October 23rd
Eat a pumpkin crepe, Pekara, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., $11
Pekara’s pumpkin pie crepe is really, really yummy. It’s gooey. It’s perfectly spiced. I will be eating one this weekend, and encourage you to do so as well. (JH)
Gather for a Healing Harvest, Cunningham Township Supervisor’s Office, 1 to 4 p.m., free
We all need a little healing, don’t we? Join other community members for lunch, pumpkin decorating, and open mic. They are collecting donations for Solidarity Gardens C-U at the event. Have gently used winter clothing that you no longer need? This would be a good time bring them on over. (JM)
Get loud with some hardcore, Brass Rail, 7 p.m., free
I included this show in my spooky music article earlier in the month, as I generally associate hardcore and punk music with having a spooky vibe. This show at Brass Rail features a killer lineup of bands — Nequient, Power of Dusk, J.U.G., and Death Call. This show is going to be loud and powerful, so bring some earplugs and enjoy. (SW)
Top photo by Xiaohui Zhang
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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.