Sweet 16
By Naperville Magazine
Appears in the August 2026 issue.
By Jeff Banowetz
Aurora’s Alley Art Festival marks its final year
The Alley Art Festival, held the last Saturday in August each year on Water Street in downtown Aurora, always has been a grassroots affair. Debuting in 2010, the event was founded by Marissa Amoni, Jenn Byrne, Lisa Gloria, and Nate Miller, who were part of a group working to strengthen the local arts community.
“I used to host a monthly arts mixer back then,” Amoni says. “We’d get together, and I’d ask people what they’d like to see in downtown Aurora. And it was actually an art student at the time who mentioned doing a festival on the Water Street Mall. We thought that was something we could actually make happen, and it ended up working out.”
The fest was designed to bring more attention to nearby artists. “I think that what’s so special about the Alley Art Festival is that we really wanted to focus on the local art scene and local artists,” Amoni says. “It has always maintained the integrity of highlighting local artists. More recently, we’ve instituted the rule, if you will, that we define local as living within 30 miles of Aurora.”
From the beginning, the event drew interest, with about 45 artists participating that first year. It now caps participation at 100 artists, all of whom display and sell their artwork. The festival also will feature live music, starting with singer-songwriter Lisa P. Medina at noon. Dianella Dance, Magnolia Dance Collective, and Thalia Dance will take the stage at 2 p.m., followed by the Americana roots band Tank & the Beez at 3 p.m. Aerialist Beth Stavros will be performing at various times from noon to 3:30 p.m., and there also be a variety of food vendors and children’s activities.
Despite its continued success, however, this will be the festival’s final year. “The sweet 16 is a great milestone to celebrate,” Amoni says. “I’m ready to move on to other things. And it’s nice for other groups of people to step in and create their own thing. It’s been meaningful, and we’ve developed a great community, but after 16 years, things change. I think it would be nice for a new community to be cultivated.”
But she and the founders are very proud of the role they’ve played in the changes in downtown Aurora. “I grew up in Aurora, and the Alley Art Festival was part of the resurgence of the arts community,” she says. “It’s played a vital role in getting people motivated and helping to organize that community. We’ve come a long way.”
She also believes that the arts community has matured over the last decade and a half, and that there are now many more opportunities in the area. “It’s always important to look at what’s needed in a community,” Amoni says. “I think this was an important part of Aurora’s growth…I’m excited to see what comes next.”
This year’s fest is Aug. 29. For more info, visit alleyartaurora.com.
Photos: Marissa Amoni
