Downtown Auroran Fall 2014

Downtown Auroran www.downtownauroran.com Marissa Amoni Publisher and Editor

I love to shop local. It is truly a challenge, though. Luckily for you, we take the grunt work out of shopping locally this holiday season. Our cover story is full of great, local gift ideas for everyone on your list.

It’s easy to head to the mall or to a big box store for stocking stuffers, but we think that gift givers will get a real treat when they fill their bundles with locally-made selections from local stores and artisans. And when you shop local, more of your dollar stays in town.

In our Historical Notes feature, you’ll be reminded of days of yore, when shopping local was the only option and downtown stores were plentiful. Fortunately, downtown is continually getting closer to reviving its retail hub history with several retail stores on Broadway, and new ones popping up on Stolp Island like the new and trendy YM Boutique.

We’re excited to see this shift toward small, locally-owned businesses in downtowns from Aurora to Batavia to Oswego. In Aurora, funding from the Aurora Downtown organization of business and property owners is helping to bring a few more businesses to downtown while filling vacant storefronts. See this issue’s Locust Report for more downtown news.

Kelmscott Communications Graphic Design Tony Scott Copy Editor John Jaros Frank Patterson Contributors Advertising and Submissions: E-mail downtownauroran@gmail.com.

Cover by Mike Mancuso Downtown Auroran (DTA) ) is a local, independent operation. We promote and support local arts and culture while advocating for a vibrant downtown.

And, lastly, this issue features Aurora artist Don Picton, a longtime friend of Downtown Auroran. Picton has been penning comics exclusively for the magazine almost since it began. He was also featured on the cover with his girlfriend, Joanna Goss, in the Fall/ Winter 2010 issue. You’ll see why we’re so smitten with him after you read Frank Patterson’s interview.

DTA is published quarterly and distributed free of charge throughout downtown and select locations in the Aurora area. DTA is printed in Aurora, IL by Kelmscott Communications. This issue is partially funded by Aurora Downtown.

Have a very local holiday, and as always…

Join us on Facebook!

See you downtown!

Please support the businesses that support us. Keep it local!

Copyrighted 2014

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INTER W O D NI ARKET M

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Downtown Auroran

Fall 2014

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By John Jaros Table of Contents 4 comic

11 recipe

5 locust report

13 historical notes

6 cover story

15 culture shock

9 artist profile

Fall 2014

Downtown Auroran

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Fall In Love, Not In Line

A used bookstore in downtown Aurora

By Jason DeLancey Jason DeLancey, of Aurora, experiments with photography and other digital art forms. Yet he still appreciates the advantages of working with film.

This photograph is one of his double-exposed photos.

DeLancey recently welcomed a son, Henry, into the world.

Check our Facebook page for free community events 43 E. Galena Blvd.

(630) 264-3380

Books. Music. People. Culture.

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Downtown Auroran

Fall 2014

The L o c u s t Rep o r t Reporting the News and Gossip in Downtown Aurora The new landlord in town, David Karademas, seems to be starting off on the right foot after an initial sudden entrance into the downtown. Karademas Management currently owns Leland Tower and Graham Building, both residential properties. They are looking to grow their portfolio of downtown properties starting with the Elks Building, and then possibly the old Silverplate Building and the Keystone Building, both on Stolp Avenue.

Karademas will open the new Bluebird Beat café on the ground floor of Leland Tower soon, and the new property manager has been communicating with tenants on the changes they are making to improve the buildings.

Seize the Future Development Foundation has recommended awarding the Elks Club redevelopment at 77 S. Stolp Ave. to Karademas Management. According to the proposal submitted, Karademas plans to renovate the building to include 25 market rate apartments and a restaurant. It is anticipated that Karademas Management will take possession of the Elks Building before the end of the year.

Riverfront Playhouse is a hidden, quirky gem of a non-profit theater in downtown Aurora. The Playhouse recently refurbished their lobby and now they want theatergoers to be a bit more comfortable in their seats. They are currently raising money to buy chairs by selling naming rights for each new chair. Starting at only $60, funders can personalize a chair with a custom plaque. riverfrontplayhouse.com.

