A gazebo in downtown Aurora is the place to be for live music in Chicagoland this summer
Scott Tipping returns to Millennium Plaza with his trio on August 4 for a First Fridays concert and Stolp Avenue block party. A downtown organization hosts free concerts at the plaza all summer long. Photo by Tony Scott.
It’s called Millennium Plaza. It’s next to the tallest building in Aurora and situated along the Fox River across from a community college. There’s a tall, geometric monument with a fountain at its base that pays tribute to the new millennium and a large, metal gazebo strung with white lights on the roof. It’ll host 18 free concerts this summer.
Ten of the concerts are part of Wednesdays at the Plaza, a free summer concert series. First Fridays hosts four concerts starting on May 5 and, new this year, Summer Second Saturdays provides a free afternoon with family-friendly entertainment and activities.
The concrete auditorium seating is the perfect setting for a summer evening with live music. Check out these dates at Millennium Plaza, 21 S. Stolp Ave. in downtown Aurora this summer. It’s an impressive lineup that has Midwest summer written all over it.
May 5: Cinco de Mayo Concert: Sones de México Ensemble/James Sanders’ Conjunto
May 13: Summer Second Saturdays: School of Rock Plainfield
June 2: Eric Chesser and Blue Sky Blind with School of Rock Mokena
June 10: Second Summer Saturdays: The Aviators
June 14: Jake Mack and the Lesser Stags
June 21: Empty Can Band
June 28: Wayne’s World special concert feat. Noah’s Arcade with The Kevin Trudo and Friends
July 5: Greg Boerner
July 8: Second Summer Saturdays: Two DJs and a Food Truck
July 12: Devil in a Woodpile
July 19: Etha & Friends
July 26: Town Band
Aug 2: Anderlik, Otto & Church
Aug 4: Scott Tipping Trio with Ron Porter Trio
Aug 9: Feed the Birds
Aug 12: Dabylon
Aug 16: Big Sadie
Aug 23: Rain Date TBD
Aug 30: Rain Date TBD
Sept 1: Miles Nielsen & the Rusted Hearts with The Desperate Bastards
Wednesdays at the Plaza concerts are from 7 to 9 p.m. First Fridays concerts are from 6 to 10 p.m. and Summer Second Saturdays are 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Coolers (no alcohol) are welcome. Blankets and/or cushions are recommended. Chairs can be set up in the small lawn area.
All concerts are sponsored by Aurora Downtown, a non-profit group of downtown business and property owners within SSA #One. Certain dates are also sponsored by City of Aurora and Wednesdays at the Plaza sponsors. Find out more at www.auroradowntown.org.
Find Facebook invites to Wednesdays at the Plaza here.
