Dinner & drinks before your easel
Most of our Aurora venues are full bars and kitchens, so come hungry. Grab a bite and a drink before your easel, then settle in — your supplies are already waiting at your seat.
Paint & Sip in Aurora, Illinois
Paint & Sip Events in Aurora
Grab a drink, follow a local artist step by step, and leave with a canvas you painted yourself. No experience needed — it's a night out first, an art class second. Here's what's coming up in Aurora.
4.8 average artist rating10M+ painters6 upcoming in Aurora
6
Upcoming events
10M+
Happy painters
4.8
Average artist rating
4
Local venues
1
Aurora artists
Since 2012
The original paint & sip
4.8 average ratingPaint & Sip Classes in Aurora
Paint Nite in Aurora is the city's favourite paint and sip night — a guided painting party hosted right inside local Aurora bars and restaurants, not a formal art studio. A local artist walks you and your group through a featured painting over about two hours while you enjoy a drink of your choice. Everything you need is included: easel, canvas, paints, brushes and an apron. You just bring your people.
Whether you're planning a date night, a birthday, a team social or a low-key evening out, our Aurora events run across the most popular neighbourhoods in and around Illinois. Browse upcoming nights by date, venue or artist below, grab your seat, and check out online in under a minute — no experience required, and you take your canvas home.
New to it? Most first-timers are genuinely surprised by what they paint. The whole point of Paint Nite is that anyone can do it: your artist breaks the painting into simple, guided steps and works the room the entire time. Prefer to stay in? We also run live virtual and on-demand classes you can paint from home, anywhere in Illinois.
Where we paint
Paint Nite Venues in Aurora
We host inside real neighbourhood bars and restaurants — explore the rooms, then pick your night.
Aurora , IL·22.0 mi away
1 Upcoming Event
Welcome to Tapville - Drink While You Shop, where shopping meets relaxation in the heart of Fox Valley Mall, Aurora! Imagine sipping on a craft beer or a delightful cocktail while exploring the latest trends in retail. Our vibrant and inviting space is designed to create the perfect blend of shopping and socializing. We take pride in our curated selection of local brews and wines, ensuring that every sip supports our community. With a cozy ambiance featuring warm lighting, comfortable seating, and friendly staff, you’ll feel right at home whether you’re unwinding after a busy day or celebrating a special occasion. Our venue has been recognized for its unique concept, earning accolades from local publications for being a must-visit destination. Whether you’re hosting an intimate gathering, a corporate event, or a fun night out with friends, Tapville is the ideal backdrop for unforgettable memories. Come join us and experience the joy of sipping and shopping in a space that feels just like home!
About this venue
Welcome to Tapville - Drink While You Shop, where shopping meets relaxation in the heart of Fox Valley Mall, Aurora! Imagine sipping on a craft beer or a delightful cocktail while exploring the latest trends in retail. Our vibrant and inviting space is designed to create the perfect blend of shopping and socializing. We take pride in our curated selection of local brews and wines, ensuring that every sip supports our community. With a cozy ambiance featuring warm lighting, comfortable seating, and friendly staff, you’ll feel right at home whether you’re unwinding after a busy day or celebrating a special occasion. Our venue has been recognized for its unique concept, earning accolades from local publications for being a must-visit destination. Whether you’re hosting an intimate gathering, a corporate event, or a fun night out with friends, Tapville is the ideal backdrop for unforgettable memories. Come join us and experience the joy of sipping and shopping in a space that feels just like home!
Photos
Upcoming at Tapville - Drink While You Shop - Fox Valley Mall
ELK GROVE VLG, IL·23.7 mi away
$·2 Upcoming Events
Spacious joint offering drinks, American grub, sports on TV, pool & events such as trivia & karaoke.
BeerWineCocktailsOutdoor
About this venue
Spacious joint offering drinks, American grub, sports on TV, pool & events such as trivia & karaoke.
Photos
Mundelein, IL·37.9 mi away
$·2 Upcoming Events
Welcome to Smokin BBQ, where the aroma of slow-cooked meats fills the air and the warmth of Southern hospitality wraps around you like a cozy blanket. Nestled in the heart of Mundelein, IL, our venue radiates a laid-back vibe that’s perfect for gathering with friends, family, or colleagues. Smokin BBQ isn't just known for its mouthwatering barbecue; we've been recognized locally for our unique flavors and commitment to quality, earning awards that speak to our dedication. Whether you’re hosting a birthday bash, corporate event, or family reunion, our spacious layout can accommodate any gathering, large or small. At Smokin BBQ, we believe every event should be memorable, filled with laughter and great food. Come experience the warmth and charm of our venue, and let us help you create an unforgettable event!
