Friday, August 5th
Go celebrate the sunflowers, Clearview Farm, 5 to 8 p.m., free
For a few summers now, our community has been captivated (and our social media feeds have been flooded) by vast sunflower fields planted by The Atkins Group. The sunflowers are back at Clearview Farm on North Mattis, and the farm is hosting a celebration with live music, the Piato To Go food truck, and ice cream. Take photos, try the sunflower maze, and take in a bit of natural beauty. If you can’t make the celebration, you can visit the sunflowers anytime between dawn and dusk. Just get there soon while they are in full bloom! (JM)
Order and eat beef yakitori, Sushi Kame, 5 to 9 p.m. $8
Sushi Kame moved from Downtown Champaign to Campustown in 2020, but that hasn’t changed the quality of the food. It’s still as delicious as ever. I’m a little obsessed with the beef yakitori, which is tender, marinated beef grilled on skewers. Each order comes with three skewers; it’s enough to share as an appetizer, or pair with something else for your entree. I cannot get over how tender and flavorful the beef is. It’s always perfectly cooked. (JH)
Saturday, August 6th
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
Buy some sweet corn, Urbana’s Market at the Square, 7 a.m. to noon, 75 cents an ear
It is sweet corn season, and you should pick up a few ears of corn this weekend. Urbana’s Market at the Square has several vendors selling Illinois sweet corn, and the first one you’ll see is Tegeler Sweet Corn. The Effingham business sells ears of corn out of a truckbed for 75 cents, seven for $4, and thirteen for $8. (AB)
Image from the 40 North Facebook page.
Shop your local artists and makers, Crystal Lake Park Art Fair, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Whether you’re shopping for a friend or for yourself, explore the more than 40 artists and makers of the 2022 Crystal Lake Park Art Fair, whose formats include jewelry, ceramics, painting, mixed media, and more. Whatever your budget, be generous in spending time getting to know this year’s artists and giving them the props they deserve. (DD)
Eat a hamburger, Just Hamburgers, Paxton, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Celebrate Just Hamburgers’ Grand (Re)Opening. The restaurant closed earlier this year and has since been acquired by new owners, who plan to keep things more or less the same, except now you can pay with a credit card. Additional details are in our SPlog from earlier this week. (JH)
Top photo from Rose Bowl Tavern Facebook page.
Hear a wide mix of music, Rose Bowl Tavern, 12 p.m., free
Rose Bowl and Hogchute Opry come together for HogBowl III, with bands playing from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m., including Merry Travelers, Neoga, The Falbonauts, Superior State, Afrod D, and others playing funk, country, rock, and more. Come on over from the farmers market and grab a drink and hangout. (SW)
Honor community and personal loss, 25 O’Clock Brewing, 6:30 p.m., free (beverages available for purchase)
Join Heather Paul, Ritual Artist, Grief Guide, Senior Jewish Educator and Student Rabbi at Illini Hillel, Melanie Sheckels of Threshold Doula, and Debra Joy Hart for a community story slam centered on grief and loss. Community members are invited to share, and organizers “encourage you to consider ‘story’ and ‘loss’ broadly — death is one kind of loss, and words tell one kind of story. Art of any kind themed on loss of any kind is welcome.” Register ahead of time so they know how many people to expect. (JM)
Photo from Pygmalion’s Facebook.
Here some alternative and indie, Loose Cobra, 8 p.m., $15
Alternative/indie band Horse Jumper of Love hits Tolono, alongside bedroom folk band Babehoven, and indie folk group Sadurn. I just recently discovered Sadurn and have had them on rotation for a bit, and these three bands are the perfect pairings for each other. (SW)
Sunday, August 7th
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
Play music bingo, Collective Pour, 1 to 3 p.m., free to play
Have you ever played music bingo? Would you if you could have a drink? Collective Pour will be serving craft beer, cocktails, and mimosas during the event. On Sunday, there will be a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar, too. I love the strawberry margarita at Collective Pour, but my husband always goes for something unique on tap. Sunday’s music bingo is a twist on normal bingo and music trivia with audio and picture rounds hosted by Whaddayaknow?. Check out the Downtown Champaign bar’s Facebook event page for more info. (AB)
Take the whole family to see Shrek: The Musical, The Virginia Theatre, 2 p.m. $9.50-$19.50
There’s no better cure for a case of “the Sundays” than a musical matinee that the whole family can enjoy. Reserve your tickets and get ready to sing along with the talented members of the Champaign-Urbana Theatre Company. (DD)
Top photo from Clearview Farm Facebook page.
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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.