SPlog

Chambana MC Truth aka Trouble dropped his album Cornfield Waves in September, and now he’s headed to Canopy Club for a set in which he’ll play the project in its entirety. He’s also got a number …

It’s always good to see Illinois talent prospering. Ashland, a two-person band that has frequently played shows in C-U over the last several years, just signed to prominent label Rise Records. In conjunction with the …

Unless you live under a rock, you know that the midterm elections are pretty important this year. And you know who’s turning out at the polls? Young people.    A group of Centennial High schoolers …

Did you follow yesterday’s drama surrounding the County Clerk race? You can catch up on it here.  Yesterday, Smile Politely reached out to WDWS/The News-Gazette asking for a copy of the ad, and we were …

If you are looking for some ways to get yo self in the holiday spirit, just head to Allerton’s website. They are offering a little something for everyone during the month of December. Here are …

Halloween is over, so now it’s officially acceptable to start talking about the holiday season. I actually heard “Winter Wonderland” this morning on Sirius XM. And speaking of winter wonderlands… Orpheum Children’s Science Museum will …

Matt Talbott of HUM has been hitting the road his first-ever run of solo shows, and after the first portion, he’s headed back home. That said, he’s going to be performing at Loose Cobra on …

Bossa Nova Café, the new coffee shop/bistro in Downtown Champaign, will host its Grand Opening tomorrow and Saturday, November 2nd and 3rd. There will be prizes, live music, and an artist hour; it sounds like …

The Champaign County Humane Society is running a promotion this weekend, and you can adopt a furry creature family member for a little less than usual. Visit CCHS Saturday and Sunday, November 3rd and 4th, …

Louie Kason is an artist that attends the University of Illinois, and he just dropped his debut music video for his single “Grey Nintendo’s”. Kason has been making some waves around campus and in Chicago (he frequently …

Memphis on Main, located at 55 E. Main Street in Downtown Champaign, will close officially November 1st, multiple sources have confirmed. While it is possible that the bar would reopen at a later date, their …

Tom Ackerman’s ongoing series, A Building, A Feeling, A Latrine, is one of my favorite columns we publish here at Smile Politely. His latest installment was published this morning, and you should read it. While …

Join the Junior League of Champaign-Urbana to enjoy the sights & sounds of the holiday season while supporting our community at the 2018 Festival of Trees sponsored by PNC. Proceeds raised at Festival of Trees …

Maybe after you’re done handing out candy to those little whippersnappers that come to your door you’re planning to hunker down in your jammies with that extra bag you kept stashed “just in case” and …

This Thursday at 7 p.m., Illinois Theatre will open The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade. It’s kind of …

America Recycles Day is a national event which encourages cities/towns and individuals to increase their recycling activities. Urbana Park District is hosting one of thousands of events happening this month, and they are making it …

As you likely already know, each Wednedsay the Red Herring serves up a vegan dinner for $9 per plate. It’s a good deal for a meal, and each week features a different cuisine.  This Wednesday — …

Quality Beer will host Chicago-based Hopewell Brewing Company‘s C-U debut this Thursday, November 1st. The party starts at 3 p.m., when the bar opens.  From the Facebook event page: Quality will be hosting the Hopewell …

Mark Foley, a civics teacher at Urbana High School, was looking for a way to fufill an Illinois Civics Education standard to impart more “real life” civics instruction, so he assigned this project — one that …

The airport is encouraging local businesses, employers, and government officials to pledge to “Fly Local” when they considering their professional travel plans. Here are the details from the press release: “Willard Airport is the hometown …

If you head to their website, you can vote for your favorite local charity out of 16 available options. Voting goes through the end of December, and the charity with the most votes will receive …

The 2019 Countywide Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee is seeking nominations for the 18th annual event that will take place at Vineyard Church in Urbana on January 18th at 5 p.m. Nominations …

Roger Ebert’s Film Festival celebrated their 20th anniversary back in April, and now they are looking forward to their 21st, which takes place April 10-14, 2019. Festival passes to 2019’s festival are on sale on …

From the Facebook event: For those who have not heard, yesterday there was a terrible attack in a Pittsburgh synagogue, shaking the entire American Jewish community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the …

Now that Dublin’s Pub/O’Neil whatever it was called is closed, Sun Singer has become the home of the Original DeLuxe Fish Sandwich. (Dublin’s was making them earlier this year.) You can get this fish sammie at …

