Aurora Events, Things to Do and Festivals 2014 / 2015

(Aurora, Colorado - CO, USA)

With such cold winters, many of the events staged around the city of Aurora take place during the warmer summer months, ranging from open-air summer concerts in a local park to fireworks, county fairs, family attractions, annual festivals and performances at the Aurora Fox Arts Center on East Colfax Avenue. And of course, with Denver being so close by, you just have to head to the metropolis next-door for more festivals and live entertainment.

There are certainly plenty of things to do during the summer months, both in the city and at the nearby Arapahoe County Fairgrounds and Regional Park. Quite unmissable is the Fourth of July Spectacular, which takes place each year on Independence Day at the Aurora Municipal Center, on the East Alameda Parkway. The Fourth of July celebrations are the biggest within the metro area and the fireworks display is quite breathtaking, being clearly visible above the rooftops of the cityscape.

Also held each July in Aurora is the Banks in Harmony Summer Concert Series. First held in the mid-1980s, these open-air concerts come along towards the end of July and are staged at various locations around the city center, such as Utah Park on South Peoria Street. Further concerts and related events are to be found on the Great Lawn at the Aurora Municipal Center, as well as at the Bicentennial Park on East Alameda Avenue and Meadowood Park on South Laredo Street. Free admission ensures large crowds, with the music and festivities starting at 18:30 and lasting until late into the night.

Aurora Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

In the middle of March, the Smoky Hill High School Spring Craft Fair comes along with its arts and crafts, antiques and collectibles. This is always a pleasant get-together, just as the temperatures are beginning to warm up and spring is starting to show itself. A couple of months later, in mid-May, the Java Fest suits the serious coffee aficionado and is held at the Fletcher Plaza on East Colfax Avenue, where it is accompanied by live music, market stalls and family games.

Families planning a visit to Aurora will find that the KidSpree at YumFest is well worth penciling into a diary. Based on the lawns of the Municipal Center, the KidSpree is held every June on one of the earliest Saturdays in the month. The festival begins early in the morning and includes plenty of live entertainment, gourmet food stalls and a wealth of family themed activities, which are aimed at all ages.

Also held in June is the Asian Annual Film Festival at the Aurora Fox Arts Center, while come October, the Halloween fun begins. Here in Aurora, Punkin Chunkin Colorado is amongst the biggest events at this time of the year. Usually held a week or two before Halloween and lasting for two or three days, Punkin Chunkin consists of a competition to see who can throw a large pumpkin the furthest. There are also a number of side attractions, such as handicraft stalls, beer tasting and live music, and with nominal admission charges, crowd numbers regularly exceed 20,000 people.