Love U, CU

Love U, CU A love letter to C-U, An oasis of solid gold in the cornfields, where the sky goes on forever.

Art that lives and breathes — all weekend long. 🎨The 2026 Boneyard Arts Festival is HERE, and Champaign-Urbana is the ca...
04/10/2026

Art that lives and breathes — all weekend long. 🎨

The 2026 Boneyard Arts Festival is HERE, and Champaign-Urbana is the canvas. April 10–12, over 90 venues across the county come alive with painters, sculptors, poets, musicians, weavers, performers, and more — all sharing their creativity with YOU for FREE.

This year's signature image? "Devotion" — a stunning watercolor by Urbana's own Zoya Wu, featuring two great blue herons under a moonlit sky. It's tender, it's powerful, and it's pure CU.

From galleries and cafes to salons and storefronts, art is literally everywhere this weekend. Step inside somewhere you've never been. Discover an artist you'll love forever.

Where will you start? Drop your first stop in the comments! 👇✨

📍 All across Champaign-Urbana County
🗓️ April 10–12 | FREE admission
🌐 boneyardartsfestival.org

Did You Know? Roger Ebert's C-U Origin Story 🎬⭐Before Roger Ebert became America's most famous film critic, he was just ...
04/03/2026

Did You Know? Roger Ebert's C-U Origin Story 🎬⭐

Before Roger Ebert became America's most famous film critic, he was just a college student working as an usher at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign!

Think About That:
The guy who literally defined movie criticism for generations - the one whose "thumbs up" could make or break a film - started his journey RIGHT HERE watching movies and interacting with audiences at OUR historic theater!
Maybe those early experiences shaped his legendary career? Maybe he learned to read audiences at the Virginia? Maybe he fell in love with cinema in those seats?

And the Virginia Theatre?
Still operating today! 🎭✨
This is peak C-U energy: World-changing talent starting in our backyard, and the places that shaped them STILL THRIVING.

Next time you're at the Virginia Theatre, remember: You're sitting where Roger Ebert once worked. That's pretty cool. 🌟
Have you been to the Virginia Theatre?
What's your favorite memory there? 👇

Why We Love Station Theatre 💙🎭They take RISKS. They tell BOLD stories. They make theater ACCESSIBLE.Case in point: "Six ...
03/27/2026

Why We Love Station Theatre 💙🎭
They take RISKS. They tell BOLD stories. They make theater ACCESSIBLE.
Case in point: "Six Rounds of Vengeance" opening Tonight!

A post-apocalyptic western featuring a young gunslinger named Jess December in the wasteland of "Lost Vegas." It's the kind of creative, daring production you won't find anywhere else in C-U! 🏜️💥

When: March 26 - April 5 (multiple showtimes)
Evening performances: 7:30pm
Matinees: 2pm (Saturdays)
Where: Station Theatre, 223 N. Broadway Ave, Urbana
Why: Because local theater matters. Because creativity deserves support. Because experiences like this make our community BRILLIANT. ✨

Grab your tickets at stationtheatre.com and experience what makes C-U's arts scene world-class! 🌟

02/18/2026

Okay so today is kind of a LOT.
Let's talk about what's happening TODAY:
🐎🔥 Lunar New Year — Year of the Fire Horse (only happens every 60 YEARS!)
🌑 Solar eclipse where the sun literally looks like a ring of fire (penguins in Antarctica got the best view, no big deal)
🏀 Michael Jordan's birthday (the GOAT turns another year wiser)
🌙 Ramadan starts this week
✝️ Fat Tuesday is today... Lent is right behind it

The universe basically looked at the calendar and said: "Everyone reset. NOW." 😂

If you've been waiting for a sign to start fresh, try something new, or go a little bolder — this is probably the most cosmically loaded Tuesday you'll EVER get.

Fresh starts. New beginnings. Bold moves. Fire Horse energy. Eclipse vibes.
GOAT birthday celebrations.

