This is a beautiful place with a lot of things to do and see! I love it during the summer, but there's always something to do in kc. read more

First Fridays - Art Galleries Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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First Fridays is this organic event that is ever evolving into something better. Art installations, music, hands on community involvement, food and drinks. Fire dancers, graffiti artists, pop up bands, drinks on the patio, it can be whatever experience appeals to you the most. The art galleries are always there even in the winter with their doors open. Block after block with something new. Vendors, sometimes free samples or live bands or watching an artist create something. Of course their is always the people watching which is a sport unto it self. It definitely started with the focus being on the art but it's grown into so much more. Feels more all inclusive but I do believe this is in large part to a creativity that really resonates and keeps people coming back but also participating. Perfectly acceptable to go solo, date, group, family friends, kids, all are accounted for. You don't have to start the night out with a meal, but that's usually the route I go and than walk it off. Coffee, beer, wine, popsicles, ice cream, chocolate shops it's all available. Parking! Yikes! That can be rough but persistence will pay off and if you don't mind walking a spot will eventually materialize. Their are some parking garages available and with the street car available that might help, just allow for the extra time. read more

First Fridays - first Friday special event in parking lot between ruins pub & Toms Town - Art Galleries Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

That's right, I'm a fan. I'm a fan of the concept, the execution and most of the experience (I'm not a fan of crowds, however without crowds, there can be no thriving art walk, can there?) It seems a love it or hate it bit of "local flavor" and I get what the naysayers are nay-saying, after all, I can be quite the curmudgeon, too. But...before visiting KC a couple years ago, I wasn't even aware that such a monthly event took place in other cities. In New York, there's no such thing. The closest thing I can think of was what used to take place one weekend of the year in DUMBO. This isn't the forum for my rant on how New York is a city that doesn't give a shit about its artists unless they are in museums, rather I am saying how impressed I am that KC *is* such a city. First Fridays, along with all the art festivals/fairs big and small, artist residences and lofts, means for a much more arty city! I've had many good times at FF. Sure, you're rubbing elbows with bohemian thrill-seekers, suburbanites, scenesters, etc. What do you expect? An art scene is often appreciated by non-artists, I mean it should be. Remember these so-called scenesters and annoying rich bohemian thrill seekers often can afford to *buy* art and keep the artists living (or at least give them drinking money?) Kidding. Speaking of drinking, it's no secret that you can pop into many a gallery and get a glass of wine while admiring (or not admiring) the art. That's right. No velvet ropes or strict guest lists. SOHO can go suck it. read more

Alright! I just got back from my trip to KC. The main event, June First Friday. Wow, these haven't slowed down at all (as I had worried they may have). There are actually more galleries than before (even with the sad moving of Dolphin and the sad closing of the Cube). The east crossroads has added some new galleries, or at least ones that are new to me. Live music and dance parties can be found in various parking lots and alleys. The arts are alive and well in KC...if only the crossroads were like this everyday! My friends from DC were thoroughly impressed, and I was impressed all over again. For more tips, see my older review below. read more

First Fridays - Funky Art - Art Galleries Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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My first First Friday was in October, only cause a band I wanted to see was performing at Midwest Music. As an event, I thought it would be vendors and such, was I surprised it was art galleries a plenty, open for the public (aren't they usually? Maybe just not together.) I saw alot of art, at tons of places. Infact, one place, Scarlets, that I always thought was a music or club venue, turned out to be a large gallery, catty corner from 18th and McGee. I think it's a great idea for First Fridays, but I also think more vendors could be there. I saw tons of art. That's what I saw. I work with fiber, myself. I could be there. I saw good art, and some art I questioned. I felt like walking around at the Kansas City Art Institute, which is one of my more favorite places in Kansas City. But yet, it wasn't Kansas City Art Institute. Why isn't First Fridays marketed as a galleric event. (Galleric, I made up a word). While Kansas City has a lot of artists, where were the First Friday events? Around 6:30ish, the Crossroads began to get crowded. It was at that moment I realized if you don't drink and get drunk, then why be there? So, I had a beer. I don't even know the place I got the beer, because it's so darned crowded that one tends to ambulate mindlessly from place to place. I went through gallery after gallery. If I had tried to Yelp each one, I couldn't. There's bunches of galleries. Some of the galleries had bands, nameless bands. So as it is, in an entity to itself, I'll probably not go back to FF. It's kind if cool, but next time, I'll find someone to go with. Not so fun by yourself. read more