Moving recently from the Old Irving neighborhood in Chicago, painter Martin Soto is new to the downtown scene. Soto moved into the top floor of the Metropolitan Business College building at 14 W. Downer Pl. in September. He created the Soto Art Project to assist individuals and organizations with their goals by creating private and public works of art, facilitating education, with the intent of broadening culture in homes and communities.

River’s Edge Café is now open on Saturdays. The popular downtown café has extended their hours under new owners Amy and Joe Petit, and will be open until 6 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. The café rolled out a new house blend coffee in October. Along with new items, the Petits continue to offer many of the homemade menu favorites that past owner Beth Standish created and customers have come to love.

Once again, the Vacant Window Project in downtown Aurora is turning empty storefronts into outlets for art. Kim Granholm, owner of Aurora Fastprint, is hanging larger-than-life posters next to art murals from Roots Aurora in the old Terminal Building on Broadway and Galena Boulevard. Artist Brittany Tripp, of Aurora, was commissioned to create four posters that are local takes off of the current Broadway series at Paramount Theatre.

Tripp’s posters hang along New York Street and in the Silverplate Building on Stolp Avenue.

Restaurant Row update: Just when things were looking up for the stagnant “Row,” the balloon popped and it is all but deflated. The Seize the Future board rejected a new development agreement that now leaves Vernon La Via’s property at 29 W. New York St. in limbo. In the end, according to Seize the Future, there was too much at stake including “the percentage of city contribution, the market risk, the developer’s long-term commitment and the amount of public infrastructure involved.”

Gallery 44 is now Aurora Art Studios. The working artist studios on the second floor at 50 E. Galena Blvd. changed their name to more accurately reflect what they are all about, says resident artist Cheryl Holz. Currently at Aurora Art Studios are artists David Hettinger, Cheryl Holz, Anne VonEhr, Rafael Rocha, and Andrew Cook. The studios will hold their annual open studio night on Nov. 22.

Fall 2014

Martin Soto recently moved his art studio to downtown Aurora.

As part of a new intergovernmental agreement between Aurora Public Library and the city of Aurora, there exists a stipulation that if the current library building at 1 E. Benton St. does not have a designated reuse by July 2016, it will be demolished at the library’s expense.

Have a bang-up business idea?

Aurora Downtown rolled out a rental assistance program for Elburn new businesses this year. The downtown organization of HERITAGE business and property owners PRAIRIE FARM that is behind-the-scenes of events like First Fridays in Downtown Aurora and Hump Day wants to bring more viable storefronts to downtown and they are putting their money where their mouth is with $30K at the table. auroradowntown.com

Nov. 15 & 16

A list to like on Facebook: The ArtNerds., Aurora Bee Company, YM Boutique

Downtown Auroran

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A Very Local Holiday Shopping locally this season is a cinch with our hand-picked guide of local shops, artisans, and products crafted right here in the Fox Valley.

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK Frame a photo, memorabilia, or your first love letter to your honey at this locally-owned shop.

(32 S. Stolp Ave., Aurora)

ANGELICA MATCZUK & JILL ROLF Friends will get a hoot out of this original screenprint by local roller derby gals.

(Etsy: Jilly Geli Inks)

YM BOUTIQUE Women of all ages will thank you for freshening up their wardrobe with chic accessories and trendy apparel.

(5 W. Downer Pl., Aurora)

JEFF WEBER

WARDELL ART GLASS STUDIO For a treasured gift, shop this oneof-a-kind store for handcrafted tiles, specialty cards and books.

Whether it’s an $8 candle or a $1,500 guitar, this local artisan carefully crafts gifts that are lasting and 100 percent good quality.

(Etsy: HowJeffRollsCom)

(28 S. Stolp Ave., Aurora)

THE MUSEUM SHOP AT THE DAVID L. PIERCE ART AND HISTORY CENTER This shop within a history center and an art museum is full of fun, local finds including Aurora Historical Society’s popular annual calendar and more.

(20 E. Downer Pl., Aurora)

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Downtown Auroran

AROMA ROOTS No one will be able to resist the tempting smell of these nature-infused soaps that are created on site.

(888 S. Edgelawn Dr. Suite 1721, Aurora; aromaroots.com)

Fall 2014

DON PICTON Trade the generic tie gift for an original Creature Cutie that will appeal to both opera lovers and classic horror movie fans.

