By Jane Taylor & Reccia Mandelcorn

The opening bars to the iconic film Casablanca provided the setting for the intrigue and adventure of a period of world history that is also a piece of Canadian memory.

The upcoming presentation by author Ted Barris as part of the Aurora Historical Society Speaker Series is a not-to-be missed event - and we were delighted to welcome Erika Baird, Executive Director of the AHS, to speak about the opportunity to engage with this renowned author, journalist and broadcaster.

Without giving away any spoilers, Erika provided a glimpse into what we can expect when Ted speaks about his latest book, Dam Busters: Canadian Airmen and the Secret Raid against Nazi Germany.

Based on the personal accounts, flight logs, squadron war diaries, maps and photographs of the Canadians involved, Dam Busters recounts the dramatic story of the young Commonwealth bomber crews tasked with a high-risk operation against an enemy prepared to defend the Fatherland to the death.

Ted Barris' charismatic style lends itself to conversations between speaker and audience that make every talk a unique experience. Meet Ted Barris on Thursday, July 25, at 7 p.m., at the Royal Canadian Legion.  Tickets can be purchased through Hillary House or at the door, $7.00 each, $5.00 for AHS members.

The Sultans of String provided the perfect intro to the wildly popular series of free Wednesday night outdoor concerts in Town Park hosted by the Town of Aurora and the TD Bank Group. Nicole Conboy, Special Events & Sponsorship Coordinator at the Town, gave us the low-down on what to expect for the upcoming concert series.

Nine weeks of live entertainment from 7 – 9 p.m. bring Aurorans together to hear a favourite genre of music or to discover something new. People show up with their lawn chairs and stake out spots in front of the band shell. And don't be surprise if you find yourself dancing under the stars.

New enhancements to the well-attended series include additional performances during intermissions and a mini-market featuring a variety of food and artisan vendors from the Aurora Farmers' Market and Artisan Fair.

Bring a food donation for the Aurora Food Pantry before the concert starts and be entered to win a chance to enjoy the Premium Concert Experience with upgraded TD-preferred seating and two prize packs. 

A concert list with details about the dynamic line-up can be found at aurora.ca under Concerts in the Park.

The “Welcome You Home” ticket series offers a 20% savings over individual tickets for the Aurora Cultural Centre's 2019-2010 performing arts season.

The full listing of concerts ranging from classical music to family programming; from emerging artists to long-time favourites, can be found at auroraculturalcentre.ca.

Aurora Public Library wants to spark your creativity with two new contests. The OBOA photography contest, sponsored by the Auroran Newspaper, invites you to capture children in the act of discovery, and the OBOA writing contest invites you to consider the meaning of “Home”. Details can be found at aurorapl.ca or at onebookoneaurora.com.

And to get you outdoors, David and Dierdre Tomlinson invite you to visit their English flower garden, Merlin's Hollow, at 181 Centre Street. This month's opening on July 14 will feature summer's flowering perennials, pond and water gardens. For information, call 905-727-8979.

With so much happening on the Arts & Culture scene, Aurora is definitely the place to be this summer.

Jane Taylor is Communications and Events Manager at the Aurora Cultural Centre and Reccia Mandelcorn is Manager of Community Collaboration at Aurora Public Library. They co-host The Speakeasy on the first Wednesday of each month on 102.7 CHOP-FM.