Late Aurora Comedian Honored With Street Dedication

AURORA, IL — More than 150 community members gathered Saturday to celebrate the life and legacy of the late comedian Ken Flores during a street dedication ceremony on Aurora's east side.

Flores, who was a rising star and familiar face in Los Angeles's stand-up scene, died Jan. 28 of congestive heart failure. He was 28.

To honor the beloved comedian, the City of Aurora dedicated the corner of Spicebush Lane and Fifth Avenue, the block where Flores grew up, as "Ken Flores Way." Flores is the youngest Auroran to be honored with a street name.

During the ceremony, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin also formally proclaimed June 10 as Ken Flores Day, highlighting the comedian's birthday as a day to remember his humor and impact. The event concluded with an audio tribute to one of Flores's stand-up routines.

"This is what Ken would want," said Cristian Arriaga, Flores's friend, per a city news release. "He would want us to laugh and have a good time. I know he's in heaving smiling down."

A 2014 alum of East Aurora High School, Flores reguarly performed at renowned comedy clubs in Los Angeles, including Hollywood's Laugh Factory, The Comedy Store, The Haha, and Hollywood Improv.

"Flores was emerging as a vital part of the next wave of standout Latino comedians and had just embarked on his Butterfly Effect national tour weeks before his sudden passing," Clayton Muhammad, chief communications and equity officer, wrote in the release.

Aurora staff are planning a citywide celebration on June 10 to further honor Ken Flores "to ensure his memory continues to inspire and uplift the community."