AURORA - Each July, Aurora residents eagerly await the arrival of the Aurorafest, a fun-filled weekend of games and activity galore that spans the entire town.

The festivities began on Friday evening with live music from local bands, food, beverages of all kinds and gatherings with friends and family.

The “Battle of the Bands” held on the Wells College main lawn on Friday night brought many out to enjoy six local music groups.

On Saturday morning, the fun continued with a 2.5-mile run through town beginning at the United Ministries Church in Aurora.

Immediately following the run, guests of the Aurorafest were invited to take a swim in Cayuga Lake, beginning at the Gunderson's dock and ending at the Aurora Inn dock.

The “Blessings of the Boats” on Saturday afternoon at the United Ministries Church is what local residents have come to affectionately call an Aurorafest classic.

“We caught the end of the activities last night,” said Tim Taylor, who made sure to get his full dose of the festival on Saturday.

Taylor and his wife, Carol, live in New Jersey but own a summer home on Cayuga Lake.

“I think that we will come down to watch the parade and then relax on our boat out on the water to watch the fireworks this evening,” he said.

In addition to the parade and fireworks, guests were invited to stop at the various dining establishments in town to sample some of the foods the town has to offer.

Plenty of children's games were held at the Aurora Fire Department, including a tug #of war, three-legged race and a pie-eating contest.

A townwide scavenger hunt spanned both days and included challenges such as getting an envelope with an Aurora postmark from the post office and a signature from the front desk at the Aurora Inn, among many other fun challenges.

The festivities concluded with another night of local music held on the Wells College main lawn.