I've only known about First Fridays for less than a year and I am hopelessly addicted to every aspect of it. My friends and I have a great time wandering through the streets of the Crossroads taking in live music, art museums, street performances, and some great people watching. There's no real agenda; you simply go wherever the music takes you. My favorite part of First Fridays? The food trucks, of course! Kansas City's best food trucks all park in the same area so you can enjoy their food at the same time. Shout out to my friend Stubbie, who actually parks in front of Hammerpress. Be sure to stop by and order a dirty chai! First Friday's is a huge collage of everything wonderful about Kansas City.After taking a Crossroads tour a few months back, I can speak knowledgeably of the area and love showing people around the place that I call home. read more

There are only a few cities in America that have a "first friday" dedicated to art, though the trend is really catching on. While there isn't an organization that runs this event - it's something that comes together on it's own - it still runs really well. People show up, galleries are open, friends are all around...it's a great experience. When the weather is good - specifically May, June, September, and October, this is a delightful way to spend an evening with friends, either those you brought with you, or those you'll run into down there. read more

I love the idea of this - local galleries have openings, young musicians set up in parking lots, food trucks for days... in practice it was overwhelming. Thousands of people have the same idea as you to just walk around and appreciate creativity on display. Thousands of people are walking around with open containers and cramming on to the sidewalks, closed roads, and sometimes open roads. It's a beautiful thing to see all walks of life enjoying their neighborhood, but it also gets old. If you can handle crowds and standing in line for falafel, then you MUST check out a First Friday. If you don't appreciate the arts or other people, it's definitely not for you. For me, it was a nice intro to the KC party scene and fine for a few hours of browsing. read more

First Fridays - Art Galleries Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Basically a giant block party with another block party adjacent to it, hence making a conglomerate. Loud music with lots of kids cutting loose. A scene worth checking out. read more

First Fridays - Art Galleries Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Hooray for First Fridays! Seriously, one of the coolest things you can do in Kansas City. BUT, you have to know how to do it! There are two completely different experiences to be had at First Fridays, and you have to decide which one is more your style. And the dividing line between these two experiences? Main Street. First Fridays, West of Main ----------------------------------- This is the more established side of the Crossroads, and the side that a majority of people hit up when they attend First Fridays. On this side you will find: - Established galleries with higher price tags, and safer but more consistently quality art - The lions share of the restaurants and bars in the neighborhood - The Truckstop, a great collection of food trucks - Massive, obnoxious crowds - A steady flow of street performers - Very hard to get free booze Places not to miss: - Leedy-Voulkus Art Center - Blue Gallery - Hammerpress - 18th Street - Method - Drinks in the beer garden at Grunauer First Fridays, East of Main ---------------------------------- This side is definitely what you would call "up and coming," and is certainly not for everybody. There is quite a bit more space between galleries, and places that were once there might be gone the next month. Things are going to be much more avant garde. On this side, you will find: - A number of wood workshops that have been opened up for events - Small galleries that are a bit more cluttered and chaotic, but with edgier art - A ton of surprises - Free or cheap drinks at most every spot. Places not to miss: - Christopher Elbow, where on First Fridays chocolates are only $1 a piece - The alleyway behind Mercy Seat, as there are generally bands playing - Mood Gallery - Slap and Tickle Both sides are a ton of fun, but due to the limited amount of time you have to enjoy First Fridays, you really can't do both properly. I suggest picking a side and then next time going the other way, and deciding for yourself which is more your style! read more

This is a tough event to review. See, I totally agree with some of the previous comments - First Fridays IS packed with people, usually "suburbadroids," scenesters (not to be confused with hipsters), and people on first dates trying desperately to prove that they're cultured. But I feel like it's a necessary event for the art scene in K.C. to change and grow. If we want K.C. to have an art scene that's more than just overly cologned frat boys looking for free drinks, then events like this are necessary in order to encourage the masses to educate themselves - and to show them that art is for everyone, and doesn't need to be pretentious or exclusive. Do I agree that this is overly packed, somewhat suburban, with some crap that's trying to pass itself off as art? Yes. But I also think that it's a genuinely good-hearted event with some actual talent, and it's definitely worth spending some time (and money) down there. If you're new, check out Hammerpress and the lovely ceramics studio caddy-corner to Lidia's. Ask questions, wander around, enjoy the general crowded craziness. Recommendation - because of the crowds, this is probably best for twosomes, as I've found that it's hard to effectively herd around a group. read more

