Visitors can watch live art demonstrations, including painting by Chris Logan, fiber demonstrations by the CU Spinners & Weavers Guild, candle making by Fire Doll Studio and community tufting by High in Fiber.
Families can enjoy face painting, balloon art, caricatures, bubbles, henna tattoos, an instrument petting zoo and a 70-foot inflatable obstacle course. Community organizations also will offer interactive activities.
There will be free live music on the Fall Fusion stage, along with a special dance performance by University of Illinois Dance in the Community students. The CU Circus Collective will present circus acts, hula hooping, aerial performances and fire dancing.
Visitors also can take part in a “Goblin Hunt” scavenger hunt, explore interactive photo opportunities and visit downtown businesses offering festival food specials and retail sales.
An event map at the Fall Fusion headquarters tent will help visitors find participating artists, activities and downtown specials.
The festival will close with a fire performance, providing a dramatic finale to Urbana’s kickoff to the fall season.
See the Facebook post below for more details.
Fall Fusion comes to Urbana on October 10
URBANA - Downtown Urbana will take on an autumn feel Oct. 10 when the fourth annual Urbana Fall Fusion Festival brings local art, music, entertainment and family activities to Race and Main streets.
Presented by 40 North and the Urbana Arts & Culture Program, the free festival runs from 3 to 7 p.m. and will transform downtown with pumpkins, gourds and fall leaves.
Visitors can watch live art demonstrations, including painting by Chris Logan, fiber demonstrations by the CU Spinners & Weavers Guild, candle making by Fire Doll Studio and community tufting by High in Fiber.
Families can enjoy face painting, balloon art, caricatures, bubbles, henna tattoos, an instrument petting zoo and a 70-foot inflatable obstacle course. Community organizations also will offer interactive activities.
There will be free live music on the Fall Fusion stage, along with a special dance performance by University of Illinois Dance in the Community students. The CU Circus Collective will present circus acts, hula hooping, aerial performances and fire dancing.
Visitors also can take part in a “Goblin Hunt” scavenger hunt, explore interactive photo opportunities and visit downtown businesses offering festival food specials and retail sales.
An event map at the Fall Fusion headquarters tent will help visitors find participating artists, activities and downtown specials.
The festival will close with a fire performance, providing a dramatic finale to Urbana’s kickoff to the fall season.
See the Facebook post below for more details.
Visitors can watch live art demonstrations, including painting by Chris Logan, fiber demonstrations by the CU Spinners & Weavers Guild, candle making by Fire Doll Studio and community tufting by High in Fiber.
Families can enjoy face painting, balloon art, caricatures, bubbles, henna tattoos, an instrument petting zoo and a 70-foot inflatable obstacle course. Community organizations also will offer interactive activities.
There will be free live music on the Fall Fusion stage, along with a special dance performance by University of Illinois Dance in the Community students. The CU Circus Collective will present circus acts, hula hooping, aerial performances and fire dancing.
Visitors also can take part in a “Goblin Hunt” scavenger hunt, explore interactive photo opportunities and visit downtown businesses offering festival food specials and retail sales.
An event map at the Fall Fusion headquarters tent will help visitors find participating artists, activities and downtown specials.
The festival will close with a fire performance, providing a dramatic finale to Urbana’s kickoff to the fall season.
See the Facebook post below for more details.
WEFTOPIA benefit concert Sunday aims to raise $45K for C-U community radio station
Seventeen acts will perform at Rose Bowl Tavern Sunday to help fund 43-year-old radio station after critical transmitting equipment repairs.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
- 2:00 - 2:15 Roseli
- 2:20 - 2:35 Kevin Elliott
- 2:40 - 2:55 Flapjaques
- 3:15 - 3:40 TV Blues Band
- 4:00 - 4:25 Painkillers Blues Band
- 4:30 - 4:45 Tessa Turner
- 4:50 - 5:05 DJ Froztbyte
- 5:10 - 5:35 The K-Tels
- 5:40 - 5:55 Paul Kotheimer
- 6:00 - 6:15. 94 Cove
- 6:20 - 6:45 Broadmoor Quartet
- 6:50 - 7:05 Jules Rose
- 7:10 - 7:25 Curb Service
- 7:25 - 8:00 Hot Club of Urbana
- 8:00 - 8:25. Zen The Rapper
- 8:30 - 8:55 Gravefruit
- 9:00 - 9:30 Rory Book & The Volumes
Looking for a family fun activity? Urbana's PostMark set for Saturday fits the bill
Image provided
URBANA - 40 North and the Urbana Arts and Culture Program will host the year’s first PostMark Urbana event this Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. at the Elm City Roastery, located at 208 W. Main St. in Urbana.
