Santa’s Secret Star, a family-friendly holiday planetarium show, will light up the dome at the William M. Staerkel Planetarium on Saturdays, Dec. 6, 13 and 20, 2025, at 1 p.m. The program blends seasonal storytelling with stargazing, inviting children and adults to help Santa find his way home by discovering […]
A major milestone in connecting east-central Illinois communities is underway as construction begins this month on the next segment of the Kickapoo Rail Trail, a 3.6-mile stretch linking St. Joseph to Ogden. The Champaign County Forest Preserve District announced the project will mark progress toward completing the 24.5-mile multi-use trail […]
Two new ramps opened this morning on the I-57/74 interchange reconstruction project west of Champaign, marking the fifth and sixth completed connections as part of the massive $251.8 million infrastructure project. The eastbound Interstate 74 to northbound I-57 flyover ramp and the southbound I-57 to eastbound I-74 ramp opened by […]
Downtown Champaign will mark a milestone celebration on November 29, as the community gathers for the 25th Annual Parade of Lights. This year’s theme, “Silver Bells: 25 Years of Holiday Cheer,” honors a quarter-century of holiday tradition in the heart of the city. The parade begins at 5:00 p.m., featuring […]
The Champaign County Forest Preserve District invites families to step into the warmth of the holiday season at its cherished event, “To Grandmother’s House We Go!,” held on December 6 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the Museum of the Grand Prairie in Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve. Visitors […]
Night Lights event is set to return to the Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden at Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, promising a magical holiday experience for residents and visitors in the Champaign-Urbana area. Starting Friday, November 28, and running every Friday and Saturday evening through December 27, plus a special […]
The Giertz Gallery at Parkland College will open its newest exhibition, “2025 State of the Art Ceramics Biennial: Detour,” on November 17. The show, curated by guest artists Tyler Lotz and Albion Stafford of Illinois State University’s Wonsook Kim School of Art, explores the unexpected directions and evolving approaches within […]
Parkland College invites the District 505 community to attend its 2025 Veterans Day ceremony on Tuesday, November 11. Guests are welcome to the Student Union at 11 a.m. to join the college in honoring the men and women who serve in the U.S. military and the country’s veterans. The ceremony will include the singing of […]
The Salvation Army of Champaign County is urgently calling for food, monetary donations, and volunteers to help meet the growing demand at its food pantry. The organization reports a dramatic rise in local food insecurity, with the pantry serving 5,488 people in October and experiencing more than a 50% increase […]
The University of Illinois Extension’s SNAP-Ed program is kicking off a Holiday Food Drive to help feed families and individuals in need across Champaign County this Thanksgiving season. From Monday, November 10, through Wednesday, November 26, community members are encouraged to donate non-perishable food items at the University of Illinois […]
