Friday, December 7th
Try out a new escape room, Champaign-Urbana Adventures in Time and Space, times vary, $20-25 per person
C-U Adventures has officially moved out of their original space on Main Street and into their new larger facility at 302 N. Broadway, where they are running their new game Revenge of the Cabin. Fans of the original Cabin and of horror movies in general will surely appreciate it. You can also book experiences at their 110 S. Race Street location. (JM)
Mistletoe Market, Urbana Civic Center, 108 E Water St, Urbana, 4 to 9 p.m., prices vary
Now this is how you do holiday shopping. First stop, a glass of wine from the Lumen Lounge. Then explore the wealth of locally-made and grown goodness. While you’re enjoying live holiday music from Jeffrey Hamburger, stop and meet the makers and shop local. On the way out, pick up some sweets from the Oh, Honey Pie Truck or the Sidney Dairy Barn’s Ice Cream Truck. (DD) Photo from Facebook
See a fashion show, Cohen Building in Urbana, 7:30 p.m., free
While you’re downtown Urbana, be sure to check out the debut of Joseph Khan, an Urbana High School student who is launching his own fashion collection. You can read more about him here. He will be showcasing said collection as part of Urbana First Fridays. It’s free to attend, and you can support a young artist in the community. (JM)
Saturday, December 8th
Drink booze at Big Thorn Farm & Brewery, 14274 E 600 North Rd, Georgetown, noon to 8 p.m., prices vary
Big Thorn Farm’s newest bar, the Greenhouse Bar, is debuting today. It’s an outdoor bar space with minimal heating, so you’ll still need your coats and hats, but it looks gorgeous. Big Thorn Farm’s beer is quite good; you can pick it up locally around C-U, but it’s always fun to go to the source. Read up on the brewery here. (JH) Photo from Facebook
HiBEERnate, Pour Bros., 40 E University Ave, Champaign, noon to 10 p.m., prices vary
Pour Bros. is hosting Hibeernation, “A barrel-aged spectacle” featuring stouts, porters, and sours. Plenty of barrel aged brews will be on tap (find the list on Facebook). It should be a good time, and the beauty of Pour Bros. is that you don’t have to waste money and calories on stuff you don’t like; get a little pour, go back for more. (JH)
1818 Illinois 2018: Exhibition of oil paintings by Harry Breen, Techline, 307 S Locust, Champaign, 6 to 8 p.m., free
Breen, faculty emeritis of art at the Illinois School of Art + Design, will be displaying work from his 60-plus-year exploration of Illinois landscapes. See Illinois through Breen’s eyes and enjoy this opportunity meet the man himself. (DD) Photo of Illinois Prairie: Washout from the artist’s website
Dance Music Therapy, Independent Media Center, 6-11 p.m., donations
You’ve probably seen Dance Music Therapy happening in Urbana throughout the past few months, and you can read more about that here from our feature back in the summertime. The IMC has some repairs they need to get taken care of, and they have this event happening this weekend which you can donate to and participate in all at once. There will be an opening act Tetralogy (Kevin Tajzea of Dose Foundation has a new band he’s put together), 25 O’Clock Brewing beer, and DMT to close it out. (PS)
Side Show Caberet: Wine, Music, and More, Crudo Wine Bar, 9 p.m. to 12 a.m., prices vary
Crudo has been hosting monthly burlesque-style shows, and this is their offering for the month of December. It will feature caberet performance from Sally Marvel, magic by Brent Allan, and of course wine and cocktails. You can call (217) 954-1448 to reserve a table. (JM)
The Merry Travelers, Watson’s Shack & Rail, 10 p.m.-12 a.m., free
Here’s a late night show to check out on Saturday night at Watson’s in Downtown Champaign. The Merry Travelers are comprised of some familiar faces from Bones Jugs, Zecca Bom, and some other various projects, and they are bringing their folk/psych tunes all for free. (PS) Photo from the Facebook event
Sunday, December 9th
Holiday Showcase, Allerton Park and Retreat Center, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., prices vary
Get in the holiday spirit with a trip out to Allerton. You can shop local artisans and businesses, take a carriage ride, and enjoy a lunch buffet. The showcase is happening all weekend, with events varying a bit each day. Be sure to check out the website to get all of the details, make lunch reservations, and pre-purchase tickets. (JM) Photo from Facebook
Buy some cool stuff from Japan House, Japan House, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., prices vary
Okay yes, more shopping. But it’s that time of year, and this is funky and interesting shopping. This weekend is Mottainai, the annual bazaar at Japan House. I attended last year, and found a lot of great unique gifts for people. There are a lot of Japanese treasures interspersed with a wide variety of crafts and donated items. There are items at every price point, and your purchases will support the Japan House Internship Program. Plus, if I’m remembering correctly, there are tasty snacks too. (JM) Top photo from Facebook
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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.