Friday, June 24th
Hike at Happy Hour, University of Illinois Pollinatarium, 5 to 6 p.m., free
Join East Central Illinois Master Naturalists and Champaign County Climate Coalition and other friends who are interested in conservation for a stroll through the Arboretum and Pollinatarium in honor of National Pollinator Week. Enjoy nature, meet new people, and have good conversation. Attendees are invited to Riggs after for Green Drinks, a monthly meetup to talk climate issues. (JM)
Hear some hip-hop and more, Canopy Club, 8 p.m., $10
Ten dollars will get you far tonight, with a variety of acts peforming at the Canopy Club. Presented by Rios Mios, this is a great opportunity to hear some local hip-hop. Check out the event page for the full lineup of artists. (SW)
Photo by Tim Bailey.
See a movie in the park, Hessel Park, 9 p.m., free
Grab some chairs or a blanket and head to Hessel Park for a showing of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. You can bring some snacks and non-alcoholic bevs, or check out the food trucks that will be on hand. (JM)
Saturday, June 25th
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
Swing by the farmers’ market, Lincoln Square, 7 a.m. to noon, free to attend
Saturday mornings are for shopping the outdoor farmers’ market in Urbana. There are so many wonderful vendors selling locally grown veggies, fruits, mushrooms, herbs, and flowers. You can find cheese from Prairie Fruits Farm, jarred jam, hot sauce, Zambian handpies from Stango Cuisine, kombucha from Cloud Mountain, bread, pastries, cookies, and more. There are also a few food trucks serving breakfast and lunch. Stopping by the farmers’ market is a pretty great way to start your Saturday. (AB)
Image from Rose Bowl Tavern’s Facebook page.
Catch some African music, Rose Bowl Tavern, 12 p.m., free
Two performances I recommend catching on Saturday, the first being Jean Rene Balekita & Friends. Specializing in music traditions from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jean Rene Balekita and Friends perform Congolese Rumba and Gospel styles. The second performance right after is Bolokada Conde, who is a master of the djembe drum from Guinea, West Africa. He’ll be joined by some of his students for this performance. (SW)
Have some family fun at Jettie Rhodes Day, King Park, 12 to 4 p.m., free
More than 20 years ago, Jettie Rhodes, an Urbana resident, asked the question “Who is your neighbor?” What started as a grandmother sharing some free hot dogs and encouraging the folks in her neighborhood to meet and connect with each other became an annual community event. It’s all free: food, entertainment, raffles, kids’ activities, and there will be a bake off and chili cook off. You can also expect to connect with dozens of community organizations. (JM)
Shop the Pride After Market, Rose Bowl Tavern, 1 to 7 p.m., price vary but free to browse
One of the best ways to celebrate Pride is to support local queer makers and artists. With music and adult beverages, Pride After Market promises to be a full on party. Stay tuned to the event page for details on which vendors will be participating. Masks are encouraged. (DD)
Sunday, June 26th
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
Eat a buffet of Southern-style brunch, Neil St. Blues, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., $25
The buffet brunch at Neil St. Blues was awesome: clean, well-stocked, and so delicious. Check out my review of the brunch buffet if you want to see what all is offered. Every Sunday at the Downtown Champaign restaurant, find a smorgasbord of food: waffles, bacon, biscuits and gravy, fried chicken, fried fish, grits, hand-cut collard greens, a table full of cake, and more. Make sure you grab some of the amazing fried catfish, grits, and cake. (AB)
Photo from the Prism Studios Facebook page.
Paint at Your Pace with Prism Studios, IMC, 2 to 5 p.m., sliding scale
Stop by the IMC for some chill creative time with the folks at Prism Studios. All painting supplies will be provided, plus the friendly pro-level staff will be there to guide you towards your goals. (DD)
Top photo from University of Illinois Pollinatarium Facebook page.
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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.