First Fridays in Aurora will celebrate Day of the Dead Friday, Nov. 2. Several venues will be open for art shows and community ofrenda displays, along with an outdoor celebration and a fashion show.
Jose Torres again will bring the annual Day of the Dead celebration to downtown Aurora. Torres is the director of Athziry Dia De los Muertos, a nonprofit that gives scholarships to Aurora-area students.
The event opening ceremony will be at 4 p.m. at the David L. Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer Place. The official celebration will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the parking lot just east of SciTech Hands On Museum, 18 W. Benton Street. The day will close with a fashion show to start at 9:30 p.m. at La Quinta de los Reyes, 36 E. New York Street.
There will be community altar displays at Santori Public Library and Day of the Dead art shows at multiple venues.
Free trolley rides will be from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m..
Friday will feature more than 20 venues to include:
• Santori Public Library, 101 S. River Street, will stay open with Day of the Dead altars from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.. There will be refreshments, music, loteria, and crafts for kids.
• Waubonsee Community College Aurora Downtown campus library, 18 S. River Street, will be open with a Dia De Los Muertos art show and open mic. 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m..
• If These Walls Could Talk Custom Framing & Gallery, 32 S. Stolp Avenue, will present “Día de los Muertos” from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.. The show will feature six Aurora area artists.
• Balderas Beauty Salon, 25 N. Broadway, will be host to famous body painter Jose Art who will have an art show and do face-painting free to the public. 5 p.m. to 8 p.m..
• Aurora Public Art, 20 E. Downer Place, will have a Day of the Dead reception starting at 4 p.m. on the First Floor Gallery; “Finding Home” closes on the Third Floor. Open until 9 p.m..
• Aurora Historical Society, 20 E. Downer Place, will have “Aurora Story” on the Second Floor. Photographer Perry Slade will be in the gift shop signing photographs. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m..
• The ArtBar at Two Brothers Roundhouse, 205 N. Broadway, will have a one-night pop-up called “Los Alebrijes.” Alebrijes are fantastical hodgepodges of real and imagined creatures. Sarah Cervantes will be featured in the Lounge. 7 p.m. to midnight.
• The Web, 134 W. Downer Place, will be open with “Halloween is over, but not: Works by Anton Witek.” 7 p.m. to midnight.
• Oddlots, 121 W. Benton Street, will be host to “Make Your Mark,” a solo show to feature William Grahame Wilkin III solo show. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m..
• Branch Gardens, 77 S. Lake Street, will feature artist Cheryl Holz from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.. Hot cider and apple cider donuts will be available.
• Endiro Coffee, 29 W. New York Street, will welcome musician Daniel Becker from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m..
• Gremlen Recording Studios, 130 W. Downer Place, will be host to its annual Gremlen Halloween Party. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m..
• Tredwell Coffee, 14 W. Downer Place, Suite. 18, will be open late with musical group Saint Astro from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m..
• Wyckwood House, 14 W. Downer Place, Suite 16, will have face-painting and James Deans, a pop-up jewelry artist from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m..
• SciTech, 18 W. Benton Street, will be open at no cost from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m..
• Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Museum, 23 E. Downer Place, will be host to a special George Dahlin exhibit from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m..
• Christian Science Reading Room, 34 S. Stolp Avenue, will be open with free kids crafts, prizes, and gifts. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m..
• Zen Loft Wellness Center, 6 W. Downer Place, will be open with performances, demos, messages, and more from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. First Fridays photo booth will be visiting from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m..
• La Quinta de los Reyes, 36 E. New York Street, will be host to the Day of the Dead fashion show at 9:30 p.m.. A $5 donation is requested.
• Calla Lily Victorian Tea Room, 83 S. LaSalle Street, will be open with complimentary tea tastings of their handcrafted proprietary teas. Scones and dainty desserts will be available for purchase. Erica Swanson, author of the children’s book Bellossoms will have caricature drawings and displays of her series. 5 p.m. to 8 p.m..
• Family Counseling Services, 70 S. River Street, will be open for “Fall into Gratitude,” a family party with activities, crafts, and yoga. 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m..
Pop up shops will be open at the following locations during First Fridays:
• Gillerson’s Grubbery, 31 W New York Street, will feature KC Kandles from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m..
• Aurora Regional Fire Museum, 53 N. Broadway, will be open with the Aurora Fire Department Photography Show with more than two dozen photographs plus pop up shops. A Cocoa Crawl mug is available for purchase. 5 p.m. to 9 p.m..
• All Spoked Up, Aurora, 14 W. Downer Place, Suite 12, will be open with artisan Leslie Jenner of Jennerations from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m..
—Aurora Downtown