PostMark Urbana is a family-friendly event series that highlights the fun things to do in Urbana through interactive activities, art, and food. PostMark - short for "post market" - is a monthly program designed to promote downtown Urbana as a cultural and shopping destination.
This weekend’s theme focuses on recycled and repurposed art and activities. The Elm City Roastery will serve as the hub for attendees to explore journal-making and vision board design, with materials sourced from Lincoln Square’s IDEA Store. More than 50 pieces of recycled art created by Urbana School District 116 students will also be on display at various participating locations.
40 North will have a table offering PostMark maps and hosting a puzzle exchange. Visitors are encouraged to bring old puzzles and swap them for new ones to enjoy during the winter months.
Other featured events include a free mindfulness session with crystal singing bowls led by instructor Vivianne Velazquez at Gallery Art Bar. The Gilbert Gallery will showcase new works from local artists, and The Enchantment Alley will display a collection of beautifully crafted junk journals.
Additionally, the event will feature a raffle for a $50 gift card. Raffle entries can be submitted at participating PostMark businesses.
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Urbana home to the new Night Market at the Square
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
A shopper browses earrings at a booth at the Night Market at the Square in the southeast lot at Lincoln Square Mall. Market attendees enjoyed a variety of offerings including chocolates, ice cream, custom pork rinds, and popcorn from vendors, while Samba Soul provided live music entertainment at the free event on Thursday. Night Markets will be held every Thursday for the next five weeks, showcasing local artists, craftsmen, and food vendors. Next week, Panc8s will be the featured band for the event, which is sponsored by The Market and the Urbana Arts and Culture.
Singing the blues
URBANA - Lead singer Ben Jenkins belts out soulful notes while singing with the Wise Guys at the 6th Annual Prairie Crossroads Blues Festival on Saturday. Also appearing on stage during the day were Rory Book and The Volumes, Cobalt Blues Band, and Funky Mojo Daddy. Over 200 music lovers filled the parking lot next to Bunny's Tavern, enjoying Jenkins and his fellow musicians on a beautiful fall day.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Crystal Lake Park Art Fair this Saturday and Sunday
URBANA - Over 40 artists are expected to display their artwork and wares at the 6th Annual Crystal Lake Park Art Fair this Saturday and Sunday. The two-day event held at Crystal Lake Park is a collaborative organizational effort between 40 North and the Urbana Park District.
The art fair will be open from 10 am to 4 pm on both days. Vendor booths will be located along the park road adjacent to the Lake House and the large pavilion. Local and regional artists will be offering paintings, textiles, ceramics, photography, jewelry, glass, mixed media, and more for sale.
Featured artists include Champaign native Megan Hinds, an alumna of Illinois State University, where she specialized in printmaking. She graduated with magna cum laude honors in 2016, and her work has been exhibited at the Jan Brandt Gallery, Joe McCauley Gallery, Heartland Community College, 40North Gallery, Spudnik Press Cooperative's Annex Gallery, The Art Center, and Lincoln Land Community College. Recently, her artwork was awarded the Best-Emerging Artist award at the Ann Arbor Art Festival in 2019, the Best 2-D Artist award at the Naperville Fine Art Festival, and the Best Printmaker award at the Deer Park Art Festival.
