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A weekly series focused on Bloomington-Normal's arts community and other major events. Made possible with support from PNC Financial Services.

3 things to do this weekend: Game night, Funkyard and Way Down Wanderers

A person wearing a headscarf arranges colorful hanging ornaments on a green display. The background shows framed artworks and wooden walls. Text reads: "3 Things To Do This Weekend" with a logo for WGLT.org 89.1FM.

Here are 3 things to do for the weekend of Dec. 20-22, 2024, curated by WGLT's Lauren Warnecke. You can find more coverage on our Datebook - Arts & Music page or by subscribing to WGLT's Weekend Scoop email newsletter, which goes out every Friday.

Note: 3 Things to Do is taking a week off on Dec. 27 and will be back in 2025!

Love in this club: Bloomington’s Dexter O’Neal is connected to R&B royalty by birth, and his solo records follow that lineage. But when he turns up with his band Funkyard, the room becomes a funk-forward juke joint tilting more rhythm than blues. He doesn’t play all that often at home, so get it while you can. 8 p.m. Saturday at Jazz UpFront; $8-$10 at jazzupfront.com. On Sunday: Jazz UpFront hosts a holiday meal catered by Wesley’s Grill with Thaddeus Tukes on the vibes. Tickets are $40, or $70 for two.

Wander over to the Castle: Peoria’s Way Down Wanderers parted ways with co-lead singer and songwriter Collin Krause this spring and has been out on the road touring the Midwest all season with a new single in tow—their first without Krause in a decade—and his final album with the band: We Made a Mess in Middle America. All due respect to Krause’s significant contributions to a remarkable crew bubbling to the top of the alt. Americana scene—they haven’t skipped a beat. 8 p.m. Friday (doors 7 p.m.) at the Castle Theatre. Tickets $20 at thecastletheatre.com.

BYOBG: Every third Saturday, Red Raccoon Games hosts and LGBT-friendly “Gaymers’ Night,” a loosely formatted BYOBG (board game) session with munchies and conversation. Or you can try something new from Red Raccoon’s massive lending library. 7 p.m. Saturday; $5 cover; redraccoongames.net.

Lauren Warnecke is a reporter at WGLT. You can reach Lauren at lewarne@ilstu.edu.