Downtown Throwdown
GOOD FOOD.
GOOD MOOD.
Street Fest is returning to downtown with a jam-packed evening of music and entertainment, and a new mouth-watering food festival, the Downtown Throwdown! The event is FREE to the public and open to all ages! BYO chair!
Street Fest is presented by City of Champaign and powered by Champaign Center Partnership with support from community sponsors.
COUNTDOWN TO STREET FEST!
July 15, 2023, 5 - 11 pm
in front of Esquire Lounge (106 N Walnut Street, Champaign, IL)!
SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK.
Thank you for participating in the Downtown Champaign Street Fest! We hope you had as much fun attending as we did organizing it. We want to hear your feedback so we can improve this event and other events in the future. Please complete this quick survey and let us know your thoughts.
ENTERTAINMENT
Music
We have a jam-packed line-up of musical talent happening all evening from Street Fest stage sponsored by Champaign Park District and The Music Shoppe. Stage will be located at the corner of Walnut and Chester by Esquire Lounge and the city building. Musicians will be announced at the end of June.
Rabbit in Red
Hailing from Effingham IL, Rabbit In Red brings a high energy mix of alternative rock, funk, and hip hop viewed through a tie-dyed jam band kaleidoscope.
Afro D & Global Soundwaves
A socially-conscious hip hop/jazz/funk band based in Champaign, IL.
Jeremy Todd
Midwestern Singer/Songwriter inspired by traditional artists adding a modern indie/folk appeal.
Candy Foster & Shades of Blue
Candy Foster has been performing classic rhythm and blues throughout the Midwest for 40 years. With his full band, Candy is the undisputed king of Street Fest
Family and Community Zones
Explore the NEW family zone with FREE caricatures, giant bubbles, crazy balloons, and face-painting from 5 – 9 pm, sponsored by WMI Automotive. Plus, browse our community zone featuring over 20 vendors including local artists, non-profits, and small businesses, sponsored by Clanin Marketing.
Downtown Festival District
The Downtown Festival District is back for this event. That means that event attendees can purchase and take open containers of alcohol from participating licensed premises for consumption in the public right-of-way located within a designated festival are and during the event. Customers will receive a wristband, and drinks will be served in plastic cups. To purchase alcohol, you must be 21 years or older with a valid photo ID. Please consume responsibly.
Participating restaurants and bars:
- Hamilton Walker’s, 201 N Neil St.
- Esquire Lounge, 106 N Walnut St.
- The Space, 1 E Main St, #107
- Barrelhouse 34, 34 E Main St.
- Guido’s, 2 E Main St.
- Cowboy Monkey, 6 Taylor St.
- Watson’s Shack and Rail, 211 N Neil St.
- Big Grove Tavern, 1 E Main St.
- Nando Milano Trattoria, 204 N Neil St.
- Blind Pig Brewery, 120 N Neil St.
- The Blind Pig, 120 N Walnut St.
- Farren’s Pub, 117 N Walnut St.
DOWNTOWN THROWDOWN
Pork & Mac-n-Cheese Competition
Community members can vote on their favorite pork and mac-n-cheese dishes and to pick winners of People’s Choice award! Enjoy $5 food samplers at participating businesses during this mouth-water competition! Paper ballots and ballot boxes can be found at all of the participating businesses and at the event information booth on Walnut Street.
Big Grove Tavern
PULLED PORK WITH CORN BREAD & THREE CHEESE MAC
An open faced pulled pork with savory sour cream on a house made cornbread and three chess macaroni.
Hours: Saturday 10 AM–10:30 PM
Esquire Lounge
PULLED PORK SLIDER WITH MAC AND CHEESE SIDE
Our Thursday Special Pork BBQ Sandwich in a smaller slider form coupled with a side of Baked Gruyere and Bacon Mac and Cheese topped with Panko.
Hours: Saturday 10 AM–12 AM
Hamilton Walker's
SCOTCH MAC & CHEESE
Whole hog sausage, macaroni & cheese, panko. Served with HW cheese sauce and HW bbq.
Hours: Saturday 4–8:30 PM
Maize at the Station
PASTOR MAC AND CHEESE QUESADILLA FRIED
Our 100% organic corn tortilla filled with pastor and mac and cheese then lightly fried and served with a side of avocado salsa. Gluten-free.
Hours: Saturday 10 AM–10 PM
Martinelli's Market
3 CHEESE MAC
Mornay Sauce, Vermont Cheddar, Alpine Swiss Gruyere, Pecorino Romano, Herbed Garlic, and Bread Crumb Topping.
PORK SUGO WALKING TACO
Corn Chip Scoops, Pork Shoulder Braised in Bianco tomatoes with red wine, Creme Fraiche, and Pickled jalapeno.
Scallion.
Hours: Saturday 9 AM–7 PM
Neil St. Blues
BBQ PORK LOADED FRIES & MAC
Seasoned Fries topped with our slow roasted pulled pork and topped with our Four Cheese Baked Mac!
Hours: Saturday 11 AM–10 PM
Suzu's Bakery
TONKATSU
Tonkatsu is a traditional and well-loved Japanese pork cutlet that is encased in panko (bread crumbs). Though Tonkatsu is typically deep-fried, our pork cutlet is baked and still remains crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. We pre-cook the panko with a touch of olive oil to maintain the crispy texture on the outside of the cutlet. Our cutlet will also be lightly dressed with sauce Japanese Tonkatsu sauce and seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
For our vegetarian + vegan friends, we have prepared a tofu cutlet the same as our Tonkatsu and created a creamy vegan mac and cheese.
Hours: Saturday 10 AM - 8 PM
The Space
HOG HEAD CHEESE T-RAV WITH BEER CHEESE SAUCE
Housemade ravioli stuffed with hog head cheese, deep-fried, and smothered with beer cheese made with Triptych beer.
Hours: Saturday 11 AM–10 PM
EVENT SPONSORS
TITLE SPONSOR
STAGE SPONSORS
COMMUNITY AND FAMILY ZONE SPONSORS
PORKER SPONSORS
MAC-N-CHEEZ SPONSORS
EVENT CHAMPIONS