If you're someone who loves the romantic side of life and is looking for artwork that reflects that passion, you might be interested in the work of Melanie Sartori. She is a self-taught artist and muralist based in Madison, WI, drawing inspiration from vintage items, travel, and adventure. Melanie often uses locally collected vintage and antique frames to create one-of-a-kind paintings, using the frames as a starting point for her creativity and to infuse her work with a sense of history and sustainability. Additionally, she creates unique jewelry collections as part of her commissioned work.
Cammie Meerdink, the artist known for her visionary work at Piper Pottery & Crafts in Mahomet, has been creating stunning and practical clay pieces for more than two decades. Her process involves incorporating natural elements, vintage artifacts, and contemporary influences to produce singular stoneware pieces. Meerdink has gained recognition in artistic communities for her imaginative and utilitarian pottery designed for both home and garden use.
The art fair will be open from 10 am to 4 pm on both days. Vendor booths will be located along the park road adjacent to the Lake House and the large pavilion. Local and regional artists will be offering paintings, textiles, ceramics, photography, jewelry, glass, mixed media, and more for sale.
Featured artists include Champaign native Megan Hinds, an alumna of Illinois State University, where she specialized in printmaking. She graduated with magna cum laude honors in 2016, and her work has been exhibited at the Jan Brandt Gallery, Joe McCauley Gallery, Heartland Community College, 40North Gallery, Spudnik Press Cooperative's Annex Gallery, The Art Center, and Lincoln Land Community College. Recently, her artwork was awarded the Best-Emerging Artist award at the Ann Arbor Art Festival in 2019, the Best 2-D Artist award at the Naperville Fine Art Festival, and the Best Printmaker award at the Deer Park Art Festival.
If you're someone who loves the romantic side of life and is looking for artwork that reflects that passion, you might be interested in the work of Melanie Sartori. She is a self-taught artist and muralist based in Madison, WI, drawing inspiration from vintage items, travel, and adventure. Melanie often uses locally collected vintage and antique frames to create one-of-a-kind paintings, using the frames as a starting point for her creativity and to infuse her work with a sense of history and sustainability. Additionally, she creates unique jewelry collections as part of her commissioned work.
Cammie Meerdink, the artist known for her visionary work at Piper Pottery & Crafts in Mahomet, has been creating stunning and practical clay pieces for more than two decades. Her process involves incorporating natural elements, vintage artifacts, and contemporary influences to produce singular stoneware pieces. Meerdink has gained recognition in artistic communities for her imaginative and utilitarian pottery designed for both home and garden use.
2024 Crystal Lake Park Art Fair Artists
- Jodi Adams
- Ames Woodworking
- Eli Brown
- Kim Caisse
- Bekki Canine
- Nicholas Cragoe
- Daisy Bags
- Darin Doty
- EKAH
- Fabrikate
- Courtney Farquharson
- Gathered Illusions Glass
- Gaye Grant
- Crystal Hartman
- Jon & Patricia Hecker
- Megan Hinds
- Hooey Batiks
- Sara Jahn
- Lindsey the Ladysmith
- Chasity Logan
- Vince Merriman
- Midwestcapades
- Wes Morefield
- Carly Morrison
- Allison Norfleet Bruenger
- Pipapo
- Piper Pottery
- Quirky Quiltress
- Red Ember Forge
- Christopher Reme
- Fraya Replinger
- Jerry Rhoads
- Deana Rose
- Cindy Sampson
- Melanie Sartori
- Howard Schein
- Sarah Simpson
- Anthony Slichenmyer
- Smiling Snake Shrit Co.
- Richard Wehrs
- Judy Zeddies
Craft happy hour this Wednesday
URBANA - Looking to meet new people or maybe show off your artistic side? Unwind and chill at this post-workday event at the Urbana Arts and Culture free craft happy hour at the Urbana Free Library on Wednesday, April 3, from 6 to 7 p.m.
Each month, UAC offers a monthly drop-in crafts program for adults to enjoy after a long day at the office. This week, participants will create painted flower pots to take home. All the craft supplies needed will be provided and light refreshments will be available. Pre-registration is not required.
