April First Fridays In Aurora Introduces New Spring Egg Hunt

AURORA, IL — It's the first Friday in April, and Aurora is celebrating spring and Easter with its monthly "First Fridays" series in downtown Aurora.

This month, Aurora residents and visitors can take part in the new Spring Egg Hunt, with 19 businesses set to participate, organizers said.

First Fridays is now hosted by the Aurora Regional Economic Alliance, which incorporated the former Aurora Downtown "in a unified effort to strengthen and support economic development throughout the region."

The group is revisiting its new business membership dues with benefits, so onboarding is temporarily paused. Businesses interested in joining can email the Alliance to be notified when enrollment opens.

A First Fridays map is available on the Aurora Downtown website and at downtown storefronts. Take a look at participating restaurants and their specials for the event:

Restaurants

• Society 57 (100 S. River St.): Cocktails and bites
• Ballydoyle Irish Pub (28 W. New York St.): $10 burgers and $3.50 domestic draft beer
• La Quinta de los Reyes (36 E. New York St.): $8 house margaritas
• McCarty Mills Taproom (140 S. River St.): La Compa Mexican Cuisine

Retail

• Hope Chest (34 N. Lincoln Ave.): Pick an egg for a percentage off total purchase. Exclusions apply.
• Nide Jardin (140 S. River St., Suite 106): 10% off all plants
• Offbeat Vintage Collective (7 N. Broadway): 40% off coats, 25% off sweaters. Plus: Francis the shop cat appearance!

Art

• Archetype-Stained Glass and Liyhophyte Fine Art Studios (33 S. Broadway): Beautiful art, live music, refreshments and freshly made popcorn
• IDT Photo (8 N. Broadway): Easter wall selfie
• Yellow Bird Books (34 S. Stolp Ave.): "Make 'em Laugh"-themed art by local artists; humorous books will be highlighted

Entertainment

• First National Bank of Omaha (140 S. River St., Suite 112): Easter Bunny from 5–8 p.m., coloring contest and goodies
• The Paramount School of the Arts (20 S. Stolp Ave.): Come Enjoy a night of laugh-out-loud unscripted comedy performed by the PSA High School Improv Institute. No tickets needed.
• The Venue (21 S. Broadway): Our Free First Friday show in April features The Dirty Dead, a Midwestern Grateful Dead tribute band consisting of young local musicians who have a deep appreciation for the Grateful Dead and their music.

Museums and more

• Aurora Historical Society (20 E. Downer Place): Special Exhibit — "It's About Time": Historic Clocks & Watches
• Aurora Regional Fire Museum (53 N. Broadway): Explore the museum, enter our meat raffle and grab goodies for Easter baskets. The Easter Bunny may even leave special eggs for an extra surprise.
• Grand Army of the Republic Military Museum (23 E. Downer Place): Free admission and latest exhibit: The War on Two Fronts
• Challenge II Change (31 W. Downer St., Suite B-1): Resources for workforce development, housing and wrap-around services