Cool art walk with free admission to a variety of art museums, galleries, and exhibits, as well as live music performances, this past Friday. Not all venues were within walking distance. Sure there was a cluster of them in the SoFA district, along South First and Second Street. But others were in the Martha Garden District, an inconvenient distance away. This included Machu Picchu Gallery of the Americas at the Citadel Art Studios ("Amazonian Rainforest Arpillera" 3D cloth appliques) and the Art Ark Gallery (featuring "The Last Set Before Dawn" by Lilly Horani). I viewed some amazing art pieces at Chopsticks Alley Gallery and Works SJ. Listened to Opera singers outside the California Theatre, as well as the sounds of the Michael Webster Quartet on the piano, drums, bass, saxophone, and clarinet in the SJZ Break Room. There was more art to explore at MACLA (current program "From Their Hands to Ours"), as well as live entertainment in the attached Castellano Playhouse, the talented musicians of Los Calderones putting on a show for the crowd. Also checked out "The Woven Pixel" exhibit at the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, and was impressed by the beautiful displays of this unique art form. South First Fridays hosts more lively events throughout the year, such as the SubZERO festival which I've enjoyed before. But this past weekend, the kickoff to the new year was more mellow, no crowds to deal with, just appreciation of the arts. There were a couple food trucks outside some of the bars and entertainment venues too (Tacos El Cowboy, and Stinky Noodle), and no shortage of food options from local businesses in the area to enjoy a snack or meal on this lovely winter evening. read more

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Visited August 1st, the first Friday of the month, for our very first time. We arrived around 6PM, excited to see what the Art Walk was all about--but were immediately met with an overwhelming sewage odor. There were only a handful of booths and a few run‑down galleries, and honestly, I wasn't even sure if visitors were supposed to go inside some of them. The crowd was extremely sparse, with just a DJ playing in the background. Maybe things picked up later in the evening between 6 and 10PM, but based on what we saw, it was underwhelming and disappointing. I wanted to love this event--it has so much potential to be vibrant and inspiring--but as it is now, I'm not sure I'd go back. Very sad, because it really could have been awesome. read more

super cool art pieces i got to see when i came here with my friend. she's taking an art class and coming here was an extra credit assignment, i tagged along and it was really cool to see all the art. i would recommend coming here because all the artists present are super kind and friendly. the pieces are very cool and have stories that are always interesting to hear/learn about whether it is by reading the description or interpreting on your own. i would say all the artists present pieces in the gallery were so amazing to see and i enjoyed walking around here with my friend and talking to artists. read more

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Free museums, music and funky art the first Friday of every month. After the street closes, the fun begins. Adventure into the night. From local artists selling images from their imagination, to tattoo artists, to skateboard barons, to succulent sellers - this experience is delicious. The bars are open, beer is flowing and you'll never walk alone. Yay here is a quilt museum. There is a live DJ playing funky toons next to a guy selling crystal. It's a fun adventure. Come and indulge your senses. read more

South First Fridays - Closed stree and funky tunes. - Art Galleries Near Me - San Jose, California

Loved it! Went to the combo Sub-zero festival/south first friday last weekend. Wandered thru the institute of contemporary art, ate nachos and a burrito from a Mexican food truck in a beer garden, caught a drag show in the middle of the street, checked out the quilt museum, sat in on SJ symphony's open rehearsal at California Theatre, peeked in art galleries, browsed the street vendors' wares...wanted to check out the SJ museum of art too, but they closed at 9ish and we didn't make it in time. Will def return! read more

The first Friday of each month, San Jose's SoFA District holds an art walk that is not only free but cultually invigorating; strolling through the restaurants, lounges, cafes, bars, etc. will have your mind enriched w/ the many talented artists that will wow your mind and imagination. There is a map that you can use as your tour guide located here: http://www.southfirstfridays.com/ or http://sf.funcheap.com/south-first-fridays-art-walk-san-jose-2/ that will keep your evening intrigued and exciting. My daughter and I started our walk at Psycho Donuts (no purchases there but I was tempted). We followed the map which made things easier as I didn't need to walk back and forth to view things but we ended our walk at Caffe Frascati. Little did I know that the cafe is/was a bookmark so there I indulged w/ a chocolate eclair. BTW- this is the best eclair next to Tartine Bakery in San Francisco. Back to my review. San Jose is small yet somehow giographically larger than San Francisco. We are diverse, known to be corporate slaves (workaholics, if you will), and health conscious; we are thriving. If you have a visitor in town, I suggest South First Fridays and end the night at San Pedro Square Market where live music and gourmet cuisines will turn any night into a great night. I'm not a tourist and I love South First Fridays... I'm not an artsy type of girl but I do like looking at things that make me ponder. I love you, San Jose. read more