The adult craft happy hours are presented each month by Urbana Arts and Culture with a different craft and guest artist. For more information contact the Programming and Outreach Manager via email at programming@urbanafree.org or via phone at 217-367-4057.
Craft happy hour this Wednesday at the Urbana Free Library
URBANA - The Urbana Free Library and Urbana Arts & Culture will host the January Craft Happy Hour for adults tomorrow from 6-7 PM on the main floor of the library near the east wing.
The first installment of the 2024 series of meetings will focus on creating Vision Boards. A vision board is a visual collection of photos, graphic images, words, phrases, and slogans that form a collage to inspire and motivate the creator to complete their goals. Vision boards help users through the self-efficacy theory and the reticular activating system to achieve success.
Crafting supplies and light refreshments will be provided.
This month's guest speaker is Lauren White, a local mixed media artist who will happy hour guests create a 2024 vision board to display in their home or office.
Urbana Arts and Culture Commission seeking new members
URBANA - The City of Urbana is currently accepting applications for new members on the Arts and Culture Commission.
Commissioners typically create an Annual Public Arts Program Plan, making recommendations to the city's mayor, city council, staff, and other groups. They also review proposals from individuals and groups for art displayed in spaces owned and maintained by the City of Urbana.
In addition to seek additional funding, including donations, grants, and other support that furthers public arts programs, the Commission develops programs and outreach activities for the city.
The Commission meets regularly on the second Tuesday of each month at 4:30 pm in the City Council Chambers at 400 S. Vine Street in Urbana. The meetings are open to the public.
Interested Urbana residents can apply by completing the FillableBoardApplication and emailing to vlkrishnan@urbanaillinois.us.
For more information, contact Vivian Krishnan via email at vlkrishnan@urbanaillinois.us or by phone at (217) 328-8265.
Strokes of genius, artist meet-up in Urbana a success
URBANA - Digital artist Kamau Grantham (center) talks to fellow artists at a meet-up for the CU BIPOC Artist Collective at the Gallery Art Bar on Wednesday. Co-sponsored by the City of Urbana’s Arts & Culture Program and the University of Illinois College of Fine and Applied Art, the event drew more than three dozen Champaign-Urbana artists specializing in various forms of media and expression. Organizers plan to sponsor future events bringing together talented and creative individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color in the local community to network and share their experiences.
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
New Champaign-Urbana Artist Collective meets this Wedesday at the Art Bar
URBANA - The City of Urbana’s Arts & Culture Program and the University of Illinois College of Fine and Applied Arts are co-sponsoring for the kick-off event for the newly formed CU BIPOC Artist Collective. Wednesday's gathering is the first in what will be a regularly scheduled quarterly gathering of the talented and creative individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color in the local community.
Hosted by the Gallery Art Bar in downtown Urbana, the collective will discuss the future of the BIPOC artist community in Champaign-Urbana and provide an opportunity for BIPOC artists to connect with others in the community while enjoying refreshments at Main Street Urbana's newest business addition.
The event welcomes all creatives, makers and performers of art, and storytellers from the twin cities who identify as BIPOC to stop by, absorb the collective creative vibe, and connect with fellow artists over refreshments from 6 to 9 p.m. The first 40 guests to arrive will receive a special 'goodie bag'.
The Gallery Art Bar is located at 121 West Main in Urbana.
Hosted by the Gallery Art Bar in downtown Urbana, the collective will discuss the future of the BIPOC artist community in Champaign-Urbana and provide an opportunity for BIPOC artists to connect with others in the community while enjoying refreshments at Main Street Urbana's newest business addition.
The event welcomes all creatives, makers and performers of art, and storytellers from the twin cities who identify as BIPOC to stop by, absorb the collective creative vibe, and connect with fellow artists over refreshments from 6 to 9 p.m. The first 40 guests to arrive will receive a special 'goodie bag'.
The Gallery Art Bar is located at 121 West Main in Urbana.
Urbana to host free Shakespearean play at the Boneyard
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