First Fridays are amazing. I've lived in a few different cities and have seen governments slash budgets for the arts left and right. It's getting harder and harder for real artists to both get funding and have great access to the public at large. KC definitely does something right with their First Fridays. First Friday is NOT JUST ABOUT art. It's about opening up everyone in the KC metro area to something they may not normally ever do in their lifetime. It's about bringing people downtown and making KC's urban core more competitive with other cities. It's about expanding the buyers market for local artists, giving them funding to continue their work. It's about creating a fun party-like atmosphere that allows people from all over the KC metro area, regardless of race and age get together in a place other than a strip mall. It's about walking around and for once, stepping out of cartopia. The art really is all over the place. Some of it sucks. Some of it is great. It's subjective since everyone's taste is different. Just because art isn't in a museum, it doesn't mean it isn't art. So walk around and enjoy but don't expect the artists to all cater to your tastes. Otherwise it would not be art. read more

I'm an artist, but don't play one on TV. As a non-TV artist, firmly planted in the realities of what starving, suffering, and showing off for my art is all about, I gotta say, the KC First Friday Art Walks are the shit. The Good Shit of Proverb, that is. A city, ANY city worth it's weight as a cultural center NEEDS something like this. There was a time not too long ago when you just didn't GO to the Crossroads area, let alone find anything there to entertain you once you did (unless, yes, you are fond of the various vices found only in a town that rolls it's ass up when the work-day has ended). But, those days are over, and this city can, should, and DOES celebrate the creative talent here the way it should: by having what at times can resemble a street party at most, and a quiet and humble door to the arts at the least. There's an age-old debate in art that's constantly speculating about what's hip, current, sold-out or coming-up, down-and-out or legit. Whether it's "too good for the masses" or "perfect for over the couch". There's also the old adage of "I don't know art, but I know what I like". Guess what: It's ALL part of the Arts Dialog, and hot damn if it isn't alive and well in this city. And I for one am thankful that we have it here, doors open to many galleries, improvised spaces, fabulous eateries, bars, and places to see live music. Not to mention the joy of seeing tons of people all there to experience it. Great part is, if you don't like something while you're down there (the art, people, music, etc), MOVE ON! The awesome thing about these nights is that it's about EXPLORATION and SURPRISE! It's about enjoying the spirit of a community that supports the creative spirit of those who do and those who appreciate the doin'. Embrace this shit, KC. We have some amazing talent and support for it here, and plenty of that exploration and surprise to share. Beats the hell out of living in a city where the only things it supports are professional sports. Hey, that last bit rhymed! Maybe I can be a poet...on TV? read more

If you live in KC area, you must come out for First Fridays at least once. Maybe you can reserve it for when a guest is in town or have a rare Friday night off of your normal hectic life. I don't think it's the greatest time to see art work in the city, but it's a fantastic time to go out people watching with a great street energy. Or if you're single and willing to mingle. That group usually has a lot of creepers and d-bags utilizing this event. Anybody and everybody usually is out and about. But/And it's a good time to support the artists and arts in KC. The real art fans come out earlier about 5-6pm and are the ones to take advantage of most of the freebies and the lighter crowd. They're older and wiser. And they know all the good parking places. The crowd gets denser as the evening progresses, and by 8ish, the party is at full swing. I recommend going to Christopher Elbow and buy $1 artisan chocolates. (They're usually about $2. And cash is king.) Stop by Fresher than Fresh Snow Cone and get some great snow cones during the hot season. The Liberty Memorial is open late for people to go up the memorial to the top for like $5. Nice date idea. The Good JuJu is only open once a month during FF weekends, and they're full of funky cool flea market stuff. And a good time to check out the prints at Hammerpress. Now a days I see more street carts like Port Fonda and the hot dogs stands. Last month the KC star parking lot had a "Truck Stop" with a lot of food trucks parked in their lot. Tips: Check the Pitch for the map and they're own recommendations. I usually find a couple shows that are interesting beforehand and map out a good trail. Central to Main and 22nd to 18th is the main concentration of the galleries. And along 18th all the way down to about Oak St. It's pretty much every month of the year that FF goes on, but deep winter a lot of galleries are closed, like Dec-Feb, and then bad weather or holidays lighten up the crowds. Lighter crowds can be better times to check it out if you don't like the nonsense that the crowds bring. read more