Drop your goals, dreams, or random Tuesday thoughts below! 👇

Today we celebrate leadership, service, and the spirit of community that brings us all together. Presidents’ Day reminds...
02/16/2026

Today we celebrate leadership, service, and the spirit of community that brings us all together. Presidents’ Day reminds us that positive change begins when people care for and support one another.

At Heart U CU, we’re proud to serve our community every day — helping neighbors connect, grow, and thrive together.

Wishing everyone a safe, meaningful, and happy Presidents’ Day!

02/14/2026

Our Valentine? This community. 💕
Happy Valentine's Day, Champaign-Urbana!
Thank you for making this place brilliant - with your local businesses, your creativity, your kindness, and your commitment to making C-U thrive.
We're grateful to celebrate what makes this community extraordinary, today and every day! 💙

Attention Parents & Teens! 🎙️✨Virtual Casting for Teen Summit 2.0 The Remix - STILL OPEN!Illinois Public Media & Univers...
02/12/2026

Attention Parents & Teens! 🎙️✨
Virtual Casting for Teen Summit 2.0 The Remix - STILL OPEN!
Illinois Public Media & University of Illinois are looking for teens ages 15-19 in East Central Illinois to be part of something HISTORIC!

What is Teen Summit 2.0?
A reimagining of the groundbreaking 1990s BET show created by U of I alum (and first Black woman billionaire!) Sheila Johnson. The original Teen Summit featured teens discussing youth pregnancy, family relationships, and real challenges in a dignified way - plus interviews with athletes, artists, and even First Lady Hillary Clinton! ... Now, 30 years later, Johnson is giving her blessing and support to bring it back as a video podcast right here in C-U! 🎬

The Opportunity:
✅ Paid position: $20/hour
✅ Ages 15-19, residing in East Central Illinois
✅ Platform to discuss issues that matter to YOU
✅ Professional media production experience
✅ Your voice amplified to the community

Know a teen who should apply?
This is an incredible opportunity for teens to be heard, paid for their perspectives, and contribute to a legacy that started right here in C-U!

🔗 Apply here: https://teensummit2.net/apply/summiteer
Application includes a brief questionnaire and parental documents.

Let's empower the next generation! Tag a parent who needs to see this! 👇

THIS WEEK IN C-U: Your Don't-Miss Guide! 🎉✨Restaurant Week is STILL going strong (through Feb 7) and there's SO much hap...
02/03/2026

THIS WEEK IN C-U: Your Don't-Miss Guide! 🎉✨
Restaurant Week is STILL going strong (through Feb 7) and there's SO much happening! Let's make this week brilliant!

🍽️ C-U RESTAURANT WEEK (Through Feb 7)
Last few days to eat your way through our award-winning culinary scene! Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Italian, Mexican, Zambian, soul food, farm-to-table - we have EVERYTHING. This is literally why we're Midwest Living's Greatest Midwest Food Town! Get those stretchy pants ready! 🎉

🎤 LIVE MUSIC EVERYWHERE
📍 Rose Bowl Tavern - Multiple nights this week
📍 Seven Saints - Check their calendar
📍 Local venues lighting it up!

🎭 KRANNERT CENTER PERFORMANCES
World-class shows running all week - from jazz to theater to international artists! Affordable tickets, incredible acoustics, unforgettable experiences.

🎨 KRANNERT ART MUSEUM
✨ "Imagination, Faith, and Desire" - Over 100 prints including works by Rembrandt, Goya, and Dürer (through Feb 28)
✨ Rest Lab: Greenspace - Indoor greenspace with soft artificial turf for ultimate winter chill vibes

🎮 BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENTS
📚 Douglass Branch Library - DIY Kids on Wednesday 4pm (Black History Art projects!)
🎵 Multiple performances and celebrations throughout the month
📖 Battle of the Books for grades 3-5 at Champaign Public Library

☕ COZY INDOOR OPTIONS
❄️ Staerkel Planetarium shows
🎲 Board game demos at The Scratching Post
📚 Library maker spaces with 3D printers, laser cutters & more!
🧗 Indoor climbing at Horizon

Whether you're a foodie, art lover, music fan, or just need to escape the cold - C-U has you COVERED this week! 💙

What are YOU doing this week? Tag us in your adventures! 👇

01/27/2026

Listen, Champaign-Urbana today is National Chocolate Cake Day 🍫🎂
Since Calories don’t count today, lets celebrate cake like it’s a team sport!