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I've gone to the SubZERO festival for the past few years and most recently, to this year's festival which was this very night! It is one of my favorite downtown SJ events. It is a bigger and more awesomer (is awesomer a word? it is now!) version of South First Fridays (which are every first Friday of the month in the SoFa district) held in the summertime in June. SubZERO is where art meets technology, and there are food trucks, live music, arts vendors, and of course the galleries on First St. being open late into the evening. Lots of fun, lots of energy, and lots of people coming out to downtown SJ! The galleries that participate that I always head into are Anno Domini, SJ Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), MACLA, the Quilt Museum, and the Metro's office for their photography exhibits. Anno Domini and ICA always have interesting rotating exhibits. Food trucks are a staple of the festival and a couple are always present. But if food trucks aren't your thing, then there are plenty of eateries on First Street that can satisfy your tummy, like Cafe Stritch, Pho 69, and First to Market. Cafe Stritch has tables on the sidewalk, so you can still be part of all the action, as the music from the main stage plays and people are walking up and down the street. There's also a beer garden at the corner of First and San Salvador (across the street from singlebarrel). On the street are vendors selling everything from soap made from goats milk to succulent terrariums to vintage clothing. EcoMonster was there tonight hosting a succulents workshop and TechShop was demonstrating the super cool 3D printer. Another cool thing that I saw for sale were these air plants that had a dried sea urchin attached to it to make it look like a jellyfish. Festival goers were also making art themselves by drawing on the street with chalk and making very colorful creations (I participated)! At another booth, you could have a poet write you a poem on their vintage typewriters, for a donation. Other people were selling paintings and photographs. There were also street performers. It was like living art. The one I liked best was this one person playing a black cello inside a giant birdcage. It was pretty cool. There were also those ladies whose bodies were the canvas and they were painted all over and also the two cars that were painted and decorated all over as well. Lots of wonderfully creative things to see on First Street! And at the corner of San Salvador and First, there was a guy painting on the building wall, and he was using a giant piece of equipment that elevated him up so he could paint the top of the building - art in progress! There is so much to see and it's great to see so much creativity being showcased in the galleries and on the street. It's inspiring to see so many artists in one place and seeing the products of their passion. It's also awesome to see so many people come out to support the local businesses and these local artists. Can't wait for next year's SubZERO, and the next one, and the next one, and the next one... read more

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We went to South First Fridays on Fri 5/1/09 the FREE art gallery walk that's FREE the First Friday of Each Month in Downtown SJ SOFA District. Forecast was rain, but it was nothing. I wish they didn't cancel the street market - oh well, maybe next time. No FREE Pedicab either - the little drizzle made them stay away. We got there around 7pm so a bit early. We checked out almost all the galleries: Anno Domini Caffe Trieste - didn't see much, too crowded MACLA San Jose ICA SLG Artboutiki & Gallery SJ Museum of Quilts & Textiles Space47 Works San Jose Didn't see: So. First Billiards - they had a bouncer and looked like they charged money to get in. KALEID Gallery - it's on So. Fourth St! Hubby & friend said too far! Recommended. read more

I can't believe there hasn't been a review written for the South First Friday art walk. First Fridays of every month from 8pm until late in downtown San Jose. There are about 10 different venues/galleries that open to the public for FREE!! Most of the artwork change each month (except at the SJMQT). Last week, I made sure to eat dindin quickly and headed over to see the artwork before 8pm!! I went to about 8 out of the 10 venues that evening! Usually there are live bands/performers to entertain people while viewing artwork! Some of the places have light refreshments and snacks available for free or for a small donation. Personally, I'd be a little iffy on getting those bowls of chips and cheez-its. Who knows how clean people's hands are. =\ Overall, the venues can get pretty packed with many interesting types of people. So if you're not into crowds, I'd suggest getting here before 9pm/10pm. Great place to people watch, view art, and enjoy the night! List of venues that are open for the art walk... 1. Anno Domini 2. Cafe Trieste 3. MACLA 4. San Jose ICA 5. SLG Artboutiki & Gallery 6. So. First Billiards 7. San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles 8. Space47 9. Works San Jose 10. KALEID Gallery read more

My review is about SubZero. I had such a great time. Most of the time I was there, I was alone. During that time, I found so much to do and look at. I was never bored. Both ends of the street were stages set up for live music. I saw a rollerderby game. All I can say is that this creavite event really made me so proud to be from San Jose. I hear this is the largest scale of SoFa. But I'm planning on coming down to check the regular event. read more