--After 4 years in KC, I finally ended up going alone (not recommended) and had a pretty decent time. PROTIP: Obtain free map from the friendly Map store on Main street. Gallup Map company, 1733 Main. Nice folks. (#68 on the FF map.) They have some cool stuff in there. Tell them "Yelp sent me!" 1705 Baltimore (Urban Living Center) had some really cool and colorful geographic paintings, and also had some dogs available for adoption. Free wine/cheese/crackers. Very friendly propietor. (PROTIP: I recommend the Woodbridge white Cardonnay if they have it available again.) Cellar Rat Wine Merchants @ 1701 Baltimore was a great place to cool off after sweating a bit from the walking around (#49 on the map.) Memorable Moments: --I got a signed poem from "Iris Finley" on Wyandotte Street by #37 (Mildred's Coffeehouse, IIRC), an aspiring artist who showed up with her own manual typewriter - and cranked out poetry on request! Very cool. / Shoutout to Jordan - it was nice meeting you on the street afterward :) --Bought a hot dog, chips and soda for $5 across the street from Hamburger Mary's and watched a local artist draw live caricatures. --The highlight of the night was #57, Beco Flowers - they had free cookies and an aerial stunt show, as well as other female performers who did incredibly sexy hula-hoop dances. My jaw dropped a few times. :D read more

I always feel like the crowds out on First Fridays is what Kansas City would feel like nightly if we didn't have suburban sprawl. But we do, so this is the crowd we have once a month. It feels fantastic. If feels like a real city, not a town. It's a diverse mixture of people hitting the pavement of a great part of the city. Years ago all that was found down in this area were some gay bars and some struggling artists lofts. Now it's overpriced and expensive down in the Crossroads (and the gay's and the artists will once again move on to the next undiscovered gem) but that's ok. The city needed this area to become great again and that it has. People other than artists have now taken up shop. Retail, restaurants, housing and galleries line the streets. Sure it's annoying when it just seems like drunk crowds walking the streets on First Fridays, but the exposure that places like Blue Gallery, Hammerpress, Michael Smiths, Pizza Bella, Extra Virgin, Lidia's, Webster House, Black Bamboo, Grinders etc etc etc....... get from this event is priceless. Even if people don't buy that night, I'm sure there is a percentage that come back to this area and support these businesses. So I don't think First Fridays is all about art anymore (even though there is plenty to look at), but it's about a sense of community and a celebration of the city. It's by far some of the best people watching our city offers, but it's also home to some of the best food, art, retail and florist our city has to offer too. It's not often in this city that one has to deal with crowds, so once a month I'm happy to do so. It's free to attend and free to park. Plus we live in such a car heavy city that it's nice to have an event that you actually *walk* the neighborhood. I think we have it pretty good here and First Fridays is a big part it. read more

I thoroughly enjoy First Fridays. It can be different each time depending upon the time you go and the company you are with. You can't go too late or many of the galleries close, but if you go too early some of the artists in buildings such as the Arts Incubator do not have time to set up! My favorite part of First Fridays is that you turn a random corner either outside or in a building, and next thing you know you are in some secret area with live painting or music. My favorite find was the year I turned onto 18th Street and found the street dancing. It was such a great vibe. They even let kids jump in, it really is cute. It is between Birdies and the Arts Incubator on 18th. Speaking of Arts Incubator, that happens to be one of my favorite stops that I always make time for, regardless of what area we focused on that time. My favorite artist is in there, there are numerous levels and it is just always such a great vibe. Though very stuffy in the heat. :-/ A lot of really fantastic restaurants are in the area so dinner and drinks followed by (or preceded by) art...well, it makes me a very happy person. All ages and types are out and about which I find fascinating and absolutely adore! I hope you have a chance to experience it at least once! If you do and do not enjoy it...take a look at your company and try again. It is definitely best to go with others whom enjoy actually looking at art. :-) I speak from experience. Don't be afraid to turn corners or open doors or go up/down stairs! The buildings are old and you will find unexpected joys at each turn! Oh, but yeah, parking is a biotch. Just get used to it. Don't let it ruin your night. You will be walking a lot anyway. Leave the heels at home! read more

Yes, First Fridays is like cultures colliding in one fantastic, terrific and tragic moment (or several hours) - and like smashing atoms together, sometimes the resultant particles and energy are not quite what you want or expected. First, the good. You have the ability to walk, relatively safely, through a cool area of downtown Kansas City, and see some TERRIFIC art. There is often some live music (which truthfully has never really been that special), and of course, food and drinks abound. In the right group, or with the right company, it can be a really great experience. And then, the occasional bad. You have the frat boys bringing their latest mark to the city 'for some art', booze and, well, what happens after art and booze. And you have those just wanting to drink and wander around aimlessly. Since we live in the Crossroads District, there are times when First Fridays simply portends an annoyingly loud and rambunctious evening. And there are times when it's great to just be able to walk out of our condo and join the fray. So there you go. read more

