Aurora fireworks, then it's Potter-mania
With the Fourth of July days away, I finally feel like it is summer.
I have two seasonal pieces of news to share. The first is the change in Fourth of July celebrations. The city of Aurora is organizing the annual Fourth of July parade stepping off at 10 a.m. at the corner of River and Benton in downtown Aurora as usual. However, the plans for the fireworks have changed. I really enjoyed having the fireworks on the East Side at Westfield Fox Valley Shopping Center for the last three years. The mall was a great fireworks location since it was easy to reach and easy to exit with plenty of parking. However, the empty area used to stage the fireworks is now under construction, so the city is moving the fireworks to a new location on the West Side of Aurora.
This year's fireworks display will be between Aurora Central High School and The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy on the property bounded by Sullivan, Randall, Indian Trail and Edgelawn. The fireworks will begin at dusk, which is usually about 9:30. There will be free shuttle bus service from three parking locations. Details on the shuttle service can be found at the city of Aurora's Web site at www.aurora-il.org.
Another big event on the horizon is the Harry Potter After Dark Pre-release Extravaganza on July 20 at the Eola Road Branch of the Aurora Public Library. The library will close at 5 p.m. as usual and then transform into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At 6:30 p.m, Harry Potter fans age 8 through adult will be invited in for an evening of Potter-mania.
Trivia challenges for youth and adults will test the knowledge of all who attend. There will be an opportunity to make a magic wand and several other crafts. The film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone will be shown in one room while Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire will be shown in another. A fortune teller will be on hand with her crystal ball and snacks will be served throughout the event, which ends at 9:30 p.m. All who attend are welcome to wear costumes depicting favorite characters. The event is free but pre-registration is required. The sign-up sheets will be available beginning July 2 and the event is limited to the first 200 who register.
I asked Carolyn Hewitt, the children's librarian at Eola, if she has ever seen such excitement over a children's book in all her years as a librarian.
"Nothing has been as popular for as long at this," she says. "Most books are popular for a short time, but Harry Potter has lasted for several years. I think the big attraction is that Harry Potter is a kid who is a nobody but is actually special and doesn't know it. Then he becomes somebody. It appeals to all who feel they are not special but wish they were. I have come across a few people who don't want their kids to be involved with the book, which is fine. But as a public library, we try to serve a wide variety of interests."
The library will have about 50 copies of the book ready to loan on the release day of July 21. But don't rush to the library on July 21 thinking there will be a copy for you. There are already more than 100 names on a waiting list to check out the book, so it will take a while for the books to return to circulation.