JENNIFER PUTZIER

(Etsy: FriendPrices)

Book lovers, writers, and teachers will love this handcrafted ampersand adornment. Putzier’s pieces can also be purchased locally at The Museum Store at The DLP (see local shops).

JENNIFER EDMONDSON Cooks and fashionistas alike will enjoy this expertly crafted antique flatware turned into wearable art.

(Etsy: Isette)

(Etsy: Laughing Frog Studios)

ELLIS MALDONADO

LOCAL EGGS Happy chickens equal yummy eggs, which is just the case (or dozen) at Ed & Judie’s self-serve egg farm near Sugar Grove.

Put a twinkle in their eye with stunning chainmail pendants and bracelets that are both pretty and industrial fab.

(Etsy: The Jaunty Moustache)

(Ed & Judie’s Egg Farm, 6 S 2 60 Hankes Rd., Aurora)

KRIS DUCHARME Add some upcycled fun to someone’s life with charming gifts for all ages by a local crafter who is proud to be a bit eccentric.

(Etsy: Kryspykitty Kreations)

THE YETEE TEES Cool, pop-culture t-shirt references won’t be lost on the hip members of your family. A bright Northgate t-shirt is perfect for #localgeeks.

(The Yetee, 110 Cross St., Aurora; theyetee.com

YOGA BONES T-SHIRTS

LOCAL HONEY Thick, delicious and nutritious honey from local bees and a couple of local beekeepers is an ideal under $15 gift.

(Lorence’s Honey Bee Haven at Prisco’s Family Market, 1108 Prairie St., Aurora; Aurora Bee Company at The Compounder, 340 Marshall Ave. Unit 100, Aurora, aurorabee.com)

Fall 2014

Downtown Auroran

A comfortable, organic t-shirt is sure to please with the skeleton doing yoga poses on the front.

Designed and printed by Jeff and Lisa Manning.

(Aurora Yoga Center, 514 Terry Ave., Aurora; yogabones.net)

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Sunday, Dec. 7

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Enjoy the Holiday Celebrations in Many Lands Exhibit including multicultural displays and more than 25 trees decorated in the traditions of various countries around the world.

By Perry Slade Perry Slade is a seasoned photographer and freelances in the Aurora area. Slade has captured many iconic images in the Fox Valley, and he teaches photography classes locally. sladeimages.com

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Downtown Auroran

Fall 2014

A rt is t P r o f ile DTA profile: Don Picton Interview by Frank Patterson

Oswego

“I made the model and glued it together ‘cause I thought it looked cool,” he said. “Recently, I’ve been seeing people make their resin plastic toys at home. So, I watched this YouTube video and I was like, ‘I can do that!’”

EMER CREEK POSON T & TEAROOTERY M

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Frankencutie “didn’t sell at all for six months,” Picton said. Then, some notable people started buying them, including a Hollywood producer.

“He bought twelve of them,” Picton said. “And he was like, ‘I’m going to give these out as gifts, so make sure you give me your business cards.’”

That producer managed to get Frankencutie seen on the Conan O’Brien show in August, when musical guest Jenny Lewis appeared with Frankencutie on her band member’s keyboard.

Don Picton is a driven man. You can’t tell it

by looking at him. The popular Aurora artist doesn’t look the part: No suit, no tie.

Since then, other famous people have been ordering the figurine via Friend Prices, Picton’s art business and the name of his Etsy page.

In t-shirt and jeans, Picton has become a household name in the local art scene. All while sitting in his museum-like basement and creating.

“Bands from the ‘80s that I used to love are ordering them from me,” Picton said. “And a writer from the Simpsons, Dana Gould —he’s a stand-up comedian, has been ordering them from me.”

“Even at 22, I would be like ‘I don’t want to go to a bar, I’d rather hang out at home and make this statue I’m going to throw away in three months anyway,’” Picton recalled.

Employed by The Yetee in downtown Aurora, Picton spends his days making t-shirts for the popular pop-culture t-shirt company. He occupies the rest of his waking hours by filling Etsy orders and making art in the basement of his West Side home with his girlfriend, Joanna Goss, a local artist who is employed by Emerson Creek Pottery and Tearoom in Oswego.

Picton gravitated to art early on. He always drew, and he had an aunt who was a successful commercial artist.

“I was attracted to weird stuff – always drawing; never having the right tools,” he said.

