Aurora celebrates art, music, theater with First Fridays

With eight venues and two theater shows, the First Friday on April 4 in downtown Aurora is the biggest yet.

First Fridays in Downtown Aurora invite the community to enjoy art, music, food, theater and more on the first Friday of the month. This month, multiple venues will host free public art openings.

In addition, Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., is showing its critically praised "Rent" and Riverfront Playhouse, 13 S. Water St., presents "The Job" by Shem Bitterman.

VARA Design, 15 W. Downer Place, features the work of Clay Williams and Vidas Zimkus from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Allen and Pepa Architects in the old Holbrook Mill, 121 W. Benton St., hosts "Thunder Over Lightning," paintings by Patrick McDonnell, Karen Karlowski and Jean Paulis, from 5 to 9 p.m.

From 6 p.m. to midnight, The ArtBar at Two Brothers Roundhouse, 205 N. Broadway, features a poster theme. Cadillac Casanovas, a rockabilly group, performs live music in the tavern for no cover.

Culture Stock, 43 E. Galena Blvd., is celebrating Earth Month with the "Earth Day Artifacts Show," a juried exhibit that incorporates either natural materials or found objects. The art show at the bookstore runs 7 to 9 p.m.; Aurora's Deaf Chat is held simultaneously.

If These Walls Could Talk, 32 S. Stolp Ave., is also honoring environmentally-friendly art with "I Found It!" a show of recycled art, from 7 to 11 p.m.

Paramount Theatre's Grand Gallery, 23 E. Galena Blvd., is open from 7 to 8:30 p.m. with paintings by Gabriel Karagianis

New to First Fridays are two venues. Chef Amaury at 33 West, 33 W. New York St., features the work of artist Kerri Ann Branson from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.; and SciTech Hands On Museum, 18 W. Benton St., is open from 6 to 8 p.m.

For information and a map of participating venues, visit auroradowntown.org.