FF's suck. I hate reiterating what my GF already said, so just read her review (she's Dulaney). The fact of the matter is, I'm an artist. And although I do not show at galleries in the area, I'm annoyed by the jackass turnout to this monthly event. Basically, it's a heavily cologned frat guy excuse to show his GF that he's 'cultured.' Nobody buys anything, everyone is drunk and annoyed, and it's a general clusterfuck of a mess, no matter how well-intentioned the whole thing may be. Nobody cares about art; they only pretend to. read more

I have been going to First Fridays for about a year, but have friends that have been attending for years. It's really a great showcase of Kansas City art, music and food combined with people watching and sometimes just plain oddity. I'm so glad that I have left the JoCo bubble to discover it. Matt E. has a great review that tells about all the spots to hit. The Pitch has a map that you can get which shows you the addresses of all the spots so you can plan out your evening before you get there. Or you can just wander around. I love the food truck area - the Truck Stop - it is at 21st and Wyandotte. I usually start there for a bite to eat. They have music and a beer garden for those so inclined. Here is their facebook page.They are there April through October. https://www.facebook.com/#!/KCTruckStop After I hit the Truck Stop, we go to some Art Galleries, check out either Hammerpress or Christopher Elbow Chocolates (depending on which side of Main we hang on - see Matt E. review) and then try to follow up with a drink at Extra Virgin or Snow & Co. if it's not too crazy crowded. It's just a delightful, relatively inexpensive evening. Get out of your comfort zone and try it! You will like it! read more

First Fridays is AWESOME. I love every aspect of it - the vibrancy of the crowd, bands on almost every corner, and the randomness of what you may find such as a telescope, live art performance, a hip hop group, and fire dancers. Every first Friday of the month is when hipsters, scenesters, college kids, urbanites, yuppies, suburbanites can get together and congregate in the Crossroads Arts District. Every time it gets closer to the first Friday of every month, I get excited as that means I'm going to meet up friends and go around to the different galleries and businesses. If it weren't for this event, I would have never discovered certain performing arts venues such as The Living Room and the Fishtank. Also, I would have never tried the Intelligentsia coffee at the Crossroads Coffee House, did wine tasting at the Cellar Rat, or perused the goodies at the Friday night farmer's market Bad Seed. Not only is it a fun, free event, it's great for the businesses in the area too and a great way to lure new clientele. The owner of The Art of Pizza told me he makes as much revenue on First Fridays alone as he does the ENTIRE month. I have been to gallery hops in other cities such as Austin, Houston, San Diego, and Columbus, OH but none of them are even half as good as First Fridays. First Fridays has become such a ritual for me that I've mapped out all the galleries that offer free wine and the best food. Get out there and support your local businesses and artists! read more

Yyeessss! I love First Fridays! The best shops are in the West Bottoms and I love that they have food trucks! I will definitely be back for some good shopping and food with friends. Yes I highly recommend! read more

A fun and depending on how you do it, inexpensive evening on the town. Always a great time wondering the streets of the Crossroads District enjoying various artist and a huge variety of styles. A huge selection of restaurants through out the area to appeal to any budget and taste. Certain times of the year you will find various food trucks in the area to add even more options. There are many other local shops in the area, fresh bread, artisan chocolates, a farmers market, etc. It is just a great experience overall! Food, drinks, art, and a bunch of great people, what better way to spend a Friday! read more

I love First Fridays. I have been going for a long time and this year I had the pleasure of introducing my niece to the experience. We went down early to get a good parking spot and met some friends at Hamburger Mary's. Hubby, niece and I had some sodas and snacks. Chatted with some friends and then went to hit the galleries. We went to 7 or 8 then walked over to Bad Seed and Christopher Elbow's. We walked down to watch the Frisbee Golf game and followed the street band with the giant BAT dancing. Went back to Bad Seed to get some cucumber soda and scope out a few more galleries. We also hit the Food Trucks at the Food Truck stop at 20th and Wyandotte. This last Friday I went back to the Truck Stop because it was the last of season and I wanted to make sure I got my Food Truck fix. The people watching is the one of the best things to do at FF's especially when they are having the Zombie walks. Those are great. If you want good food, great art and street music take a walk down to the crossroads. read more

