FRIDAY, December 2nd
Urbana First Fridays, Downtown Urbana, 4 to 11 p.m., prices vary
Imbibe Urbana‘s First Fridays are a hit, and for good reason. With a bunch of participating businesses, attendees are able to check out the different things Urbana has to offer while snacking on/drinking a bunch of free samples. Common Ground will be sampling sparkling wine and cheese, as well as peppermint stick hot cocoa. Siam Terrace will have $7 Pad Thai ($5 without protein). There are twenty places participating, so check out Imbibe Urbana’s Facebook page for more info. Photo by Bobbie Bonebrake. (JH)
Fargo, The Virginia Theatre, 7 p.m., $5
It’s cold out, which means there’s nothing better than hunkering down in the Virginia Theatre and watching a nice, erm, comforting Coen brothers film. Plus it’s only $5 — what a deal. (BH)
SATURDAY, December 3rd
Watch some actually good college football, all day, any television you want, but preferably at a bar.
If you’re like me, then you’ve spent this entire college football season paying attention to the Illini, and totally forgot the fact that there are actually good football teams in the world. But now, it’s conference championship weekend and only the best of the best are playing, so might as well enjoy it while you can. There’s always next year — or decade. (BH)
Mistletoe Market, Urbana Civic Center, 4-8 p.m., free
During December’s Urbana First Fridays, the Mistletoe Market will highlight some of the best local artists, artisans, crafters and makers in an intimate and celebratory setting at the Civic Center. Lumen events will serve cocktails and there will be a craft table for kids. Head out to Urbana and check out the festivities. Check out Facebook page. (SL)
Go to a Strang Doctor, My Eyes exhibition, Gallery 110 (110 E. University) Champaign, 3-9 p.m., free
It’s Phil Strang’s birthday. And retirement. And he wants to have an art exhibition. And whatever, he’s awesome and you like art so you should head over to the old Le Shoppe and look at some new eye-centric paintings and hear music by John Coppes. There are also other exhibitors: Leif Olson, Cindy Blair Sampson. and Laura Anne Welle. (RK)
City Center Trolley Rides, 208 W University Ave, Champaign, 4 p.m., $3
Catch the Park District trolley Saturday Deceber 3rd and 17th. Enjoy a free ride through Downtown, Midtown and Campustown. Free hot chocolate and cookies will be given to riders before they board the trolley and local performers will entertain throughout the ride. Children under 3 are free when they ride on a lap. TIckets go fast! More information here. (SL)
12 Beers of Christmas, Esquire Lounge, 5 to 9 p.m., $20 in advance, $25 at the door
C-U Divas is hosting the 11th annual 12 Beers of Christmas at Esquire, which is a beer tasting fundraiser for Operation Santa. The money raised is used to buy holiday gifts for families at Champaign Crisis Nursery and Parent Wonders of Rantoul. Tickets are available in advance at Esquire, or for $5 more at the door. The beer list includes local loves like Triptych, Riggs, Blind Big, and JT Walker’s, as well as other crafty favorites like Southern Tier, Revolution, and Boulevard. Image from Facebook. (JH)
Brendan Kelly, Memphis On Main, 8 p.m., $7
The gritty and candid Brendan Kelly has never been one to mince words, whether with his emo rock outfit The Lawrence Arms, or when flying solo. He’ll be playing Memphis on Saturday with local punk groups Bookmobile! and Roberta Sparrow, who always put on a great show. This makes for a grand way to escape the cold: a mason jar full of liquor, and a good old fashioned mosh. You’ll be toasty in no time. (JM)
SUNDAY, December 4th
The Nutcracker, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, 6 p.m., $45 (adult) – $21 (youth).
C-U Ballet’s tradition of including as many children and showcasing as many skilled dancers as possible is exemplified in the annual performance of The Nutcracker. With recent improvements to the scenery and costumes, and continued revamps of the set pieces, our community’s invested in keeping this ritual fresh and exciting for every viewer. Also, if you didn’t see last year’s performance, then you are in for a big surprise come the finale. The matinee is sold out, but 6 p.m. is still early enough to enjoy with the whole family. (RK)
American Football, Foellinger Auditorium, 7 p.m., $19 for students/$26 for public
C-U’s venerable emo greats American Football are returning to play Foellinger this Sunday in support of their first release in 17 years, which has received much acclaim. The band were pivotal in helping shift and shape the music scene in this area, so whether you’re a fan of emo music or not, their acknowledgement is essential. Even after the new album release, the band isn’t expected to do much touring, so there is simply no excuse to miss this show. (JM)
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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.