Family events in Champaign, IL

Champaign-Urbana Days is a longstanding tradition that brings the community together to celebrate its heritage and culture. This three-day event features live music, local food, and a lively marketplace that includes community outreach groups, nonprofit organizations, and vendors offering merchandise. Children can enjoy face painting, caricature artists, balloon creations, and other activities throughout, and basketball enthusiasts can catch the CU All Stars tournament on the court. The program includes Youth Night with a school supply drive along with games and activities, plus hot dogs, food trucks, and more. Family Day offers games and activities, opportunities to connect with community and service organizations, and live entertainment on stage. A Gospel Event highlights uplifting gospel performances and entertainment.

Enjoy a 30-minute guided farm walk through Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery, including a look at the pastures and barns, their regenerative farming practices, and their Nubian and LaMancha goats. The tour wraps up back at the Farm Store with a tasting of a few seasonal cheeses. The event meets at the Farm Store, and it may include both indoor and outdoor areas, with uneven ground that can get muddy depending on the weather.

Bingo takes center stage at the library with time to socialize and play, plus opportunities to win prizes. This gathering is part of the Unbooked Summer 2026 series, which also rotates through weeks of trivia, puzzle activities, card games, and a concert. Library programs are free to attend.

Enjoy a live guided exploration of the night sky that pairs celestial highlights with timeless star lore. Learn which constellations and planets are visible from your own backyard. The program is refreshed each season and welcomes all ages. Tickets are $8 for adults and $7 for Parkland students, seniors 65 and older, and children 12 and under. Passes are available in the lobby.

A cheerful tea party featuring Minnie Mouse includes a sweet treat and a hands-on craft. Attendance is limited to 15 children, and each child may be accompanied by up to two adults. The cost is $10 per child plus a processing fee. A reservation is required and can be made through the ticket link by selecting the Minnie Mouse tea party option in the events section.

Krannert Art Museum teams up with librarians from The Urbana Free Library for a hands-on Saturday program created for children ages 5 and up and the adults who care for them. The experience starts with a storytime tied to works on view, moves into playful exploration of the galleries that connects the stories to the art, and finishes with creative art making guided by visiting artists and sparked by the exhibition. It offers a welcoming way for families to experience the museum together while encouraging curiosity, imagination, and self-expression as participants listen, explore, and create. Presented in partnership with The Urbana Free Library, with support from the Illinois Arts Council. Nearby parking is free on weekends. Accessibility supports are available, and accommodations can be requested.

Explore the electromagnetic spectrum and uncover the science behind color across the cosmos. Find out why the sky looks blue and why Mars appears red. Look inside a plant leaf and the human eye, investigate x-rays, and learn what color a dinosaur really was. Tickets are $8 for adults and $7 for Parkland students, seniors 65+, and children 12 or younger. Passes are available for purchase in the lobby.

Enjoy a guided goat hike on the farm, starting at 1:30 PM. You’ll walk along the pasture, past Saline Creek, through the wooded area, and around the pond for about a mile and a half, with plenty of stops to take photos and spend time with the goats. The fun includes an opportunity for the goats to run, and the hike ends with a farmstead cheese sample. The hike is outdoors, typically lasts around 45 to 60 minutes, and is for ages 8 and up. Check in at the Farm Store before your hike, and wear sturdy shoes that can get a bit dirty.

Spend about 50 minutes relaxing in the cat lounges with 20+ adoptable cats. This reservation helps cover the cats' care and gives them time for socialization, even if you are not there to adopt. All the cats come from local non-profit rescues, and their adoption fees support the originating rescue. The cats are spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, and tested for common pathogens. Advance reservations are the only way to guarantee lounge time, and walk-ins are welcome when space is available.

Enjoy a free family swim under the stars at Sholem Aquatic Center, sponsored by Christie Clinic with involvement from chambanamoms. Lifeguards will be on duty and concessions will be available for snack purchases. No pool pass is required for entry. Children younger than 13 must be accompanied by an adult, and teens must follow the Sholem Teen ID rules. This event is very popular and admission will close once the pool reaches capacity, so arriving a little early is recommended. A rain date will be announced.

Join the Tuesday Happy Hour Goat Hike for a fun, guided walk around the Eastern part of the farm, featuring plenty of scenic photo stops and time for the goats to run. Check in at the farm store, and the hike starts at the apple tree in front of the store. The hike lasts about 30 to 45 minutes and includes a beverage of your choice (up to $12) from the bar at the conclusion of the hike. The hike is outdoors, ages 8 and up, and it may be canceled if temperatures and the “feels like” conditions go over 90 degrees, with a refund or reschedule offered.

Hang out in the cat lounges for 50 minutes with 20+ adoptable cats. This reservation helps support their care and also gives the cats chances to socialize, even if you are not looking to adopt. All cats come from local non-profit rescues, and adoption fees go to the originating rescue. The cats are spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, and tested for common pathogens. Advance reservations are the only way to guarantee lounge time, with walk-ins welcome if space is available.

Spend 50 minutes in the cat lounges with 20+ adoptable cats. This reservation helps cover the cats’ care and also gives them social time, even if you are not looking to adopt. The cats come from local non-profit rescues, and their adoption fees support the originating rescue. All cats are spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, and tested. Advance reservations are the only way to guarantee lounge time, though walk-ins are welcome if space is available.