Here are some local spots where chocolate dreams actually come true:
• Rick's Bakery — beloved chocolate mousse & cakes for any celebration 🍰
• Hopscotch Bakery + Market — community fave with thoughtful desserts 🍰
• BakeLab Patisserie — chic pastries & sweets worth the walk 🍮
• RegCakes — gluten-free cake options worth trying 🍰

Life’s short — eat cake first. 😋
Tag your cake crew and let us know where you’re heading! 👇

Happy National Hugging Day! 🤗💙Back in 1986, Rev. Kevin Zaborney noticed January was emotionally rough - holidays over, V...
01/21/2026

Happy National Hugging Day! 🤗💙
Back in 1986, Rev. Kevin Zaborney noticed January was emotionally rough - holidays over, Valentine's Day weeks away. So he created this day to spread more love and connection during the winter slump!

Why Hugs Are Actually Magic:
💙 Release oxytocin (the "love hormone")
❤️ Lower stress & blood pressure
💪 Boost your immune system
🧠 Reduce anxiety & improve mood
🎯 We need about 12 hugs/day to thrive!

Quick Facts:
Average hug = 3.17 seconds
20-second hugs = major stress relief
Even hugging a pillow helps!
Archaeologists found 5,000-year-old skeletons buried in an embrace 💚

So go hug someone today! (Ask first, respect boundaries, virtual hugs count!)
Who are you hugging first today? Tag them! 👇

Stop scrolling. This is IMPORTANT dessert history.C-U FUN FACT: We Invented Spray Whipped Cream! 🥫✨Every single time you...
01/13/2026

Stop scrolling. This is IMPORTANT dessert history.
C-U FUN FACT: We Invented Spray Whipped Cream! 🥫✨

Every single time you top your hot chocolate, pie, or ice cream with spray whipped cream, you can thank a broke grad student in Champaign during the Great Depression!

During the 1930s, Charles Getz - a chemistry grad student at U of I who was probably surviving on ramen and desperation - discovered that milk would foam if you forced pressurized nitrous oxide into it. 🧪

Was he trying to revolutionize desserts? Probably not. Was he just messing around in a lab? We'll never know. But Professor G. Frederick Smith saw the genius and used Getz's patented method to create Instantwhip Foods.
And just like that, humanity gained the ability to make ANY dessert 10x better with one satisfying pssssssssht sound. You're welcome, world. 😎🎉

But WAIT - There's More C-U Innovations:
💡 The LED - Nick Holonyak invented the first practical light-emitting diode right here! Every screen you're staring at? C-U made that possible.
🌐 YouTube, PayPal, Yelp, Tesla Motors, Netscape - All founded by U of I alumni (we're basically the Silicon Valley of the Midwest, no big deal)
🧲 MRI Technology - Paul Lauterbur won a Nobel Prize for developing Magnetic Resonance Imaging at Illinois
🌍 Mosaic Web Browser - The first popular web browser that launched the internet boom of the 1990s? Built at UIUC.
🏀 First wheelchair basketball team (1948) - Pioneering accessibility before it was trendy

THE BOTTOM LINE: Next time someone asks what C-U is famous for, the answer is literally EVERYTHING that makes modern life better. We're out here changing the world while casually inventing spray whipped cream on the side.
What's YOUR favorite random C-U innovation fact? Bonus points if it involves food! 🤓👇

Address

304 E.
Urbana, IL
61801

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Love U, CU posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Love U, CU:

Shortcuts

Share

Category