First Fridays in Aurora gets ready to celebrate its eighth year and it’s exhilarating to see how much downtown Aurora has grown. I recently sat down at the Stolp Island Social bar with management team Fred Gore and Tara Ramos to chat about their upcoming involvement with the popular monthly event. Our conversation emphasized that the reason First Fridays is so successful is due to its being a unique event.
Gore and Ramos are excited for Stolp Island Social, 5 E. Galena Boulevard, Aurora, to be part of First Fridays for the first time February 7. The new restaurant will join the First Fridays lineup with a Roaring ‘20s cocktail party from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.. Attendees will be able to enjoy a scratch cocktail list ($10-$12) of Prohibition Era-inspired cocktails to ring in the new decade when staff members enjoy a 1920s costume party.
When we brainstormed ideas, I became increasingly appreciative of the creativity and passion of downtown businesses. Since First Fridays began, downtown businesses have kept each month fresh with new and different experiences. It’s truly their passion that drives First Fridays and keeps the community coming back to enjoy the activities.
This year, First Fridays will continue to offer art, music, and more events at more than two dozen venues in downtown Aurora. As the host organization, Aurora Downtown will work towards more community involvement as we continue to grow our events with the goal of welcoming all to downtown.
First Fridays is an event for the entire community to enjoy. If grandkids, teens, college students, parents, grandparents, and Aunt Margie are all enjoying downtown events, then we are accomplishing that goal. If not, then we want to hear how we can better be all inclusive.
The future is now here, and we are creating the downtown that we want. Help us to welcome everyone to downtown Aurora, and to be part of our growing downtown family.
Look for survey cards at select venues at upcoming First Fridays, and keep an eye out for Facebook surveys, too. We appreciate community input as we keep growing our downtown events and our downtown community.
Marissa Amoni is the manager of Aurora Downtown, a nonprofit organization of downtown business and property owners. Connect with us on Facebook at Aurora Downtown; Instagram @downtown
aurora; and Twitter @AuroraDowntown. Contact us at info@auroradowntown.org. Find out more about downtown events at www.auroradowntown.org.