FIRST FRIDAY LAS VEGAS – Las Vegas Arts & Culture

By: Rico DeLargo

Arts and culture attract creative minds to cities around the world. Communities that wish to become vibrant and rich with talented individuals realize the importance of arts and culture within their city limits. Art, music and culinary offerings are featured at First Friday Las Vegas which takes place in and around the Arts District on the first Friday of each month. This event provides a platform for the creative community to showcase their works and talents to the 20,000+ visitors it averages monthly. You are bound to witness first-hand the talent thriving in our city at First Friday.

Cindy Funkhouser pioneered the event by inviting a handful of artists to showcase their works in front of The Bunkhouse Antique store over twelve years ago. What started as a few dozen friends supporting each other’s artistic endeavors has now grown into an event that is deeply embedded in the DNA of our city. This free festival exposes thousands of people to the arts who may not normally go to see an art exhibit. What was once known as an area of crime has now become known as an area of opportunity.

There are endless examples of how First Friday has affected people’s lives in a positive way. Artists like Dray that have shown their works at First Friday have gone on to own galleries in the area. Sultry young local singer Sabriel had the opportunity to perform for First Friday and then went on to perform at the Life is Beautiful Festival. This event has a powerful way of creating great opportunities for people, not only for artists, but for everyone.

The First Friday Art Walk takes place at Charleston and Casino Center and runs from 5pm to 11pm. Themes are utilized to create a fresh new look each month (past themes include AntARTica, Carnival and Wonderland) giving guests an opportunity to dress in theme and engage with thematic activations. There are generally over 30 food trucks at the event along with dozens of artists and vendors. The artists with galleries all over the 18b Arts District have their spaces open to the public. You can go in and purchase one of a kind art from very talented artists and engage in conversation with them.

As if the incredible art, live music stages, food trucks, beer stations, Kid Zone and Dance Department weren’t enough, the festivities continue on into the night on Fremont East!! First Friday is all over Downtown. Rooftops, bars, restaurants and coffee shops turn into sought after destinations to see live music, DJs and mixologists. First Friday also has Big Bus shuttles that can move guests to and from parking areas to the Art Walk and to Fremont East!

First Friday Las Vegas has become a tremendous event that affects people in many ways. There is no larger, recurring, FREE Arts and Culture Festival on the west side of the US that attracts more people monthly. Downtown businesses see a significant surge in sales on this night, young artists have an opportunity to showcase their talent in front of a large community and event sponsors have the chance to create stronger bonds with their current and future customers. Above and beyond all of that, First Friday does a fantastic job of bringing a community together on a regular basis. Getting locals to engage with one another frequently should be the mission for any community looking to grow and prosper.

First Friday festivities take over the streets of downtown Las Vegas for a completely interactive experience with the arts.