04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Festival along Fox River gives North Aurora a chance to celebrate
North Aurora's Riverfront Park offered a noticeable buzz over the weekend as the village offered its annual North Aurora Days celebration.
An annual event dating back to 1990, the festival has continued to offer music, food and entertainment as well as community interaction including a village-wide garage sale, activities at the local library and more.
The two-day event kicked off formally at 5 p.m. Friday with food and beer tents, face painting and balloon art, inflatables for kids to play on, a petting zoo and live music.
Saturday offered a fishing derby at Willow Lake Park and a softball tournament at Fearn Park, followed by a Touch-A-Truck opportunity and plenty of food and entertainment.
North Aurora Community Relations Coordinator Natalie Stevens said the event has been held the last four years at Riverfront Park along the Fox River after formerly being held at Clocktower Plaza at 19 S. Randall Road.
'We've had a two-day event for years. We see this as a way for the community to come out and have a good time,' Stevens said Friday before the opening of the event. 'North Aurora Days is our largest festival and we pull out all the stops. The biggest thing about our event that's unique is everything here is free for everyone to check out except obviously the food and drinks.
'We have everything from a mechanical bull to a petting zoo and we partnered with the library to do an art program for a community puzzle which subscribes to our idea of community and also their idea of their program of 'Color Our World' so it's fitting to have a colorful puzzle that's being made,' she said. 'We have fireworks Saturday night and it's going to be a great event.'
An ice-cream eating contest was added this year on Saturday, thanks to a sponsorship from Oberweis.
Richard Newell said he has lived in North Aurora for 31 years and has attended many local festivals in town.
'People keep coming back because of the sense of community and being united as one and the common cause which is to have a good time and enjoy the outdoors and music and some interesting food and just community,' Newell said Friday night. 'After so many times here, my feeling is North Aurora is a vibrant, growing community and there's a lot of life and enthusiasm and diversity.'
Guests arrived early Friday night to find a place to listen to the music, grab something to eat or avoid long lines for attractions for the kids.
Stacey Torres of North Aurora brought her niece to the event on Friday.
'To me, this is family-friendly and they (families) get to have a lot of fun. We always have a good time here,' Torres said. 'We're going to do the bounce castle, face-painting and then funnel cakes. I think we'll be back tomorrow for the fireworks. We've kind of planned our weekend around this.'
Ronessa Krienitz of North Aurora said she has attended North Aurora Days at least half a dozen times and that 'the music, the bouncy house and the face painting' were some of the attractions for her and her daughter.
'This is pretty much all for her now,' Krienitz said looking at her daughter on Friday. 'We'll probably come back tomorrow. To me, this is about community-building and it's just nice for everybody to get together. We always bump into someone we know.'
Wilson Morales and his wife Lisa of Montgomery brought their grandson Tristen, 7, who was planning to ride the mechanical bull at the event.
'I think I can handle this. I just saw someone do it,' Tristen said. 'I also want to do the giant slide and get something to eat.'
'I'm looking forward to listening to some music and taking in the air and partake in all the fun activities they have for the kids,' Lisa Morales added. 'It's beautiful here by the river.'
Andy Poulos of Batavia was getting his seat ready to listen to some music on Friday night at the festival.
'I think things like this are great for the community. It's great to get the people out here and some food and support the local vendors. It's fantastic,' he said.
