Time & Location
Dec 03, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
The Venue CU, 51 E Main St, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
About the event
As the end of the year approaches, it's time to celebrate our members who support our museum's mission and collection. Each year, we invite members to a once-in-a-lifetime behind-the-scenes look at a historic location in Champaign County. Last year, we explored the history of the Tiernan Block in downtown Urbana as one of our community's first opera halls.
This year we'll be back in downtown Champaign at the historic Varsity Theater and Vriner's Confectionary, better known today as Venue CU! This professional events venue is housed in the old businesses cared for by the Church and Bugbee families.
Vriner's story begins in 1898 when Peter Vriner, a young Greek ice cream and candy manufacturer, opened his business on 55 E Main St. in downtown Champaign. It remained a community staple for nearly a century until it closed in 1997. Community members enjoyed a sweet treat, and their historic counter was even…