A’ROR’N Days set to Rock n Roll

The stage is set for another version of Aurora’s annual community celebration, with A’ROR’N Days offering activities for people of all ages Thursday through Sunday.
Overall, the schedule for A’ROR’N Days weekend is similar to past years, though there are a few changes in store for version 2023.
Everyone in town will want to head to the square Thursday over lunch to enjoy a piece of pie from the Hospital Auxiliary pie stand, where they will be selling whole pies or pieces by the slice from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., noted Jenny Wyatt, chairman of the A’ROR’N Days planning committee. 
“Another change is that we are going to start Family Night (Thursday) a little bit earlier,” Wyatt continued, announcing a 5:30 p.m. start time. “We have so many fun activities to jam into one night, we felt like we needed a little bit more time.”
Back for the first time in several years for Family Night will be The String Beans, an interactive show for kids and people of all ages.
The Youth Center is going to host the A’ROR’N Days talent show this year, a change from past years. There will be separate youth and adult divisions with prizes for both. Anyone interested in participating in the talent show can visit www.hcyouthcenter.com/talent. The Youth Center is also hosting a Teen Street Dance on Saturday from 7-10:30 p.m., providing a fun and safe place for kids to hang out before the adult street dance starts at the Grandview. 
The final new addition to the weekend is a co-ed volleyball tournament at the middle school. There are divisions for high school students and adults. Contact auroravolleyball@gmail.com to register or get more information. 
Wyatt reported that planning for this four-day event began in September.
“We take a couple months off for harvest and the holidays, but we spend months planning this busy and fun-filled weekend,” she said. “We have to thank all of the companies and organizations around town that help us both financially and by hosting events. We wouldn’t be able to put on such an awesome weekend without the support of our community.”
One of the goals this year, as always, is to offer something for people of all age groups to enjoy.
“It’s a goal of our committee to try to plan activities that appeal to as many Aurorans as possible,” she said. “We know a lot of alumni come back for this weekend. It’s fun to see families with multiple generations showing off grandkids and meeting up with old friends. Thursday is family night where most of the activities are kid-focused, but people young and old enjoy the food vendors and talent show. Then Friday we slow things down a bit with the car show and bands. 
“Of course, Saturday’s Grand Parade at noon is a highlight of the weekend,” she continued. “It’s so fun to see the streets of Aurora filled with smiling faces of all ages waving at floats that go by and patiently waiting for handfuls of candy. As we planned the weekend, we kept some of the traditional favorites, but added a few new activities to keep it interesting.”
Saturday is the fullest day of the celebration, with two activities beginning bright and early at 7 a.m., including the Optimist Pancake Feed at the airport and the MCHI Fun Run and Walk at the MCHI Rehabilitation parking lot. A tennis tournament begins at 8:30 a.m., with the street vault starting 30 minutes later on the square at 9. A quilt show at the Plainsman, pickelball demonstration and tours of Aurora High School are planned that morning, as detailed in the brochure. A Quilt of Valor presentation is also planned at 10 a.m. at the Plainsman.
Crowds will start to gather around the square around 11 a.m., when the Hamilton Concert Band begins to perform and Aurora firemen fire up the grill for their annual cookout. Then at noon, planes will fly overhead, signaling the start of the parade.
The annual alumni luncheon will be served from 12:30-2 p.m. at the Senior Center, followed by bus tours to the high school starting at the center. Afternoon activities include a 2-person scramble at Poco Creek Golf Course, free swimming at the pool and the egg toss and kids’ water fight on the square.
A street dance is scheduled for 7-10:30 p.m. at the Youth Center, with an adult street dance at the Grandview set for 9-12:30. The day’s final event is the Aurora Chamber of Commerce fireworks display at the fairgrounds at sunset.
Two events on Sunday will wrap up the weekend, with a co-ed volleyball tournament starting at 12:30 at the middle school gym and the Edgerton Explorit Center’s “Get Steamed Miniature Golf” from 1-4 p.m.
The food vendors are always a big hit of the downtown celebration. Ten food vendors will be set up on the east side of the square from Thursday to Saturday afternoon, serving up a variety of foods from Mexican to barbecue to desserts. 
Any changes will be updated on the group’s Facebook page @A’ROR’N Days and the Chamber website www.auroranebraska.com. You can also use the QR code on the brochures to get to the website, clicking on the “details” tab for more information. 
This year’s A’ROR’N Days Committee consists of: Roger Scott, Amber Parker, Jody Griffith, Dillan Olson, Jannelle Seim, Merna Yorder, Justise and Richard Rhoden, BJ and Shana Merrihew and Jenny Wyatt.