Aurora officials have recommended funding 23 neighborhood festivals for a total of almost $30,000 for this year.
The City Council Finance Committee has supported the recommendation – which actually totals $29,650 – which still must pass the full City Council.
The neighborhood festival and special event funding goes to local groups to support celebrations promoting culture or fostering community spirit.
Chief Community Services Officer Dan Barreiro said the grants usually run between $400 and $6,000.
Those chosen for funding include: the African American Health Fair, $1,500; the Latina Health Fair Festival, $1,500; Motorcycle Sunday, $500; Aurora Garden’s Plant Sale, $500; Aurora Green Fest, $1,200; Juneteenth Celebration, $3,000; Bazaar on Water Street, $500; Shakespeare on the Mall, $500; the 43rd Aurora Puerto Rican Heritage Festival, $6,000; two National Night Out programs, one for $600 and one for $1,350; Chicagoland Emergency vehicle show, $750; St. Therese Parish Festival, $500; Louche Puce Market, $700; Martin Luther King Fun Fest\\Back to School, $1,500; sixth annual LaSalle Street Car Show, $750; Bonner Fest, $1,400; Art Jam, $500; Flavors of Aurora, $2,000; Day of the Dead, $500; Men’s Health Fair, $500; Kwanza, $3,000; and Aurora Neighborhood Baseball fests, $400.
Barreiro said one request was not funded, called Day of Inspiration.
“It did not meet the criteria of a festival,” he said. “Also, it was not open to the public, it was more affiliated with a church group.”
Barreiro pointed that most of these neighborhood festivals “are things we’ve supported for years.”
In addition to applying for funding help from the city’s Neighborhood Festival Fund, organizations can request funding from the Aurora African American Heritage Advisory Board, the Aurora Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board and the Indian American Community Outreach Advisory Board.
