Summer Outside: Two Weeks of Free Fun in Champaign-Urbana Area Parks
Some of the best things about summer in Champaign-Urbana happen outside, for free, with no plan required. Over the next few weeks, the area's parks and preserves are packed with live music, art, outdoor adventure, and spontaneous summer fun.
Bring a Blanket: Live Music
Live music is everywhere, and most of it won't cost you anything. Urbana's Neighborhood Nights series brings free performances to a different city park every Wednesday — Crestview Park and Meadowbrook Park are both coming up. In Champaign, July's Jazz in the Park at Noel Park is another wonderful excuse to pack a picnic and settle in for the evening. Both are free, family-friendly, and exactly what a summer night should feel like.
Get Moving: Active & Outdoor Adventures
Yoga in the Park at Meadowbrook Park runs every Saturday morning — a lovely, low-key way to start a weekend surrounded by native prairie and outdoor sculpture. Out in Mahomet, Summer Splash at Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve brings fishing, canoeing, kayaking, live music, educational exhibits, and food trucks together for a full day on the water. And for something a little more after-dark, the Full Moon Guided Hike at Homer Lake Forest Preserve is a great way to wrap up the day.
Get Creative: Art in the Parks
The Champaign Park District's Art in the Parks series is free, requires no registration, and comes with all supplies provided — just show up ready to make something. This week, Porter Park hosts kite-making and flying. Next brings nature journaling at Mattis Park. And across town, the Crystal Lake Park Art Fair fills one of Urbana's most beautiful outdoor settings with 40-plus local artists. It's free to attend, though your wallet may have other ideas.
Family Fun: Something for Everyone
Larson Park in Urbana hosts Play Day in the Park, with games, crafts, face-painting, and live music all in one afternoon. And Champaign's newest green space, Hedge Park, celebrates its grand opening with refreshments, face-painting, music, and more. A brand new park is always worth showing up for — especially when the whole neighborhood's invited.
Check out our Calendar of Events for all of these happenings and more!