I was born & raised in KC, but WOW, where have I been? This is such a great time. Lots of people, vendors, food trucks, music, art...like a big block party! I was so impressed with my city. We do it right. No jerk-offs or meanies that I found, just great people, out to have a good time with one another. Felt like a real community. People had kids too, which I didn't bring mine, but it was fun to see kids having fun on the streets. We are a family friendly city, and that's why I still live in KC. Maybe I'll bring them next time. We stopped into a bar and found live music in there, and had a few drinks. The art was amazing, and goes on for blocks. GOOD JOB KC! read more

Went to my first First Friday this past week and really had a good time. Truly an event that brings the city together and showcases the thriving art, music, food scene in Kansas City. Fascinating to walk through the galleries, having a drink, listening to music, checking out these old buildings that have been transformed into modern spaces. The cherry on top was that it was the annual Zombie Walk! While walking down the street taking in all the sights and sounds I found myself walking next to a very realistic, very disturbing office worker zombie. He was carrying his briefcase with him which I can only assume contained his lunch consisting of human brains. We spent about 4 hours walking the streets and my buddy told me later that we only covered about 1/3 of all the sites. SWEET, gives me a couple more opportunities to see everything. All in all a very cool experience! read more

If you have never been to a First Friday, get down to the Crossroads and take part! This is the epicenter of culture and fashion in Kansas City and it is happening every first Friday of the month. Sixty one art galleries within walking distance ( about a mile longest span), street vendors, performers, and all sorts of watchers, watching and anything else you can imagine (I have never seen a monkey). read more

Save for the horrendous parking, First Fridays in KC is an Ad Hoc art show. Some street demos and music that are totally unexpected are my favorite things. And any music that pops up here and there (at a reasonable volume... "strong" is okay, but you can keep the loud sh@t). Many great eats are nearby, but so freaking crowded on FF you are better off ordering to-go and eating at home. This is a four star event if you like crowds. Me... not so much. read more

What a great night! This is a very well set up event that really let's you get into local art, music, bars, food, street food, and culture. We fortunately made our first night here the opening of the Kansas city street car... The streets were hopping and the people were jiving! Creative and unique event. read more

THE place for finding out what's happening in the KC art scene. From established galleries on the west to up-and-comers on the east, Crossroads has it all. On top of galleries, First Fridays has become a bit of a must-do for street performers and bands, all scrambling for space on just about every sidewalk and alleyway. read more

What a fun event and great way to get the community together! Local art on display, music, food, and merchandise on sale. Good vibes, friendly atmosphere, and non-pretentious. Wish there was more time to explore and hope to come back someday. read more

I went to First Fridays again for the first time in 4 years. Everyone was really nice and I got a chance to meet some great people. I will be attending again on August 7th! I will be setting up at 2001 Baltimore so come on down and see me. read more

This is a fantastic experience and a must-not-miss if you are here when it is happening. You can see a great deal of galleries and street performers. The sense of community in a town so large is really quite impressive. Make sure to take a trip the first Friday of any month down to the Crossroads District and have a fantastic time. read more

I grew up in KC and lived here my whole life, except for last year when I lived in Chicago. For some reason I chose to move back here, and decided upon a loft in the Crossroads area. I love my neighborhood, minus First Fridays, but I suppose part of me knew what I was getting myself into. About a month after moving in, I attend my first First Friday with my family. It was uncomfortably muggy outside, and the galleries were sticky and damp as well. The streets and galleries are overly crowded, mostly with strollers, boys in skinny jeans and stupid "edgy" hair, and obnoxious teenagers who want to be cool and hang out downtown. I was told there would be free wine, a big reason in my agreeing to go, but saw none. Then, there is the art. I am not an artist, and readily admit that I have no artistic talent whatsoever. However, I find it hard to believe that a wall hanging comprised of old plastic bags is worth 1) 50 cents, let alone between $700-$1,0000, and 2) actually standing shoulder to shoulder and shuffling down the street at an insanely slow pace to view. To be fair, there were a lot of really great pieces. But I have no intention of ever spending that much money on a painting, and I assume the babies, hipsters, and teenagers don't either. So basically, I can't recommend First Fridays. If you are actually into art, do yourself a favor and stop by a gallery on another day. Oh, and for all of the people who do come down on the first Friday of every month, please stop trying to get into my building. It is not a gallery. You would think that the "lofts for lease" sign that is posted would be enough, but apparently not. read more