Lose the booze; live it up

Yes, there are a lot of bars on Green Street.

But drinking is by far not the only option for a night out in Champaign-Urbana.

Between campus and the downtowns, the cities provide myriad ways to party or chill out on any evening.

On the Quad

On campus, the Illini Union is a hub of activity.

Get in some bowling, billiards and Dance Dance Revolution in the basement Rec Room, at reduced prices for students. On Thursdays and Saturdays, the scene glows in the dark for Cosmic Bowling.

If you're a fan of the games, competitive and noncompetitive leagues are available through student organizations.

"Talk about a way to get to know people – a league is a good way to do that," Rec Room manager Donna Wargo said.

But you don't need to join to join in for a night. "My philosophy is people should come to the area to have some fun any night of the week," she said.

Upstairs, music, dance and comedy acts perform in the Union's Courtyard Cafe. "It's supposed to provide a club alternative," said Courtyard manager and UI graduate student Paul Malina. "You can drop in any Thursday, Friday or Saturday, there's always something on."

From sports to crafts to watching "The Simpsons," more than 1,000 registered student organizations exist at the UI – and any group of two or more can start another one.

"If you have an interest, there's probably a group," said Lance Wright, associate program director of the Union. "We don't have everything, but we're pretty close."

UI senior Fatima Aziz, a "nondrinker" who now serves as vice president for Illini Union Board programming, found fun through joining the board, which is open to anyone.

"It was when I actually joined the IUB that I made my friends and met my boyfriend," she said. "It was just really fun, and you meet people like that."

If you missed a booth or club at Quad Day, it's not too late to join.

"One of the most useful things is going to the Web site (www.uiuc.edu/ro)," said program adviser Katie Hanlon. "That's about one of the only ways that you can assuredly find them."

Some events at the Union are one-time-only, though. The Illinites program – which has at times attracted 750 students – specializes in putting together a unique mix of acts, activities and opportunities – all on the same night in the same building with little to no cover charge.

"It's a very welcoming atmosphere," Hanlon said. "I could choose to showcase myself in karaoke, or I can sit and watch.

"The goal is really that a student could come and go. If someone comes on their own, they could definitely get involved."

Past events include student performances, crafts and video game tournaments. The first Illinite of the year is Friday, and runs from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. around the Union.

Watch the action

While the Courtyard Cafe tends to feature smaller and local acts, big names and big productions can be found at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts on Goodwin Avenue in Urbana.

Last year's performances included renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, high-flying Cirque Eloize and the Russian National Ballet. The UI departments of dance, music and theater also stage shows in the space's mammoth performance halls or intimate studios.

Though professional programs tend to cost more at Krannert than the Courtyard Cafe, students receive a discount to shows and special student seats.

Or you can work for your keep.

"As a volunteer usher for Krannert, you can see anything for free," said Malina, a former president of the Krannert Center Student Association. "It's pretty much the best-kept secret on campus."

If less arts and more sports is your style, there's certainly no shortage of athletics.

Entrance to most varsity sports is free or cheap and, except for UI men's basketball and football, you can usually just show up at the game and get in. Club sports like hockey and wheelchair basketball also attract crowds.

Area movie theaters also provide quick-fix entertainment.

Boardman's Art Theatre in downtown Champaign features a butt-kicking sound system and current indie movies. Carmike Cinemas Beverly Theater 18 and Goodrich Quality Theaters (formerly Savoy 16) offer the latest mainstream cinema, as well as a smattering of offbeat options.

Several venues bring in prominent performances.

The largest, of course, is the UI's Assembly Hall, which has seen Kanye West, Janet Jackson and the Dave Matthews Band in recent years. The structure also hosts The News-Gazette Broadway Series, which brings several touring companies into the area every year – look for "Rent," "Aida" and Blue Man Group this year, to name a few.

"Our mission statement is always based upon offering a wide variety of diverse entertainment," Assembly Hall Director Kevin Ullestad said. "Be prepared to have your cultural horizons expanded."

Tickets for all these events – which offer students pre-sales and discounts as high as $25 off – can be purchased at the Assembly Hall or at the ticket office in the Illini Union.

On almost any given night, though, smaller acts are coming and going through C-U. Among many others, the Canopy Club in Campustown, Cowboy Monkey in downtown Champaign and the Iron Post in Urbana all attract packed crowds to hear everything from rock to goth to hiphop to jazz – with lots in between.

Shake and chill

If moving and shaking is more your thing, options for dancing abound.

Highdive in downtown Champaign frequently hosts groove-minded DJs and musicians. Chester Street Bar caters to a gay and lesbian clientele but offers hip-shaking tunes – and Sunday drag shows – to people of any persuasion.

"It's an alternative bar. We do more frat and sorority parties than any club in the Twin Cities," manager Tom Bermingham said.

In addition to a "quiet room" with pool tables and games, he said, the renovated dance space boasts an upgraded sound system and "all the latest music," for those 19 years old and up.

All with no pressure to reach for the booze.

"We sell a lot of bottled water," Bermingham said.

Find more traditional dancing at the Regent Ballroom, with salsa, swing and ballroom music at public dances and classes to help you learn.

The Dancing Illini student organization also offers students inexpensive dance lessons in a variety of styles.

UI doctoral student and club secretary Scott Bain has belonged to the Dancing Illini for a few years and said the activity provides more than dance expertise. "(Students will) have a good time taking it, they'll get to meet new people," he said, adding that the group plans to host weekly social dances in the fall.

For conversation, there are plenty of coffeehouses. In Campustown, four Espresso Royale Cafes offer a reliably good perk. Independent coffeehouses also dot the landscape.

If you must have Starbucks, though, Champaign just received its first influx of the stores last year, with one on Green Street in Campustown and two more in the North Prospect shopping area.