First Fridays

Aurora Downtown hosts a full season of First Fridays from February through December. The popular event on the first Friday of the month features art, live music, and more at dozens of participating venues throughout downtown. Summer dates are June 2, August 4, and September 1. No event in July. Free. All ages. Aurora Downtown on Facebook. auroradowntown.org  

Music & Market on Stolp Ave. 

Hosted by City of Aurora and Aurora Downtown, Music and Market Aurora brings local makers, bakers, and farmers to a one-of-a-kind street market combined with live music at Millennium Plaza. Visit the curated outdoor market from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. for the six-week series on Wednesdays starting July 12. Concerts start at 6 p.m. Free to enter.  

Movie Nights at Mundy Park

Aurora Downtown will host two outdoor movie nights this summer: Men in Black and Almost Famous, respectively. Bring a chair and enjoy a movie under the stars with The Venue’s cash bar, Aurora Film Society selling concessions, and Go Doggy Run as the visiting food vendor. Movie nights are Thursday, July 27 and Thursday, August 24. Seating opens at 7 p.m. Movie starts at dusk. Free.  

Stolp Block Party

It’s a party at First Fridays from 6 to 10 p.m. on August 4 on Stolp Avenue. Visit local artists, eat at a handful of food trucks, and enjoy live entertainment. This year, the block party kicks off Warhol’s Birthday Bash weekend in downtown Aurora. The Instinct performs at 6 p.m. Tamarie T. and Thee Elektra Kumpany headlines at 8 p.m. Free.  

Alley Art Festival

Dozens of local and regional artists line pedestrian-friendly Water Street Mall and Downer Place for this fun, free-spirited event from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 26. Live entertainment, family-friendly activities, and food vendors make it a dynamic afternoon that celebrates the local arts scene. Free. Alley Art Festival on Facebook. alleyartaurora.com