North Aurora officially welcomed in the holiday season Saturday evening with its Making Spirits Bright event, which included an expanded lighted vehicle parade, the lighting of the village Christmas tree and more.
North Aurora Village President Mark Gaffino said the parade was held for the first time two years ago and was expanded this year thanks to opening registration to local residents and businesses. The first two years the parade featured community vehicles including those from the police and fire departments and the park district.
The parade this year grew to about 20 vehicles.
“This is something I’ve been wanting to do in the village and the idea was to get more people involved,” Gaffino said before the parade. “There are other towns that do these kinds of things and we’d like to expand having our own event here in North Aurora. We’ve had maybe eight to 10 vehicles in the past and we wanted to expand it.”
Gaffino was all smiles Saturday as the sun went down while he stood in the North Aurora Police Department parking lot sporting an iridescent green sports jacket, a glowing bow tie and a Santa hat.
The parade itself went from the North Aurora Police Department down Route 31 to North Aurora Riverfront Park, where the community tree lighting was held.
North Aurora Community and Board Relations Coordinator Natalie Stevens said there were a host of attractions and activities at the event.
“The first year we did this it was raining and we only had about 400 people and last year, we doubled that so we’re expecting with decent weather to get over 1,000 this year,” Stevens said before the event. “We have a bunch of other activities including an ornament-making station where people can decorate the village’s 12-foot Christmas tree, and we’ve brought back the live reindeer we had last year.”
The event also included a food drive benefiting the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry, pictures with Santa and many village-installed decorations including the village’s Christmas tree that “is synchronized to playing three songs with lights.”
“We’re very excited” about the event, said Beth Nystrom, president of Garage 31, which has been in business in the village for seven years. “We brought 17 of us. We love being part of the community. We have so much fun with everyone and everyone in the community is really awesome. This is a good way to bring people together.”
Blacksoul tattoo shop in North Aurora took part in the parade including having an employee dressed as the Grinch.
“We want to support the community – that’s what we do. We’re all a team and we want to represent our business as well,” Jessie Raya, owner of Blacksoul, said. “I’m happy the village included other businesses in the parade which allows us to also showcase ourselves.”
Lisa Asturrizaga, one of the owners of the Rustic Fox, brought a trailer to participate in the parade and said she wanted to come “as we live in North Aurora and we’ve been a part of the parade and the community ever since we’ve been here.”
“I’ve been involved in the North Aurora Mothers Club and now we want to do our part and be involved in our community,” she said. “We’ve got great weather and a beautiful sunset.”
Dan Jackson and his family from North Aurora said there was no way he and his wife and kids were going to miss the parade.
“I live in this town. I was born and raised in this town and it’s nice to have something like this that people can look forward to in North Aurora,” he said. “We’re going to a friends’ party after but the kids get to see Santa and a tree-lighting.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
