East End Blues

Aurora's stubborn little East End Arts District just may redub itself the city's "blue-light district" with art sprouting from all the nooks and crannies along the Colfax Avenue corridor between Clinton and Geneva streets during tonight's East End Winter Art Walk. From 5 to 9 p.m., area galleries and art studios will switch on their festive blue lights and open their doors to host exhibit openings and receptions for holiday shoppers looking for affordable art. But that's only a portion of what's in store for strollers, who will also have an opportunity to check out what's new along the urban stretch, including the Shadow Theatre Company's new home at 1468 Dayton Street and a plethora of public art installations.

The newest of these include Lawrence ("Big Blue Bear") Argent's eerily lit "Ghost Trolley," on Colfax at Emporia Street; Bill Vielehr's "Reflective Urban Quilt," near 16th Avenue and Elmira Street; and Christopher Weed's sixteen-foot blue chair, "Unglued," near Colfax and Dallas Street. The latter also serves as inspiration for the art walk's Blue Chair Treasure Hunt, a scavenger hunt for blue chairs — normal ones — placed in six participating venues. Folks who find all six and stamp them off on a game card will then have the opportunity to enter a drawing to win one of the chairs. And anyone in a rush to find them can always take a load off by taking advantage of the free pedi-cab rides offered all evening long.

All events are free; for more information and an art walk map, call 303-361-9282 or visit www.auroragov.org/artwalk.
Fri., Nov. 16, 5-9 p.m., 2007