Mr. Eggwards, the controversial and much hated / revered sculpture perched next to Esquire Lounge in Downtown Champaign, is back and looking better than ever. He was subject to many  car keys, belt buckles, sharpies, …

I ask because I often forget this option. I do enjoy walking into the actual establishment and inhaling the delicious coffee aromas. However, maybe you are short on time and want your beans ground and …

Larry Kanfer’s photography gallery has been around for some time, and there’s a collection of his on display called Off the Beaten Path: Ireland, and you can check it out now until next Saturday, November 3rd. …

Take the opportunity to see what the Art + Design Faculty are capable of beginning next week at Krannert Art Museum. The opening reception will be Thursday, November 1st at 5 p.m. in the East …

CLAW, aka Champaign Ladies Amateur Wrestling, has announced their next match: Battle for the Belt. BFTB is November 16th at the Canopy Club, starting at 6:30 p.m., and they’ll be joined by some friends: Broad …

Breaking Taco, the Mexican restaurant in Mahomet, will start serving breakfast on Sundays starting November 4th.  The restaurant currently opens at 11 a.m. daily. Follow on Facebook for daily specials and updates to the menu …

Beginning today, there are several different locations where you can vote early, if the Champaign County Clerk’s office is not super convenient. Early voting is awesome. There’s often no waiting, and you have that important …

October 30th is the final Champaign Farmer’s Market of the season, and it will have a Halloween theme with many added fun activities for market-goers. Here are some of the highlights: Get a picture with …

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, and Courage Connection will be honoring victims and survivors of domestic violence with a candlelight vigil in front of the Champaign County Courthouse this evening from 6:30 to 8 …

Yesterday, I posted about U of I professor Nafissa Thompson-Spires’ scheduled apperance on Late Night with Seth Meyers — here is the clip below in case you missed it. Thompson-Spires’ book Heads of the Colored People is garnering …

Have you been to Black Dog Champaign for Sunday brunch yet? (Read our review to see what you’ve been missing.) The restaurant recently adjusted its brunch menu to make it more streamlined, and added a …

A few local racists were featured in the Washington Post for flying Confederate Flags with pride. Greg Cler, former Mayor of Tolono, claims in the article that he wasn’t “represented” by the Obama administration because he …

I don’t usually celebrate the flavors of fall, but something in me is either fixed or broken, and this season it’s been different. I’ve been drawn to pumpkins and apples.  Today I voted early, and …

This Saturday’s Market at the Square, or Scare will feature lots of fun Halloween-y type things to do. From the Facebook event: Join the Urbana Public Arts Program and Urbana’s Market at the Square for …

Nafissa Thompson-Spires, Professor of Creative Writing at the U of I, will be a featured guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers tonight, Tuesday, October 23rd. The show airs at 11:35 pm CST. Her book, Heads …

The Canopy Club, a mainstay of live music in Champaign-Urbana, is celebrating their 20th year in 2018 — and last week they had Umphrey’s McGee through the Club, a band also celebrating the same milestone. …

Spieller graduated in 2008 with a degree in English, and her debut endeavor Your Destination is on the Left is a young adult novel about a character named Dessa, “a modern day nomad traveling via RV …

On October 22, 1976, the King Elvis Presley performed at Assembly Hall. I caught this post on Champaign Urbana History and there are a ton of comments from people who remember the show, or were …

Interested in winning a pair of tickets to see Craig Ferguson at The Virginia Theatre on Wednesday, October 31st? Well, here’s your chance. Head over to Twitter and retweet this post below to enter for your chance …

Champaign Park District is hosting their annual CUSR Cupcake 5K on November 4th at 9 a.m. to help provide scholarship for those who would like to participate in Champaign-Urbana Special Recreation programming, but have finanical …

Champaign Outdoors had their Grand Opening celebration this weekend, though they opened to the public this summer. It’s the new version of Champaign Surplus, which had been at it’s location at 303 South Neil since the eighties. …

Today is your last chance to enjoy some brews in the beer garden, and it’s the perfect fall day for it — today’s high is 68º! Sipyard is open from 5 to 9 p.m. tonight.    …

Primitive Lights are a fairly new project in town, featuring Tim McGee, Brad Olson, Dave Pride, Andrew Davidson, and Eric Michael Fitts. They released their first bit of material back in June, and just a …