First Fridays in Aurora will go virtual and attendees can stay at home and enjoy art, music, and more events from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, April 3.
Interested persons can visit Aurora Downtown and other participating venues on Facebook for live video throughout the evening. Viewers are invited to participate at home by tagging #virtualfirstfridays on social media.
Courtesy of Vizo Arts, participants in an online scavenger hunt can enter to win $1,000 in gift cards from downtown businesses.
Participating Facebook pages include:
• Wesley United Methodist Church in Aurora, will present a “Sounds of Comfort” concert featuring live music by Thew Elliot and Michelle Curiel from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m..
• Decari, 33 N. Lake Street, will offer “Everyone’s Taste In One Place,” an evening of live cooking as well as samples for carry-out orders from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Order online at www.decaritogo.com or call 630-844-8100.
• Crystal House will demonstrate a La Beehouse pure candle wax roll out and feature artist Chaz Nieponski and music by Ngolle Pokossi from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The candles will be poured into glassware that has been sand-carved by hand.
• Aurora Regional Fire Museum will offer a new family-friendly activity every half hour from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Viewers can learn about the fire triangle and how knowing of the ingredients of a fire can help you practice fire safety at 5:30 p.m.. Museum volunteer Jackie will read one of our director’s favorite childhood books “Firemouse” by Nina Barbaresi at 6 p.m.. Former museum assistant Cayla Wagner will talk about using social distancing as a way to start researching your family history at 6:30 p.m..
• SciTech Hands On Museum will present SciTech’s Science Spectacular, three live broadcasts from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. A live science show will happen at both 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.. A special SciTech storytime will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Donate at SciTechVSB.givesmart.com or text SciTechVSB to 76278.
• AKA Dance will offer a 30-minute live family dance class for all ages at 6 p.m..
• Society 57 will present Coffee Conversations with Society 57 and local coffee roaster Modest Coffee from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.. Participants can shop and donate at society57.square.site.
• The Cotton Seed Creative Exchange will be live with a live painting event featuring Aurora artist STLTHART from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m..
• Wyckwood House will present a live concert with Nick Gutierrez from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will offer online specials throughout the night from artisans. Families can download coloring sheets at wyckwoodhouse.com/wyckwood-love. Shop online at wyckwoodhouse.com.
• Aurora Public Library, Illinois will present live music and feature Dave Ramont from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m..
• The Venue will share “A Tribute to Pink Floyd,” at 7 p.m.. The broadcast is of a past performance by Eclipse-Chicago from October 12, 2019 at The Venue presented by the Fox Valley Music Foundation.
• Zen Loft Wellness Center will showcase a live performance by Camelia Danza Belly Dance will feature the “Fat Chance” belly dance style at 7:30 p.m.. Donate through Paypal.
• The ArtBar will present the Aurora Rainbow Art Project gallery. The ArtBar invited the community to create rainbow art with the hashtag #aurorarainbowart to push back against hate.
To participate in the Virtual First Fridays scavenger hunt, viewers can search for the six rainbow letters that spell out “Aurora” on Facebook pages that are participating in Virtual First Fridays, and make a comment on each of the letters that they find. Participants will be entered into drawings for gift cards to support downtown businesses. Gift cards are courtesy of Vizo Arts. Contest will end at midnight April 3.
For more information, find the Virtual First Fridays event on Facebook, or visit www.auroradowntown.org.
— Aurora Downtown