The idea for this website has been smoking for quite some time, and this smoke burst into a small flame at Lock, Stock & Barrel on a Saturday afternoon. The Millikin Jazz Band was playing, and the music was dancing beautifully. How had I never heard of this happening every weekend?

Champaign has all the makings of a cultural town, and has the small flame of it everywhere you look. All we need is your breath.

How many times have you heard "There's Nothing To Do In Champaign"? If you grew up here, how many times have you SAID it yourself? This misconception is almost self-fulfilling - people just stay in and watch the TV. But did you know that on almost any given day/night in Champaign:

• We have musicians broadcasting their deepest emotions
• We have restaurants creating dishes that would rival any in the world
• We have bars that expatriates around the country (and world) would rather be patronizing
• We have libraries and museums that your children could never exhaust
• We have 3 movie theatres (BRING BACK NORTHGATE!!!)
• Parks? Have you walked the bike path?!? It goes on for, like, miles!
• There are several plays happening this week you had no idea existed.
• Much, much more!