BeerOutdoor
About this venue
Welcome to Smokin BBQ, where the aroma of slow-cooked meats fills the air and the warmth of Southern hospitality wraps around you like a cozy blanket. Nestled in the heart of Mundelein, IL, our venue radiates a laid-back vibe that’s perfect for gathering with friends, family, or colleagues. Smokin BBQ isn't just known for its mouthwatering barbecue; we've been recognized locally for our unique flavors and commitment to quality, earning awards that speak to our dedication. Whether you’re hosting a birthday bash, corporate event, or family reunion, our spacious layout can accommodate any gathering, large or small. At Smokin BBQ, we believe every event should be memorable, filled with laughter and great food. Come experience the warmth and charm of our venue, and let us help you create an unforgettable event!
Photos
Gurnee, IL·46.6 mi away
1 Upcoming Event
Top Shelf is an Ice Arena with a Bar/Grill inside! It is located at Gurnee Mills Mall, one of the outside facilities! (Bring a sweatshirt...just in case!)
BeerWineCocktails
About this venue
Top Shelf is an Ice Arena with a Bar/Grill inside! It is located at Gurnee Mills Mall, one of the outside facilities! (Bring a sweatshirt...just in case!)
Photos
Upcoming at Top Shelf Bar & Grill
Local guide
Things to Do Near a Paint Nite in Aurora
The most romantic rooms in Aurora
Candlelit wine bars and skylit lounges make Paint Nite one of the most-booked date nights in Aurora — a low-pressure, high-charm evening that beats another dinner-and-a-movie.
Sort out the office social
Our larger Aurora venues seat big groups, and we can run a private party just for your crew — no strangers at the table. It breaks the ice better than any escape room.
Easy to get to
Nearly every Aurora venue is a short walk from transit or has parking nearby, so the whole group can get there easily — and get home easily after.
The local model
How Paint Nite Works in Aurora
Every night is run by real local people — an event planner, a host artist, and a neighbourhood venue. Here's who makes it happen.
Local event planners
A local event planner books the venues, lines up the artists and builds the Aurora calendar — running it like their own small business.
Your host artist
A vetted local artist leads the room, teaching the painting step by step and keeping the night fun. Every host is a real person from your area — trained and quality-reviewed, never a script-reading franchise employee.
Local venues
We don't own a single building. Every Aurora night happens at a real neighbourhood bar or restaurant with a full bar and kitchen.
You
Show up, paint, sip and laugh. Leave with a canvas you made yourself — no experience needed.
Do you have a space to host events?
Bars and restaurants across Aurora fill seats and sell drinks on slow weeknights by hosting Paint Nite. We bring the artists, the supplies and the crowd — you bring the room.
The faces behind the easels
the local artists you'll paint with
Looking for a creative side hustle?
Love art and a good crowd? Become a Paint Nite host artist, set your own schedule, and get paid to lead the most fun night in town.
Plan a fun night in
Can't make it out? Paint from home with a live virtual class led by a real artist, or grab an on-demand class and paint whenever you like.
Good to know
FAQs — Paint Nite Aurora
Paint Nite is a social painting event hosted at bars and restaurants across Aurora — not an art studio. A local artist guides you and your group through a featured painting over about two hours while you enjoy a drink. It's a night out first and an art class second: no experience required, and you take your canvas home.
Most in-person Aurora events include your easel, canvas, paints, brushes, an apron and your artist for the night. Food and drinks are purchased separately at the venue. Virtual and on-demand classes are priced lower since they're location-independent. Check any event below for its exact price.
We host inside local bars and restaurants right across Aurora and the surrounding Illinois area. See the venues and map below — nearly every spot is easy to reach by transit or has nearby parking.
Not even a little. The whole point is that anyone can do it. Your artist breaks the painting into simple, guided steps and walks the room the entire time. Most first-timers are genuinely surprised by what they take home.
It's one of the most-booked date nights in the city. You get a drink, a relaxed room, something to actually do together, and a keepsake from the evening.
Yes. We run private Paint Nites for birthdays, bachelorettes, team socials and corporate events around Aurora — at a venue or at your office. You get the whole room, your own artist, and a custom painting option.
Find an event by date, venue or artist on this page, hit "Grab a Seat," and check out online in under a minute. You'll get an email confirmation with the venue address and everything you need to bring (which is basically nothing).
Yes. Live virtual Paint Nites are streamed by a real artist so you can paint from home with a kit, and on-demand classes let you paint anytime at your own pace. Both are location-independent — perfect for a quieter night in.
Paint Nite is the original. Same energy, same local artists, same take-home canvas — now under PaintNite.com. If you painted with us under another name in the past, you're in the right place.
Absolutely — we run events across United States. Scroll to "Nearby cities" to jump to your area.