North Aurora Days ready for family fun

Relaxing with a cold beverage, listening to music, catching up with people you haven't seen in a while.

That's one of the top three things North Aurora Trustee Mark Gaffino looks forward to at North Aurora Days. He likened the evenings at Clock Tower Plaza at Oak Street and Randall Road to a family reunion.

"I just like the camaraderie," he said. "I'd be there either way."

Gaffino has been chairman of the North Aurora Days committee for seven years. "It's a labor of love. You've got good people working with you," he said Monday.

The festival is Friday, Aug. 1 through Sunday, Aug. 3.

New this year is an earlier start on activities at the plaza Saturday afternoon. The plaza will open at noon.

Saturday afternoon, highschoolers' bands will play. The food booths will be open, and there will be activities for children, including face painting, pony rides and a carnival.

"We're trying to bring families down, to make it more of a day," he said.

Gaffino's other "must-see" activities are the bands that perform in the evenings, and the emergency vehicle lights-and-sirens parade and show.

The Emergency Vehicle Parade is 7 p.m. Friday. It starts at the Tinseltown movie theaters on Route 31 and comes up Route 31, then heads west via John Street, Willow Way, Oak Street, Juniper Street, Dogwood Street and Oak Street to Randall Road, ending at 800 Airport Road.

There is a fireworks show at 9:45 p.m. Friday, viewable from Clock Tower Plaza.

Saturday, there's a children's safety event and Touch a Truck at the Mooseheart field house off Route 31 and Mooseheart Road. "Run for the Riverfront" fundraising races start at 7:05 a.m., also at the field house. The Emergency Vehicle Show starts at 10 a.m. at 800 Airport Road.

The annual pet parade is 1 p.m. Sunday. It starts at the North Aurora Activity Center at Route 31 and State Street.

For a full schedule of events, visit northauroradays.com.