First Friday Las Vegas is crazy fun you don’t want to miss! If you’ve never been before, mark your calendar and get with the program. It’s an extraordinary event.
What is First Friday?
First Friday takes place on the first Friday of each month (duh) and is a gathering of local and regional artists who display their works at various galleries throughout the Arts District in Downtown Las Vegas. Locals and visitors come down to view and often purchase the artwork and help support the arts community. That’s the basic concept, but it is much more than that. It’s one big crazy arts festival that exposes you to all different types of art including music and dance. It’s fun, interesting and at times a little freaky, but absolutely NEVER BORING.
Flying Carpets, Unicorns, Grenade Bunnies and Bagpipes
Ok. I said it can get a little freaky. On past visits I’ve seen a guy who converted a golf cart into a “Flying Carpet” , another dude in a kilt playing bagpipes, a giant unicorn made entirely from two liter soda bottles that was mounted to a rolling platform and grenades with bunny ears! Lady Gaga would barely get a second glance at First Friday (she’d love it).
Serious Art
I don’t even know what that means. Art comes in many formats, shapes, sizes and mediums. What’s silly to you is meaningful to someone else. That’s the beauty of First Friday and art in general. There is something for everyone to appreciate.
The Artists
We’ve all bought some form of art in our lives; paintings or prints for the bedroom, living room or kitchen. But how many of us have bought a work of art directly from the artist? That’s one of the best parts of the First Friday experience. Being able to speak with the artist; finding out what inspired their work. Every piece of art has a story to go with it and getting to hear the story first hand from the actual artist is wonderful.
Where is First Friday Located?
It’s in the Arts District Downtown Las Vegas on Casino Center Blvd between Colorado St and California St. It starts at 6pm and ends 11pm. Check the First Friday website for hours (they change in the summer) and special events. It’ll also give you info on shuttles that will take you and pick you up from various Downtown hotels. Parking is tough to find so the shuttle is a great idea.
Need Art?
The next time you need that perfect something to go over the living room sofa, go visit the galleries at the Arts District on First Friday and shop for it there. You’ll be surprised at just how affordable art can be. You can find original art and or prints of the originals from $10 and up. You’ll have an amazing experience, find that perfect something, meet the artist, support the arts community and have a piece that you’ll treasure forever!
Bar & Bistro
Make First Friday a total experience and dine at Bar & Bistro in the Arts Factory. MAKE RESERVATIONS!! It gets packed at Bar & Bistro so get there early. On First Friday they have a limited menu, buts it’s still yummy! Try the Chopped Latin Chicken Salad with Chimichurri honey dressing. It’s delicious. Be sure to quench your thirst with one of their fabulous house made Sangrias. Stick around and enjoy the “Fire Dance Show”. Very cool.
