New murals, music and more at Alley Art Festival Aug. 28
The Alley Art Festival returns Saturday, Aug. 28, to downtown Aurora. The popular, grass-roots art festival will be back on Water Street Mall and is expanding to the nearby riverwalk, Millennium Plaza on Stolp Avenue, and Gallery 1904 at 1 E. Benton St. Hours are noon to 5 p.m. and admission is free.
Celebrating its 11th year, the festival thrown by the Aurora Downtown nonprofit group will feature more than 65 local artists from Aurora and nearby communities.
"This year, we're placing the artists in wide-open public spaces downtown to allow for social distancing, and we're featuring entertainment at the Millennium Plaza gazebo. It'll provide a flow through the core of downtown while also including the business district in the eventful day," said Marissa Amoni, manager of Aurora Downtown.
The annual festival highlights locally made art, jewelry, pottery, handmade goods, and more. It provides an opportunity to meet and support local artists, Amoni said.
Live music kicks off at noon at Millennium Plaza with The Davenport Project, then Eastern Fire Belly Dance at 2 p.m. Kovacs and Company will perform at 3 p.m. and Cartridge B Sides at 4 p.m.
Nonprofit vendors include Fox Valley Robotics, Aurora Regional Fire Museum, and Culture Stock.
Food vendors will be located near city hall, 44 E. Downer Pl., and include Modest Coffee, Holy Pierogi, Harvey's Fire Box, and Home Run Hot Dogs and Lemonade.
Mural painting, installation
Twenty-five of 30 new murals by Aurora Public Art will be installed on or completed by Aug. 28 during Alley Art Fest.
From noon to 8 p.m., Aurora Public Art will host DJs and 16 street artists live painting Aurora's first sanctioned Street Art Gallery during "Bom' Da Lot" in the public parking lot H at 14 Middle Ave. Artists include Rogue1, Rawfa, Flash ABC, Raven, Cres Roc, Acid, Fisk, Syms, Snagz, Decades Oner, Seize, Ill630ink, Shananagans, 1 AV One, and Sick Bombshell.
"Fellow festival founder Jenn Byrne Evans is now the city's director of public art, and she is bringing live art to the day with several downtown mural projects including Bom' da Lot," Amoni said.
International muralist Rafael Blanco, an Aurora resident originally from Spain, will be installing a 40-foot mural at 105 E. Galena Blvd. This mural is sponsored by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, Aurora Downtown, Bush Construction, and the city of Aurora.
Four local artists will be completing a mural depicting Alebrijes, magical animals from Mexican Folk Art, on the BNSF viaduct wall along East New York St., under the railroad bridge.
Artists include Pierre Lucero, Catalina Diaz, Laura Reyes, and Janice Rodriguez. This mural is sponsored by a grant from the Burlington Northern Foundation and the city of Aurora.
Six new traffic cabinet murals are being added to the existing 12 traffic cabinet murals installed throughout downtown Aurora in 2018.
The 2021 artists include Raul Rodea at the southeast corner of Benton and River streets; Thuy-An Nguyen at the southwest corner of Galena Boulevard and River Street; Ali Cantarella at East New York Street, west of the BNSF viaduct; Josh Schultz at the southeast corner of New York Street and Broadway; Teresa Fiehn Millies on River Street, south of Benton at the east entrance of the Santori Library; and Elizabeth French on the west side of River Street between Downer Place and Benton Street at Public Parking Lot C. This project is sponsored by Aurora Downtown and the city of Aurora.
Artists Laura Lynne and Catalina Diaz are installing a mural, commissioned and sponsored by Aurora Downtown, at 210 E. Galena Blvd. It's the second gateway mural welcoming everyone into downtown.
Christopher Lucero is installing three large-scale prints from his Calaveras of Chicago series on the east side of 36 W. Downer Place.
From noon to 5 p.m., there will be performances at the Millennium Plaza gazebo at 21 S. Stolp Ave. The schedule will be: The Davenport Project at noon; Eastern Fire Belly Dance at 2 p.m.; Kovacs & Company at 3 p.m.; and Cartridge B Sides at 4 p.m.
Visit all of the Aurora Public Art. Download the free Otocast mobile app for an audio tour map at www.alleyartaurora.com.
The festival is sponsored by Aurora Downtown, Vizo Arts, and the city of Aurora. Follow www.facebook.com/alleyartfest/.
A month of public art in Aurora, celebrated Aug. 28
What: Alley Art Festival and mural installations throughout downtown Aurora
When: Saturday, Aug. 28, from noon to 5 p.m.
Where: Multiple locations throughout downtown. Parking located throughout; go to
auroradowntown.org/about/parking/. Prime locations: Water Street Mall, 44 E. Downer Place and Lot H at 14 Middle Ave.Featured artists: Jacqueline Franco; Antonio Resendez; Christopher Lucero/Calaveras of Chicago; Art by Devan; Jessica Fincher Fine Art; Marisol DelValle/Dzhelasi; Erika Swanson/Bellossoms; Jen Keller Art; Grace Bales; Eric Goetzinger; Rebecca Shinault; Kathie Collinson/Collinson Fine Art; Mays Mayhew Art; Stephanie Wheatley/Wheatley Design Prints; Sonia Richardson; Shannon Maraffa/Crystal Ship Jewelry; Elizabeth French; Daniel J Cordes/Treasures from Trees; Carisa Orlicz/Ursula Naturals; Kelsey Rankin/Hemp Club Jewelry; Leah Birhanu Creative; Blazing Phoenix Designs; Jose M Alvarez/Alman Leather Co; Sarah Felgenhauer/The Brave Bandit; Laura Lynne Art, LLC; Rosemary Garcia/Latin Fusion; Susi Daniel & Judi Kickel/Parlilian Treasures & MiBolsa; Alicia Nabors/HandsomeJimmy/FabSleep; Tammy longson/Scissor sisters studio; Lindsey Roussel; Kittens Of Industry; Amanda Snyder; LaShelle Shellz/Perfect Gifts; Jonna Cain/Jonna Momma Art; Teresa Fiehn Millies; Meghan Schmid/Meg Schmeg Art; Cheri Tremain/ArtWorksbyCheri; Jonah Sunderland; Rhonda Crooks/Mama’s macramé; Pierre Lucero Art; Heather Shore; Sam Campos; Jay Conant; lisa holzl/1 DROP 2 WELLNESS; Candace Rakow/Candi Coated Designs; Kendall Hunt; Jane Thorsen Photography; Samantha Wood; Carissa Hartwig/The Grande Clam; Mario/The real zim zimma; Shawn Dooley/The Grue Gallery; Edmarie Marcos/The Artist’s Journal; Maria Byers/RIA; Roz Anomaly Art; Nadia Ingram Dani/ Burnt Toast; Joanna Goss; Andrea N Brengman/Just Duckie Designs; Dee Karabowicz/ChickaDee Clays; Chris Szostek and Michelle Miller; Lo Bannerman/Positive Post Co. LLC; Michael Del Valle; Eve Tamez; Giovanni Arellano/Fiendsco; Amaryllis Guerrero; Renee Hoover/The Unruly Artist; Dawn Jones StudiosPhoto booth: Jason Arthur and Randy Benzie/Monochromatic MeFace painting: Gin IngramHenna: Teala/Miss Henna Marie