Aurora's First Fridays features virtual art shows, pay-what-you-can cafe Sept. 4
First Fridays is once again back in downtown on Sept. 4 with art, music, and more at a dozen plus venues.
The evening will provide a variety of experiences for all to participate including virtual and crowd-free options.
• Goldfinch Cafe will pop up with a mobile cafe from 5 to 9 p.m. at Wyckwood House, 14 W. Downer Place, Suite 16. The pay-what-you-can cafe will offer take away salads and mint lemonade with proceeds going toward the purchase of a food truck.
• Wyckwood House will also host musician Matthew Ripsch from 6 to 8 p.m.
• The ArtBar kicks off their ninth season with "Art as Protest," a virtual show available at artbaraurora.com. Live conversation will happen with artists on their Facebook page at 7 p.m.
• Aurora Public Library will host Aurora Art League Member Show, a virtual gallery exhibit from 6 to 6:30 p.m. on the library's Facebook page.
• VizoArts celebrates their second annual photography exhibition from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Gallery 1904 at 1 E. Benton St.
• Artesan Lofts, 2 S. Stolp Ave., will host a group show from 6 to 9 p.m.
• Aurora Tap House, 132 W. Downer Place, will feature Shelley Monahan Designs from 6 to 9 p.m.
• Gary Brown Art Studio, 7 S. Broadway, will debut acrylic artist Karen Dolce from 6 to 9 p.m.
• Altiro Latin Fusion, 1 S. Stolp Ave., will showcase Damian Rivero with live Spanish rock from 6 to 9 p.m.
• Endiro Coffee, 29 W. New York St., will present live music by Demi Proutsos along with new art from Aurora Art League and drink specials from 6 to 9 p.m.
• The Riverfront Playhouse will feature live music from 6 to 10 p.m. in front of their doors along Water Street Mall. Music duo The Heels will be joined by musical friends.
• Aurora Historical Society will have their windows on display throughout the evening with "A Look Back," a special Roots Aurora window display at the David L. Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer Pl. Roots Aurora was unable to hold their annual event as part of September's First Fridays, and will instead plan activities downtown-wide for October's First Fridays.
• SciTech Hands-on Museum, 18 W. Benton St., will again host a downtown scavenger hunt and sidewalk sale from 5 to 7 p.m.
• Simply Destinee, 122 W. Downer Place, will feature "Dis-Dancing" at their location from 5 to 8 p.m.
• Legacy Fitness, 77 S. River St., will offer "Outdoor Fitness for All" from 5 to 8 p.m. in the parking lot adjacent to their building.
• Offbeat Thrift and Vintage, 14 W. Downer Place Suite 16 (downstairs), will be open with a Mod-tage Tiki Party from 5 to 9 p.m.
• Warehouse 55, 55 S. Lake St., will celebrate their first year from 6 to 8 p.m. Stop by and pick up a grab-and-go bouquet from Blissful Blooms.
• Society 57, 100 S. River St., will premier a new specialty drink from 6 to 9 p.m.
• All Spoked Up, 14 W. Downer Place, Suite 10, will celebrate their grand reopening from 6 to 10 p.m. They recently moved one door east.
• Camelia Danza Belly Dance at Zen Loft Wellness Center, 6 W. Downer Place, will dance outdoors at 7:30 p.m.
• Gillerson's Grubbery, 33 W. New York St., will be open with brinner specials from 8 to 9:30 p.m. A rescheduled movie night for "The Breakfast Club" will start at 9:30 p.m. To reserve a table during the movie for a fee, call Amy-Sue at (630) 340-3719.
• The Cotton Seed Creative Exchange, 8 N. Broadway, will be open from 6 to 9 p.m. with free Bamenda Coffee and the release of photographer Ivan Cormona's "Closer to the Lung" coffee table book.
All participating venues will adhere to current Phase 4 guidelines. Masks are required indoors, and outdoors when six-feet of social distancing cannot be maintained.
The trolley will not be running. Maps will be available online at auroradowntown.org.
Aurora Downtown is a nonprofit group of business and property owners within Special Service Area (SSA) #One that is dedicated to making downtown Aurora a premier destination for arts, culture, entertainment, dining, living, and working. Learn more at www.auroradowntown.org.