SPlog

Throughout the month of August, friends and fans of the late Durango Mendoza will be able to enjoy, Juxtapositioned, a three-location retrospective of Mendoza’s work. In a recent press release, Jean Mendoza shared the following …

Kofusion has been a staple of Downtown Champaign since 2005, and Kofusion will move to a new location inside the bright white building formerly occupied by PNC Bank at the corner of Main and Walnut. …

Staerkel Planetarium will begin public shows again beginning August 6th. You can read more about which shows are on the schedule below or online. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The William M. Staerkel Planetarium at Parkland College …

Are you a frozen treat person? Maybe an iced bubble tea or smoothie? Or perhaps you find spicy food the most refreshing in the summer. Margaritas or a cold beer? I love Maize’s watermelon water …

Parkland College’s Giertz Gallery has announced the third artist lecture of its Around the Block III community art exhibition. Scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 28th, this online event will feature artists Keenan Dailey …

The Urbana-Champaign Crochet Coral Reef Satellite is growing. According to co-organizer Guen Montgomery, a new pop-up satellite is on view at the Urbana Free Library, with another location to follow soon. Crocheters can drop off …

Curtis Orchard and Pumpkin Patch opens today, July 20th for the season. The Country Store will have all of your favorites, including apple cider, apple cider slushies, kettle corn, donuts, and more.  Flying Monkey Cafe …

C-U at Home‘s reduced hours at Phoenix Daytime Drop-in Center, overnight shelters, and community outreach will end in early August. The Phoenix Center reopens noon to 5 p.m. beginning August 9th; overnight shelters open August …

Parkland Theatre has announced its return to in-person live performances, beginning in September 2021. The 2021-2022 season includes the four productions which were shuttered due to COVID.*  Parkland Theatre fans can now look forward to …

First Presbyterian Church of Champaign, New American Welcome Center at the University Y, The Refugee Center, Immigrant Services of Champaign Urbana, Champaign County Healthcare Consumers, and Pixan Konob’ Interpreter Services recently came together to form …

Champaign Unit 4 Schools has updated guidance on their website, based on current CDC and IDPH recommendations. Here are some of the important things to know: Masks will be required of all students and staff …

The Land Connection’s annual farm-to-table fundraiser is scheduled for September 11th at Bluestem Hall. Tickets and details are forthcoming, but they are planning a hybrid event with both curbside pickup and in-person participation.  Last year’s …

Even before a pandemic made dining outside the thing to do, it’s been one of my favorite things to do in Downtown Champaign. We have a few go-to spots for this, and one of them …

Starting this Thursday, July 22nd, Cafeteria & Company will host a coffeeshop trivia night from 7 to 9 p.m. one Thursday a month. You can find the Facebook event here. The trivia is hosted by …

Did you know you can get packets of tea leaves specifically for iced tea at Columbia Street Roastery? They come in one ounce packets, and can make a gallon of iced tea for you to …

July’s soggy beginning messed with several 4th of July celebrations, including Freedom Fest at Lake of the Woods. Well now, you can have a bonus 4th on July 30th. Gates for the event open at …

If you’d like to have Page Roasting cold brew in your fridge this summer for your hot day coffee drinking needs, swing by Flying Machine Avionics to get a bottle of their new cold brew …

Urbana Amble, Front Yard Garden & Art Tour is an opportunity to check out artwork, gardens, and yards of your Urbana neighbors. Pick up a printed map between 7 a.m. and noon at the Sola …

Mix it up this weekend and road trip to Bloomington to support some of your favorite C-U artists and makers at Vrooman Handmade. Browse and shop from a diverse group of talented creatives including Hooey …

Molina Healthcare and Wesley Food Pantry are hosting a food assistance drive this Saturday, July 17th from 3 to 5 p.m., or while supplies last, at 5 Northwood Circle, Urbana. Anyone in Champaign County needing …

Record Store Day returns this Saturday the 17th for the final of two events, the first Record Store Day having been hosted on June 12th. Exile on Main Street, See You CD & Vinyl, and …

Earlier this year, the City of Urbana launched Imagine Urbana, a multi-layered project to develop their new comprehensive plan. Right now, they are in the community engagement phase — soliciting feedback through the website from those …

Local rock outfit Terminus Victor will be joining Vaudevileins and Sisser for a four show tour in mid-August. The dates are as follows: August 12: Nightshop – Bloomington, IL August 13: Heavy Anchor – St …

The designers at Taylor Studios have put together an album showcasing the live animal exhibits they’ve completed over the years. Check it out here. Top photo from Taylor Studios’ Instagram. 