Some of the “weird stuff” Picton uses for inspiration includes comics, horror films, and trading cards, such as Topps’ Wacky Packages trading cards and their Garbage Pail Kids series.

His artistic heroes include “all the ‘80s horror special effects guys” and the cartoonists of Mad Magazine, especially cartoonist Don Martin, who according to Picton, “had all the subtle, funny violence going on.”

As of late, Picton’s natural drive has been outpaced by his success. His Frankencutie creation, a resin figurine with the head of Frankenstein’s monster and the body of a shapely young woman has taken off, making him busier than ever.

“I am acutely aware of time,” said Picton, who created a Frankencutie prototype ten years ago.

Fall 2014

Picton spent his formative years living in Montgomery and attending Dieterich Elementary School on Aurora’s South East side. He remembers buying comic books at Archer’s Pharmacy at Ashland Plaza and getting trading cards from a store in the strip mall where Gario’s Pizza is now located on Montgomery Road.

He moved with his family to Yorkville for middle school and high school, and then he moved to Aurora in his mid-twenties, because, “This was where the cheapest rent was at the time,” he said.

“Now I can say, ‘I love the people.’ There’s a scene going on,” he added.

Picton discovered the “scene” when he had a garage sale about five years ago when he lived on the Near East Side. “I met everyone that day,” he said.

Downtown Auroran

Continued on page 10

9

D ow n t ow n V o ic es “Our Love of Theater”

By Cherilyn Winters We all know about the Paramount Arts Center. Big acts, brightly lit marquee, well publicized and well-funded. How many people, outside of Aurora’s “Downtowners,” are aware of the Riverfront Playhouse?

The Riverfront Playhouse, or more fondly referred to as just the “Playhouse” or simply the “Riv,” was founded in 1978 by David Morris and began in the back of what was Max’s Bar, which is now Culture Stock at 43 E. Galena Blvd.

It has gone through several progressive transformations and is now located at 11-13 Water Street Mall. The Riv is a 501(c) 3 notfor-profit. What this means is that every dollar that comes in the door, from ticket sales to donations for concessions, goes right back into the running of the theater. For 36 years this has been the status quo. There have been years that it was under serious consideration for the theater to shut its doors for good.

More recently, through the power of social media and being open for events like Louche Puce Market and Alley Art Festival, we have managed to gain a bit of footing in the downtown arts scene, but there is always the funds struggle. There is still rent and utilities, royalties, props, costumes, and construction materials. Very often the members of the Riv put up their own hard earned money to pay for the things that are needed, no one is paid for their services a i to the Riv; the theater is run v Bata completely by volunteers.

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We are there for our love of theater. We sometimes struggle to find people willing to lend a hand and those who do work long and late hours on top of our “real world” schedules to

put on a show. At times, it is extremely disheartening, after all this effort, to have a show playing and watch scores of possible patrons walk right by on their way to whatever is showing at the Paramount, all while we have maybe a dozen or so people in the theater that seats up to 90.

In the upcoming months, we are hoping to put on a collection of Carol Burnett skits, followed by our annual production of “A Christmas Carol” written by our much missed alumni, Jack Schultz, and in January we are planning for the farce “Keeping Down with the Joneses.” We are still trying to raise the funds necessary to replace our Main Floor seating, a venture that began in July and struggles forward with about half of what the total needs to be.

We know that we aren’t big and showy but we do the best we can. We do a darn good job with what we have. Our shows run for six weeks at a time, year round on Friday and Saturday nights, unless we are building for the next show. Ticket prices range from only $15 to $17. There are also gift certificates and season passes available.

You can find out more about Riverfront Playhouse, including upcoming shows, audition notices, how to contribute, volunteer, or donate at www.riverfrontplayhouse.com.

Come on down and support your local community theater. Do it for the love of theater.

Cherilyn Winters is part of the stage crew and she sits on the board of directors at Riverfront Playhouse in downtown Aurora.

Ar t ist Pro fi l e Picton has since been in every Alley Art Festival and has shown work at The ArtBar at Two Brothers Roundhouse, Rockford Art Deli, and most recently had booths at Fong Music Fest at Chef Shangri-La in North Riverside and McHenry’s Drive-In Massacre.

As busy as he is, Picton doesn’t find much time to relax. But when he gets the opportunity, he’s likely enjoying an old VHS tape.

