This Summer will be a great time to spend more time in downtown Aurora. Aurora Downtown, a nonprofit group of business and property owners downtown, will be host to a dozen event dates to add to your calendar June through September. One big perk is they are all free.
First Fridays will bring fun and a full lineup of activities June 2, August 4, and September 1. The Food Truck Food Court will open in June and September from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Water Street Square across from City Hall in Aurora.
August 4, Aurora Downtown joins with the City of Aurora government to kick off a Warhol Birthday Bash weekend full of activities that start with Stolp Block Party. The block party will close down Stolp Avenue for local artists and food vendors. The Instinct will perform at 6 p.m. in the Millennium Plaza gazebo and Tamarie T, the Thee Elektra Kumpany will perform at 8 p.m. and the fun will include games for children, Andy Warhol giveaways, and more.
In July, Aurora Downtown will work with the City of Aurora’s Special Events team to close Stolp Avenue Summer evenings for the six-week Music and Market on Stolp Avenue series. The new series combines Wednesdays at the Plaza with artisans and farmers market vendors for a lively street festival from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays from July 12 through August 16 on Stolp Avenue from Galena Boulevard to Downer Place.
Musicians scheduled to perform at Music and Market will include Tommy Bradford Trio, a WBEZ-sponsored show, July 12, Pawnshop July 19, Downtown Charlie Brown July 26, The Heavy Lifting August 2, Accidentally on Purpose August 9, and Saint Astro August 16.
Movie Nights at Mundy Park will return for two dates this Summer, July 27 Men in Black will screen, and August 24, the movie will be Almost Famous. Seating will open at 7 p.m. and the movie will start at dusk. The Venue will have its bar open for beverage sales, and Go Doggy Run will be the food vendor. Aurora Film Society will sell concessions. Movie-goers are asked to bring their own chairs. Admission is free.
Alley Art Festival will return on the last Saturday in August. The Aurora Downtown-sponsored event will celebrate its lucky 13th year from noon to 5 p.m. August 26. Huguito Gutierrez and Armando Bakle will perform Peruvian music at noon. Eastern Fire Belly Dance will perform at 2 p.m. at Mundy Park adjacent to Water Street Mall. The festival once again will bring dozens of community and regional artists to Water Street Mall and Downer Place in downtown Aurora.
Unofficially, Summer will start with the annual Food Truck Festival First Fridays in May. The festival will line Benton Street with more than two dozen food trucks from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. May 5.
For more Summer events, visit Aurora Downtown’s website calendar at auroradowntown.org.
Marissa Amoni is the manager of Aurora Downtown through mid-May. Amoni recently resigned from the organization to start Marissa Bright, a public relations and event management company. Follow her on Instagram @marissashinesbright. Follow Aurora Downtown on Facebook and @downtownaurora on Instagram.