Friday, June 1st
Wieners and wine, pizza and ice cream, Sleepy Creek Vineyard/Obie’s Arctic Chill, 5-8 p.m., prices vary
Sleepy Creek’s wieners and wine is a family-friendly way to get out of the house on a nice evening and have a glass of wine. In short: you buy the wine, they provide the dogs and toppings, and the bonfire over which you’ll roast your meat. Finish off the night with some ice cream from Obie’s Arctic Chill. You can read Rachael’s reviews of both wieners and wine and Obie’s for preparation. (JH) Photo by Rachael McMillan
Friday Night Live, Downtown Champaign, 5 p.m., free
The first Friday Night Live of this season arrives this Friday in Downtown Champaign. Performances are held at the intersections listed below, all for free. Check out the performers lined up: (PS)
Walnut & Chester:
6pm: Jake & Jackson – rock/pop/country
7pm: The Chickadee Sermon – acoustic folkNeil & Park:
6pm: Cobalt the Blues Resurrection – blues
7pm: Sapphire music – classic rock/bluesNeil & Church (One Main Plaza):
6pm: West of Staley – jazz
7pm: New Souls – soul/R&B/funk/90sMain & Chestnut (in front of Exile on Main & Dandelion)
6pm: Mama Chap – acoustic blues
7pm: Mid-October – alternative/indie
Saturday, June 2nd
Eat some tacos, your establishment of choice, all weekend, about $3 per taco
We have a lot of delicious tacos available to us, and I think we all need to eat more of them. I’m partial to Maize’s al pastor tacos, but Fernando’s, Juanito’s, and Tacos Locos offer tasty options, too. If you’d rather sit down in a restaurant, check out Maize or Huaraches Moroleon. (JH) Photo by Jess Hammie
Hogchute Opry, Kalyx Center for Sustainability // $15 // 1 p.m.
Ah, one of my favorite events of the year: Hogchute Opry. Saturday marks the sixth Hogchute Opry in Monticello at the Kalyx Center, and if you’d like some tips or to learn more about the event, check out my preview. It truly is one of the more fun and intimate mini-festivals around. Ryley Walker, Jack Grelle, and more — tons of locals — are lined up for just $15. Top photo by Sam Logan (PS)
Hessel Park 100th birthday concert, Hessel Park, 2 to 5 p.m., free
Go listen to live music and celebrate one of our best local parks. There will be inflatables and giveaways, and live music from Katie Flynn will begin at 3 p.m. It’s also the grand opening of their brand new splash pad. (JM)
Navigating using the stars, Middle Fork Forest Preserve, 8 to 9:30 p.m., free
Earlier this year, Middle Fork applied for a Dark Sky designation, after it was determined that it was one of the darkest spots in the county. Saturday at the forest preserve you can take in the starry sky and learn about the history of using the stars for navigation, then give it a try yourself. (JM) Photo provided by CCFPD
Sunday, June 3rd
Get tickets for a Prairie Fruits Farm dinner, all weekend, about $100 per person
Prairie Fruits Farm hosts a bunch of dinners over the course of the summer and into the fall. They’re pricey, but they’re worth it. The dinners make for a nice celebratory gift/event, so if you have a birthday or anniversay on the horizon, consider gifting tickets to a dinner. Dinner themes and some menus are available on PFF’s website. Tickets are available here. (JH) Photo by Jessica Hammie
Garden Launch at Cunningham Township, 205 W. Green Street, Urbana, 4 to 7 p.m., free
Cunningham Township, which serves low income families in Urbana, is launching a community garden to grow food for those families. Community members are welcome to come to the celebration and enjoy food (bringing a side dish to share is encouraged), help paint the raised beds, and share ideas for naming the garden. If you want to learn more about the work being done at the township, check out our interview with township supervisor Danielle Chynoweth.
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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.