“I watch horror movies and weird obscure stuff with my girlfriend, and laugh.”n 10

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Fall 2014

Caramelized Onion Dip Contributed by The Reluctant Hippie

This is a real food version of one of the guilty pleasures of my youth: French onion dip. So simple. A packet of dehydrated onion soup mix in a container of sour cream. A bowl of ridged potato chips. A neglected plate of carrot and celery sticks nearby. A little bit of family party drama unfolding in the next room. You might have discarded this dip once you read the ingredients on the soup label or moved beyond two-step appetizers, but a part of you still misses it.

Magestic Tree

By Mary Rodriguez Mary Rodriguez lives in Aurora, and is the mother to two West High graduates. When Rodriquez is not working, she enjoys several hobbies including reading and volunteering with local non-profits, primarily Hesed House and Triple Threat Mentoring. While growing up, her father instilled in her a love of sports and scenic photography.

Bigg Holid er! Bette Chri ay Para r! stkin de, Firew dlmarke t, and Morks, ore!

w n e r i t It’s a Jolly Holiday!

LIGHTS

Friday, November 21, 5:00-9:00 p.m.

5:00 - 9:00 p.m. - Extended shopping hours at participating downtown businesses. Christkindlmarket - A Shopping wonderland filled with gifts and good things to eat!

Twinkling Streets filled with live music, costumed characters, ice sculpting, local art, festive photo ops, live reindeer, train rides, and much more!

5:45 p.m. - Holiday Parade on Downer Place featuring Mary Poppins, Aurora’s “Grinch,” and Santa & Mrs. Claus!

6:00 p.m. - Light Aurora’s “Official Tree” with Mayor Weisner, Miss Merry Christmas and Mr. Jack Frost at the GAR Museum.

Winter Lights Fireworks A magical aerial display best viewed from the Downer Place Bridge.

Do yourself a favor and revisit this classic. This caramelized onion dip bears enough resemblance to its unsophisticated parent that it satisfies a nostalgic craving, but the flavors and texture are a completely different experience.

Ingredients: • 1 cup caramelized onions,* finely chopped • 1½ cups sour cream • ½ cup mayonnaise • ½ tsp. garlic powder • Pinch of salt • A few grinds of pepper Method: Combine all ingredients. Stir well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasoning. * I make caramelized onions in a crock pot: Slice the onions and throw them into the crockpot with a pinch of sea salt. Add half of a tablespoon of olive oil per onion.

Stir and cook on low for 10-12 hours. Freeze them in one cup portions and use them for dips, pizzas, sandwiches, and more.

If you are pressed for time, two to three large onions cooked slowly in olive oil over low heat will give you enough for this recipe. Just be careful not to burn the onions.

Aur

ora

Kate Purl whips up creative and healthful recipes for her family of four on a regular basis and chronicles the fun on her blog: thereluctanthippie.wordpress.com

Experience bright holidays in the City of Lights.

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Fall 2014

Downtown Auroran

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Downtown Auroran Magazine accepts poetry, artwork, short stories, opinions, and photography. Email submissions to downtownauroran@gmail.com.

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Fall 2014

Hi s t o r ic a l N o t es

A Block in Time: Shopping on South Broadway

By John Jaros, Aurora Historical Society Downtown Aurora was once a mecca of commerce and entertainment, with banks, hotels, movie theaters, and every kind of store you would need. The main commercial drag was Broadway and shoppers flocked to one block in particular.

Starting in the late 1800s, popular department stores and specialty shops filled the block between Downer Place (then Fox Street) and Galena Boulevard (then Main Street).

At one end of the block, there was the large, national chain store S. S. Kresge Company, and at the other end of the block, Walgreen’s occupied the corner from the 1930s to the 1970s.

Christmas shopping along Broadway in downtown Aurora in December 1967.

Another national chain, Woolworth’s at 19-21 S. Broadway, was downtown since the early 1900s.

But many of the businesses along Broadway were locally-owned.

Harry, Charles, and Louis Alschuler established Alschuler Brothers’ clothing store in 1885. It became the first store in Aurora to have electric lights and was around for nearly 100 years. Staudt and Neumann’s, a pharmaceutical firm, opened in 1878 at 15 S. Broadway (they moved to Lincoln Avenue in the early 1970s). Weingart and Pillatsch, a men’s clothier, dated to the early 1900s.