Wow! Talk about lucking into something. I LOVE street festivals and this one was Sub Zero, a bit of an art festival, they had some beer vendors as well, and food trucks. We got there rather early and noticed that the body painted models were getting ready, but there were some very neat offerings to be seen. Different little pockets of entertainment here and there. People offering to write poetry. I did luck into seeing the Persephone Dance Troupe, and that was a delight. As a bellydancer myself, it was awesome to see them perform in the street. Their costumes were amazing, and their talent.. Ladies, you are beautiful to watch! read more

I am in LOVE. This has got the be the best local event I attended this year. I can't believe I only just found out about this yesterday! Attended the event last night with hubby, it was awesome! Lots of fun art galleries, ELECTRIFYING Cirque de Soleil-esque performers/models that depict a fantasyland/forest (it was enchanting... see pics!), not to mention the awesome Luna Park Chalk Art Festival (a non-profit arts event organized annually by volunteers to increase support of the arts in schools and in the community) AND etsy worthy shops mostly alongside First Street in downtown SJ. OH. MY. For those of you who are worried about parking, I actually am a SJSU student so I parked at the 4th garage and simply strolled over. It was a lot of loud music with an enclosed area for beer/alcohol drinkers and a ton of food trucks. The notable food-trucks we tried (and looked most enticing to us) and loved were the San Jose Meatball Company, Banjara Bistro Truck (eccentric & flavorful curry plates with fresh yummy crepes), MoGo BBQ (Korean twist on tacos & burritos... a MUST-TRY) P.S. Although this event was called South First "Fridays" apparently it is now happening on Saturdays as well. If you guys have not made your way to this awesome event yet, you've still got time! It is from 6pm to midnight, have fun kids! :) read more

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Yes! Fun and interesting. Keep it going! SJ needs this to keep downtown vibrant and worthwhile.

South First Fridays was a lot of fun. Tons of people out strolling the streets, meeting local artists and eating good food. Beautiful way to enjoy the San Jose weather on a Friday! read more

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Art, music, food, drink. How can you go wrong? Basically South First Fridays is a pub crawl with an artistic focus. You amble on from gallery to gallery. After every location your walk slowly devolves into a more pronounced stumble because a variety of alcohol is offered at every stop. As you drink and look and listen at all is going on you really can't help but have a good time. Parking can be a nightmare. But hey, you're getting drunk so shouldn't you be using a cab (or lyft!) anyway? read more

I love the idea and concept of South First Fridays (SFF). There aren't that many places where you can waltz around outdoors, check out various artists, hit up food trucks, grab a beer, buy unique goods, listen to a live band and people watch at the same time. If you've ever been to a street fair, SFF won't throw you anything you haven't already seen. It's pretty much like every other street fair except this one is focused on art and artists. If you haven't been to one, let me paint you a picture. Imagine a mile-long street filled with tents and booths on both sides. People walk up and down the street checking out various vendors, artists, etc. There's a stage at one end where you can check out a live performance. PROS: - Great vibe - Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves - Excellent place to hangout if you have an artistic side - The street is closed. No cars allowed - Several bars and restaurants along the street make great pit stops - A lot of merchants will allow you to negotiate prices for their goods - There's a pretty neat art/science exhibit in the middle - A dozen or so food trucks CONS: - Feels like you're looking at the same stuff over and over as you walk down the street - Food trucks weren't that impressive and they all had huge lines. Expect to wait anywhere from 15-20 minutes to place your order and then the same amount of time to get your food. - The vendors (not local bars/restaurants) only sell beer, no liquor - A lot of kids running around. Be on the look out! - Expect to pay for parking If you've never been to SFF, I encourage you to check it out. It's a pretty decent date spot, especially if you both have an artistic side. It's not something you can make a full evening out of but it could kill 2-3 hours here. One of the biggest PROs about SFF I didn't list is how it's within walking distance of a few cool bars (55 South & Single Barrel). Hey, if the street fair was boring, kick your evening up a notch by grabbing a few drinks after. I was excited about going, I'm glad I went, but, I'm in no rush to go back. read more

An awesome way to spend a Friday evening and get your art fix for free! Similar to typical art walks, all of the local and smaller art galleries that line the South First Street and Market Street areas are available to the public for free admission from 8pm - midnight. Sometimes museums will offer special exhibitions and even live music. It's not as busy as their summer festivals like 01 or the Left Coast Live events, where the streets are blocked off, but it's a nice walk in the evening. I just started attending the South First Fridays a couple of years ago and have enjoyed the laid back vibe in the SOFA district. It's so different than the slew of clubs and lounges in downtown San Jose and proof that the South Bay does have an artistically-inclined soul somewhere deep inside. My favorite stops: Cafe Trieste - for upstairs artwork and coffee/hot cocoa Anno Domini Macla Works read more

