Music, food trucks at Aurora's First Fridays May 4

The force will be strong in downtown Aurora on May 4. Live music, food trucks and art openings are all part of the First Fridays lineup that welcomes "Star Wars" fans to celebrate.

Although nothing official is planned, the night gives a nod to "May the 4th be with you," the movie's annual day of fandom. So don't be surprised if you see a wookiee or two at the Food Truck Festival from 5 to 10 p.m. on Benton Street.

"We aren't doing anything on a large scale, but we encourage fans to dress up," said Marissa Amoni, event coordinator for Aurora Downtown. Amoni added that all of the volunteers at this year's Food Truck Festival will be wearing T-shirts that honor the fan day.

Food Truck Festival activities are rain or shine and begin at 5 p.m. with about 30 food vendors parked along the Benton Street bridges. A kids area near the Swimming Stones will feature hands-on activities with Paramount School of the Arts and SciTech Hands On Museum.

Live music is featured at Millennium Plaza on Stolp Avenue, with Sweet-T at 6 p.m. and Nashon Holloway at 8 p.m.

The night also includes almost 20 venues open with art, music, and more for First Fridays. Visit pop-up shops at All Spoked Up and Wyckwood House, and ride two free trolleys from 6 to 10 p.m.

• Gallery 1904, 1 E. Benton St., hosts Congressman Bill Foster's Congressional Art Show featuring student artwork and awards from 5 to 9 p.m.

• The ArtBar, 205 N. Broadway, hosts "Live Long and Prosper" from 7 p.m. to midnight in the tavern at Two Brothers Roundhouse. Lauren Schmidt in the lounge.

• Aurora Public Art continues "Rhonda Wheatley: At Your Soul's Discretion," which also encourages all ages to create journals from 5 to 7 p.m. on the third floor at the David L. Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer Place.

• From 6 to 8:30 p.m., Waubonsee Community College Aurora Downtown campus library, 18 S. River St., is open with a ceramics show and sale, plus a pottery throwing demonstration and Waubonsee's Jazz Combo. The campus cafe will be open and artist Michael Wille will be present at his show, "Micro-Aesthetics."

• Branch Gardens, 77 S. Lake St., opens its garden center at the northwest corner of Benton and Lake streets for a pre-grand-opening party from 5 to 10 p.m.

• Endiro Coffee, 29 W. New York St., celebrates its anniversary with art and live music from 6 to 9 p.m.

• AKA Dance, 14 W. Downer Place, Suite 10, hosts a free dance class from 6:30 to 7 p.m.

• Gremlen Recording Studios, 130 W. Downer Place, offers studio tours and karaoke from 6 to 9 p.m.

• Aurora Historical Society, 20 E. Downer Place, hosts "Ethnicity and Diversity in Aurora, 1834-Present," an exhibit featuring the contributions of immigrant groups to Aurora culture, on the first floor and "Aurora Story" on the second floor from 5 to 9 p.m.

• Santori Public Library, 101 S. River St., celebrates Aurora matriarch Marie Wilkinson's birthday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

• If These Walls Could Talk, 32 S. Stolp Ave., opens "Into the Deep: Natalie Siebel" from 7 to 10 p.m.

• The Web, 134 W. Downer Place, hosts "Paper, Scissors and Glue," featuring artists Erin Jones Joseph, Jason DeLancey, and Bryan Danial Joseph from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m.

• Gillerson's Grubbery, 33 W. New York St., welcomes Surly Brewing Company to "Pint Night" starting at 6 p.m.

• SciTech, 18 W. Benton St., hosts "Play, Learn, Connect" with SPARK Aurora Early Childhood Collaboration from 6 to 8 p.m.

• Zen Loft Wellness Center, 6 W. Downer Place, is open with $5 mini classes, demos, massage, and welcomes special guest Jennifer Minott with Young Living Wellness from 6 to 9 p.m.

• Christian Science Reading Room, 34 S. Stolp Ave., is open with prizes, gifts, and free kids crafts from 6 to 9 p.m.

First Fridays maps are available at all venues. Free trolley rides from downtown parking areas run approximately every 10 to 15 minutes from 6 to 10 p.m. For more information, visit www.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.