Across the street, on the east side of Broadway, was S.S. Sencenbaugh Company at 20-22 S. Broadway. Sencenbaugh’s was an Aurora institution from 1867 to 1969. Family-owned, it was Aurora’s high-end department store, carrying men’s and women’s clothing and accessories. You might buy a fancy tie or hat, a nice pair of shoes, or even your wedding dress there.

Adjacent to Sencenbaugh’s was Lietz and Grometer (founded in 1896 as Wade, Lietz, and Grometer). A locally-owned department store, their slogan was “The Heart of Aurora.”

Next door, Schmitz and Gretencourt’s men’s store was founded in 1903.

Other major stores included national chain Block and Kuhl, later to become Carson Pirie Scott in 1961 (closed in 1978), located on the corner of Galena Boulevard and Stolp Avenue, where Waubonsee’s downtown campus was for many years Fall 2014

(1986-2011). Just south of Carson’s on Stolp Avenue was Montgomery Ward’s, which closed around 1970.

Sears was located on the southeast corner of Broadway and Downer Place in a 1890s-building once occupied by the famed Boston Store, a national chain. It was later (1920s and 1930s) occupied by the locally owned Cooper Brothers, a department store and grocer. Sears moved there in the late 1930s, and was the first of the downtown stores to leave, moving to the new Northgate center on Lake Street in 1958.

Off of Broadway, Fannie May was located on east Galena Boulevard at Water Street, in the building that now houses Culture Stock bookstore, until the late 1970s.

From the ‘40s to the ‘70s, Grimm’s Drug Store (59 Fox St.) was located on Downer Place and Water Street, kitty-corner from the present City Hall.

Most of the downtown stores where Aurorans might shop for gifts, clothing, and accessories left in the 1970s. This exodus accelerated when the Fox Valley Mall opened that same decade.

By 1980, there was very little left of the glory days.

Special thanks to Jill Amoni and Vicki Moore for additional historical details. Photos and historical information are courtesy of the Aurora Historical Society. The Aurora Historical Society is located at two sites: Tanner House on Aurora’s West Side and the David L. Pierce Art and History Center in downtown Aurora. aurorahistory.net

Downtown Auroran

13

Sugar Grove Barn

By Stacee Cummings

Congratulations to Fairbanks Steakhouse for being judged Culinary Champions’ “Best Steak” in the Aurora Area!

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Downtown Auroran

Fall 2014

C u lt u r e S h o c k NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

VETERAN’S DAY PARADE Tues Nov 11 at 10:15 Step off at Benton and Broadway. Parade ends with a remembrance ceremony at the G.A.R. building. aurora-il.org

A-MEN: SUPERHEROES OF THE ARTS IN DOWNTOWN AURORA Opens Fri Dec 5 from 7 to 9 An art exhibit celebrating the men who influence downtown’s art scene. Free. Runs through Jan. 31. Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. paramountaurora.com

STORYTIME AT THE CAFE Mon Nov 17 at 11 The Aurora Public Library hosts an off-site storytime for children with books, dancing and fun, plus a free treat.

Free. River’s Edge Cafe, 14 W. Downer Pl. Suite 18. No reg. needed. aurorapubliclibrary.org WINTER LIGHTS FESTIVAL & FIREWORKS Fri Nov 21 from 5 to 9 Get your holiday spirit on in downtown Aurora! Mingle with Santa and the Grinch, shop at the Christkindlmarket, enjoy local food vendors, and watch the tree lighting at the GAR Museum. Downer Place in downtown Aurora. aurora-il.org AURORA ART STUDIOS OPEN HOUSE Sat Nov 22 from 5:30 to 9 Take a peek in working artist studios, formerly Gallery 44.

Free. 50 E. Galena Blvd.

FAMILY READING NIGHT Mon Nov 24 at 6:30 Celebrate family reading night for an hour at the Aurora Regional Fire Museum hosted by Aurora Public Library.