This is #3 on the top 10 FREE places Downtown to visit here in San Jose. The first Friday Night of every month is when the art galleries on South First Street open up and let everyone visit for FREE. Often they will have live music, and markets as well, which is welcome now that *Music In The Park* is dead. In my opinion, the South First Street area is more "pure" than the San Pedro Square Area, which I see as a more artificially created environment tailored more for tourism and commercialized success than as a grass-roots vehicle for expression and community. Besides the music, shopping, and festival spin-offs which germinate here on South First, there are exhibits which'll blow the minds of even those who aren't into artsy stuff. read more

Checked it out when I checked out the SubZero Festival. http://www.yelp.com/biz/subzero-festival-san-jose#hrid:eigUY-w2zMOOrO0ijIRjyA/src:self The galleries stayed open late to accommodate the SubZero Festival and were free entrance, even First Billiards. Takes over 3 blocks with the farthest gallery, Kaleid Gallery on 88 South Fourth. 1. Anno Domini http://www.yelp.com/biz/anno-domini-san-jose 2. Cafe Trieste http://www.yelp.com/biz/caffe-trieste-san-jose#hrid:M9QOLbfNGcNBLslaTUB0eg/src:search/query:triest 3. MACLA http://www.yelp.com/biz/macla-movimiento-de-arte-y-cultura-latino-americana-san-jose 4. San Jose ICA http://www.yelp.com/biz/san-jose-institute-of-contemporary-art-san-jose#hrid:k9TsSNP4Iz2IbmdRlMpfpw/src:search/query:ica 5. SLG Artboutiki & Gallery http://www.yelp.com/biz/slg-artboutiki-and-gallery-san-jose 6. South First Billiards http://www.yelp.com/biz/south-first-billiards-san-jose 7. San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles http://www.yelp.com/biz/san-jose-museum-of-quilts-and-textiles-san-jose#hrid:Z_vd5A57hohTlZUgT8S4fA/src:search/query:quilts 8. Space47 http://www.yelp.com/biz/space-47-san-jose#hrid:b_DNLuQENtC08nw9Vj55kQ/src:search/query:space47 9. Works San Jose http://www.yelp.com/biz/works-san-jose-gallery-san-jose#hrid:IdNpZ-zveRcvRsNQgzywEw/src:search/query:works 10. KALEID Gallery http://www.yelp.com/biz/kaleid-gallery-san-jose 11. Metro Newspapers http://www.yelp.com/biz/metro-newspapers-san-jose 12. Phantom Galleries: Artwork in vacant storefronts on South First Street. Feb-Dec 2009 8:00pm til late read more

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Review for SUBZERO fest. I am so proud of San Jose for having such an awesome festival. The idea of combining food, beer, art and music is genius! First street is closed off with very unique art and fashion vendors along with live art shows and dancing. It's like Haight Ashbury fest mixed with beerfest mixed with sjeats. It can't get any better. read more

It's a great way to spend a Friday night with friends. Some of the places get crowded, like Caffe Trieste. But overall, it's fun and I am glad they have something like this downtown. read more

Every first Friday of every month, some restaurants, cafes, galleries, and museums in the SoFA district downtown open their doors to the masses to show art exhibits from local artists for free! They post a map each month to show patrons which places are showing what, this month there was 20 different locations to meander to and from, most concentrating on First St, though places like Kaleid and Psycho Donuts are a little further off the beaten trail, but close enough of a walk if you aren't too hammered yet (or are too hammered and want to sober up a bit). Almost every gallery location seemed to be offering small glasses of wine for little or no cost. Food trucks and a DJ or two populate these places as well, though this night was lacking in the food truck scene. I've heard the summer months are better for those sort of things to pop up during this event. Kaleid and Anno Domini were my two favorite stops, the first being a giant gallery with many different artist exhibits, a lot even at affordable prices if you want to bring some of that art home. Anno Domini's gallery was also large, showing two artists and catering to the DJ crowd on their stage. All in all, this is a fun experience of a not-so-typical Friday night that I think every South Bayian should come see for themselves. read more

