My wife, Kay, mentioned at dinner the other night that she heard someone complain there’s nothing to do in Urbana and Champaign County.
Obviously, it’s time for another Champaign Uncorked! Bucket List. June will be busting out with all sorts of activity.
The Moving Wall exhibit in Camden, Tennessee.
Moving Wall Vietnam Veterans Memorial, June 9-13
If you’re in Urbana the morning of Thursday, June 9, there’s little chance this event will slip by you unnoticed. I’m imagining Urbana will sound a bit like Sturgis, S.D. During rally week.
The throaty rumble of hundreds of motorcycles will move up Main Street, south to north, beginning at 10 a.m. About 10 veterans motorcycle groups will escort a semi tractor-trailer carrying the Moving Wall, a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial from Freedom Grove, on the south end of town by the Champaign County Community Center, to the old armory, on the north end of town at 1412 N. Main St., just south of Grimes Field. It will be on public display there through 5 p.m. Monday, June 13.
I hope you can take a few minutes Thursday morning to stop somewhere on Main Street to watch the procession. And stop by the armory over the weekend to see the wall and pay respects to those who sacrificed for our freedom.
The Vietnam Memorial honors the more than 58,000 American soldiers who died in Vietnam, including 10 from Champaign County.
A scene from last year’s Military Appreciation Day.
Military Appreciation Day, June 11
The Moving Wall will be in town in conjunction with Military Appreciation Day, Saturday, June 11 at Grimes Field airport, 1636 N Main St, Urbana. This event drew 5,000 people to the airport last year. Event planners are prepared for 8,000 this year as more military aircraft will be flying in and more than a dozen aviation museums, including the Champaign Aviation Museum and Grimes Flying Lab at Grimes Field, will set up displays for the public. Also planned:
- Nine helicopters, 21 fixed wing aircraft and 50 military vehicles from the Vietnam era
- Rides on Huey and Cobra helicopters and other aircraft
- Pancake breakfast hosted by the Champaign County Pilots Association starting at 7 a.m.
- The Military Appreciation 5K run starting at the armory at 8:15 a.m. Register here.
- Parachute jump at noon
- USO show at noon. Music by the Wright Brothers, featuring Pinups for Patriots.
- Parade of military vehicles starting at noon
- Beer garden with live music and food starting at noon·
- The Ohio Valley British Brass Band, 3 to 4:30 p.m., in the Grimes Field hangar
Second Annual Rock the Monument Four Miler, June 10
I’m registered to run this event, a fundraiser for Monument Square District, which promotes Urbana’s historic downtown business district. The race, at Urbana’s Melvin Miller Park, starts at 7 p.m. with check-in beginning at 5:30 p.m. With your registration you’ll get a free weekend pass to the next item on the Bucket List, the second annual Rhythm & Foods Festival. Register at Speedy-Feet.com.
Rhythm & Foods Festival, June 10 & 11
So, after the race, here’s my next stop. This second annual festival at the Champaign County Fairgrounds offers a very satisfying recipe of live music and delicious food: 10 bands, including seven of the region’s top country rock bands, and about 30 food trucks and vendors—including several local favorites. Camping available. Visit the festival website for the line up of bands and food vendors. And prepare for a fun weekend.
Freshwater Farms of Ohio Drum Circle, June 18 & 19
What’s a drum circle?
Clearly, something new to Champaign County.
I’ll provide a more complete answer in an upcoming post. But for now:
It’s a free event to be held at Freshwater Farms of Ohio, 2624 N. U.S. 68, Urbana. Hours: June 18, 6-9 p.m., and June 19, noon-5 p.m.
Freshwater Farms encourages guests (like you, your family and friends) to bring drums, cowbells, a pair of sticks, spoons or other percussive instruments. The idea is for all to join in a fun, rhythmic jam session. There’ll be dancing. And hula-hooping to the ever-changing beat. As well as storytelling and kids’ activities that include drum and hula hoop making.
And there’ll be good food and drink for purchase. Fish and chips, jambalaya, brats, soda, wine, beer and more.
Freshwater Farms has invited some special guests, indigenous peoples from Ontario and the U.S., whose traditions include drum circles, such as the Asunameekw Singers Drum Group of Bucktown, Ontario, Canada.
Home & Garden Tour, June 25 & 26
The Champaign County Preservation Alliance’s 24th Historic Home & Garden Tour will feature more than half a dozen Urbana homes that range from 61 to 177 years old. And they include a solar-powered house and a surviving example of the prefabricated enameled steel houses—Lustron homes—built to ease the severe housing shortage that met GIs when they returned home after World War II.
The tour also includes:
- Urbana First Baptist Church, which recently opened a new addition that blends in with its original structure
- Oakview Farms
- Johnny Appleseed Museum at Urbana University
- Gardens, including the Community Garden on East Market Street
Hours of the tour: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 25 and Sunday, June 26. Tickets available day of tour in tent behind the Urbana Municipal Building, 205 S. Main St. Tickets also available after June 1 at supporting local businesses. For more information, call 800-791-6010.
Concerts in the Park Begin June 25
The Champaign County Arts Council’s Concerts in the Park series begins with vocalist Pam Noah and her nine-piece swing band. 7 p.m. at Urbana’s Melvin Miller Park. Noah’s band is an offshoot the Queen City Big Band in Cincinnati. Singing professionally since 1986, Noah has performed across the U.S. and in USO shows. Her band members’ credits include performing with Buddy Rich, Stan Kenton, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Rosemary Clooney, Ruth Lyons and the Bob Braun Show.
Urbana University will be the rain site.
Here’s the complete Concerts in the Park schedule, to get you through the summer.
So, there’s nothing to do in Champaign County?
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