Free. 53 N. Broadway Ave. (630) 264-4123. aurorapubliclibrary.org GINGERBREAD FIREHOUSE CONTEST AND EXHIBIT Sat Nov 29 from 1 to 4 thru the end of Dec Grab the sugar, grab the spice and stop, drop, and roll for the annual fire-themed gingerbread building contest. Free. Aurora Regional Fire Museum, 53 N. Broadway. auroraregionalfiremuseum.org

HUMP DAY HOLIDAY Wed Dec 10 from 5 to 8 Aurora Downtown invites you to network and meet downtown neighbors. Free. La Quinta de los Reyes, 36 E. New York St. auroradowntown.com A CHRISTMAS CAROL Opens Thurs Dec 11 $15-$17. Call for showtimes. Riverfront Playhouse, 1113 Water Street Mall. (630) 897-9496. riverfrontplayhouse.com STORYTIME AT THE CAFE Mon Dec 15 at 11 The Aurora Public Library hosts an off-site storytime for children with books, dancing and fun, plus a free treat.

Free. River’s Edge Cafe, 14 W. Downer Pl. Suite 18. No reg. needed. aurorapubliclibrary.org WINTER GARDEN OF YOUTH Opens Fri Dec 19 from 5 to 7 An annual exhibit of works of art by Aurora students in grades K through 12. Thru Jan. 24. Open Wed-Sat, noon to 4. Free. David L. Pierce Art & History Center, 20 E. Downer Pl. (630) 9060654. www.aurora-il.org POLAR EXPRESS Tues Dec 23 at 11 Watch the popular holiday film on the big screen. Hot, hot, ooh, we got it! $1. Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. paramountaurora.com

JANUARY HAPPY NEW YEAR! KEEPING DOWN WITH THE JONESES Opens Jan 16 $15-$17. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m. Riverfront Playhouse, 11-13 Water Street Mall. (630) 8979496. riverfrontplayhouse.com

LIMITED RUNS & SHOWINGS COMIC BOOK ART Currently showing An exhibit in conjunction with Other World Con brought to you by Rotten Apple Studios. Free. David L. Pierce Art & History Center, 20 E. Downer Pl. (630) 906-0650. aurorahistory.net

THE AURORA STORY Ongoing The Aurora Historical Society exhibit on the 2nd floor of “The DLP” tells the history of Aurora with fun, vintage displays. Free. David L. Pierce Art & History Center, 20 E.Downer Pl. (630) 9060650. aurorahistory.net ART AT CITY HALL: MIDWEST COLLAGE SOCIETY Thru Jan 16 Aurora’s City Hall features works of art on every floor in various mediums. Open Mon-Fri, 8 to 5. City Hall, 44 E. Downer Pl. aurora-il.org GLAD WE HAVE THIS TIME TOGETHER Nov 21 thru Dec 6 Enjoy a collection of Carol Burnett comedy skits from her classic television show. $15-$17. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m. Riverfront Playhouse, 11-13 Water Street Mall. (630) 897-9496. riverfrontplayhouse.com

ONGOING EVENTS M.U.S.I.C. MONDAYS Mondays from 6 to 7 Local musicians perform in the bookstore. Free. Culture Stock, 43 E. Galena Blvd. M.U.S.I.C. on Facebook.

CLASSIC MOVIE MONDAYS Mondays at 7 Starting up again in December, classic movies screen every Monday at the historic theater. $1.

Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. paramountaurora.com DAAM! First Thursday of the month at 8 Join artists of all kinds at informal Downtown Aurora Arts Mixers. Various locations in downtown Aurora. Everyone is welcome. downtownauroran.com FIRST FRIDAYS IN DOWNTOWN AURORA: NOV 7, DEC 5, JAN 2, FEB 6 First Friday of the month Art is alive in downtown Aurora. Enjoy several art openings in one glorious night. Various times and venues. auroradowntown.com MUSEUM ROLL CALL David L. Pierce Art & History Center, 20 East Downer Place Aurora Regional Fire Museum, 53 North Broadway SciTech Hands On Museum, 18 West Benton Street Grand Army of the Republic Museum, 23 East Downer Place

Need more art & culture?

Visit: downtownauroran.com and click on the Calendar tab.

Fall 2014

Downtown Auroran

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STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES We’re passionate about the clients and communities we serve. We feel it’s important to take a deep breath and focus on what’s important in life. That’s why Old Second values any opportunity to support the arts in our community.

28 area locations! 1-877-866-0202 www.oldsecond.com Member FDIC