About 20 University of Illinois students and alumni will be participating in the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, which start August 24th. From the College of Applied Health Sciences website: In the wheelchair racing category, McFadden, …

The City of Champaign is looking for public input as they make decisions about how to spend the more than $25 million they are set to receive in recovery funds. There are federal mandates about …

If you’re looking for ways to cook with more flavor, local spice maker JAPatt has you covered. Operated by C-U local John Patterson, this business sells fifty items online to take your cooking up a …

Leslie Krause is a former C-Street DJ, and has now created a website as a tribute to the space at 63 Chester Street after it collapsed on June 26th. It contains a brief history as …

U of I doctoral student and percussionist Ben Goldman has released his new album, Space Cadet, with his band The Ben Goldman Project. Recorded over the course of this year, the album contains all original material and …

The New American Welcome Center at the University YMCA is partnering with The Refugee Center, ISC-U Immigrant Services Champaign-Urbana, Champaign County Health Care Consumers, Pixan Konob’ Interpreters Champaign IL, and First Presbyterian Church of Champaign …

RegCakes is a gluten free bakery that Regina Johnson has been running out of her home in Pesotum since 2015. You may have see her booth at Urbana’s Market at the Square.  Now, she is …

Urbana Arts and Culture Program and the Urbana Free Library are launching a new outdoor event series that will combine movies, music, and interactive activities. The first Cinema & Sound will be a showing of …

This Saturday, July 17th, The Bike Project of Urbana-Champaign will be giving away kids’ bikes from 1 to 3 p.m. They are located at 202 South Broadway (the Independent Media Center). Bikes are first-come, first-served. …

There’s a national blood supply shortage right now, which means in some parts of the country surgeries are being delayed. While that doesn’t seem to be the case here in Champaign County, you can still …

Urbana’s Lincoln Hotel will be called the Hotel Royer when it opens in late 2022. According to a lovely article by Tom Kacich in The News-Gazette, the hotel will be named after Joseph Royer, an …

Students, faculty, staff, and community members will be able to utilize SHIELD CU COVID-19 testing at Parkland College beginning this week. It will be available in the M-4 parking lot tent on Mondays, Wednesdays, and …

The Champaign Park District is closing the Lindsay Tennis Courts for approximately six weeks beginning Monday, July 19th so the courts can be resurfaced. Six weeks is an approximation, of course, given the wet weather …

The Curtis C. Nash Summer Art School for Children will be hosting Saturday workshops from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. beginning July 17th and continuing through August 14th. The workshops are focused on art and …

C-U PrideFest is back in person this year and will take place September 24-26. The parade and vendor fair will be in Downtown Urbana, and other programming will take place throughout Champaign, Urbana, and Savoy. …

ELLNORA: The Guitar Festival, held every other year at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, has officially announced the dates for the return of the music festival this fall. The event will take place September …

With the Delta variant on the rise and school starting in the not so distant future, vaccinations are as important as ever. We are still hanging out around 55% full vaccination in Champaign County. C-U …

Is there anything better than ice cream on a summer day? How about boozy soft serve? Collective Pour just bought a new machine that will turn any alcohol into soft serve. Photo by Alyssa Buckley. …

Downtown Champaign will soon be home to a new bookstore and wine bar called Lit: Books & Bar. The shop will open in the space where Hank’s Table used to be.  The bookstore and bar will serve …

The application window for becoming a Habitat for Humanity homeowner is now open, and will be open through July 8th. Applicants are asked to complete the entire form, as well as include a recent bank …

If you’ve never been to Loose Cobra in Tolono, you should change that this weekend. Look, I don’t care if you like heavy and loud guitar music, honestly. If you do, great, there’s probably no …

Alex Diab, a recent graduate of the University of Illinois and standout gymnast, has been named an Olympic Team USA alternate. Diab will be the alternate for event specialist Alec Yoder; if Yoder cannot compete, …

Tomorrow, July 2nd, will be the first day of in-person sales at the U of I Meat Lab since the start of the pandemic. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., you can pick out what …

In addition to being a thrift and grocery store, Salt & Light Urbana has a public computer lab that is open to anyone in the community. There are 18 available computers, all with internet access, …