There is nothing better then free art and entertainment. A lot of people complain that San Jose is boring, but I think a lot of them are just too lazy to find out whats going on. Take First Fridays at SoFa district. Its FREE, you get to be your own art snob... and if you love to collect art (and aren't rich) you can probably find something you like at Kalied! And for the 21 and up you can have a few drinks at the galleries if some of the art confuses you. My favorite places to go are ICA, Anno Domini, Kalied, and Works. You can spot me on the community wall of pictures at MACLA as well. I love going out and enjoying the art. I have a great time and on the way from Kalied to first street I grab a PHILZ coffee along the way. read more

Went to my first First Friday a couple weeks ago, and while I love the idea of it, I have to say it was a bit of a disappointment. I guess we were a little late (we went around 8:45), since a couple of the galleries had already closed. With the exception of Kaleid and a perhaps a couple others, the galleries were small. I would recommend Anno Domini, MACLA, Higher Fire (brilliant pottery), ICA, and the quilts and textiles museum. SLG offers live music as well. Unfortunately, we did not make it all the way to Kaleid before the event was over. In addition, we were disappointed by the lack of food truck presence, since I believe in months past, this event has been crowded by food trucks and various vendors. For some reason, this month there were only a couple of food trucks out (a generic pastry truck and Filipino truck that didn't offer any vegetarian options) and maybe 3 booths. I don't know why it was relatively dead the month that I went. I think I wish we were San Francisco. read more

I went to SubZero 2012. It was interesting to stroll down S 1st St and see all of the different creative / interactive pieces on display. It's worth a visit. Come late as there is more going on later in the evening. Don't rush through all of the different offerings. Some things take a while to savor and you see more the longer you take. Other things didn't resonate with me no matter how long I stood in front of them. Subzero 2013 (http://activate.metroactive.com/2013/06/a-guide-to-subzero-2013/) should be a pretty cool event. It starts on 6/7/13 this year. read more

The last time I went to South First Fridays was about 4 years ago...that was also the time when my husband banned me from ever using the CamelPak for alcohol again. :( And conquer I did....with only a bottle of wine down. :) Fast forward 4 years...I shall be wiser....my liver shall be used to this abuse....I shall conquer you SFF! I was worried the ghetto folks that have now ruined Music in the Park would be there, but there were none. The crowd was a mix of white folks (which you never see in SJ or as a matter of fact in Cali anymore) and hipster Asian and Mexican kids. (not the gangster kind) Unfortunately the street vendors were more interesting than the art studios, with my favorite being Flora and Fauna...who had adorable, reasonably priced clothing items. I also loved the building of the rock climbing wall. The boy who worked there with his grandfather gave us a demo of how he climbed that thing. It was like Spiderman, but way more cool. The live music also wasn't as good as it was before...but that's probably a good thing...because good music seems to draw out the thug in people. read more

I was in the area after dinner for a girls' night. We walked through for the hell of it and I actually found some cute vintage clothes at one of the booths. What really got my attention? The naked, painted girls. I'm not sure what the point was but it made for a good mobile upload. There were a lot of decorated cars in the side parking lot. Pretty random, but fun to take drunk pictures with, even though some of the owners were creeps. Other attractions included a band on stage, henna tattoos, and various art vendors. First Friday was an unexpected, but welcome surprise. It's nice to see San Jose do something right. read more

The best place to experience art and. Creatives in San Jose. Emerging and established artist showcase paintings, wood carvings, jewelry, sculpture etc. Start at SOFA market for a bit and then hit the street for a cruise along the avenue. read more

I always try to plan my trips back in the Bay Area to coincide with South First Fridays. It's really something to look forward to. Although admittedly, some South First Fridays are better and more happening than others. It's nice to see the downtown association try to establish an arts scene in San Jose. It's what we've been missing all these years. The idea that San Jose will have a thriving art and music scene in a couple of years is no longer far-fetched. My favorite galleries are Kaleid and Anno Domini. I love the set lists when they decide to block off the streets for outside musical performances. There is this one indie artist whose name I always forgot but I love his music! Anyway, if you have a friend coming from out of town, this is the event to take them to! The crowd is young and hip and the art is pretty impressive! read more

Love checking out the goods every first friday of the month. It gets even better when they host their Subzero, or Zero One festivals (believe one or two times a year). Streets are blocked off, and you get to scope out tons of goodies from various local and non-local artists. Treatbot (http://www.yelp.com/biz/treatbot-the-karaoke-ice-cream-truck-san-jose-2) also camps out here from time to time, so get your ice cream fix. There are tons of art galleries worthy of your time, however these are the ones that stick out to me: Anno Domini, MACLA, and Works. Whether you're here to enjoy the nightlife sober, or not, definitely check it out, also creates a fun date for you and your friends or significant other(s). read more

Great art, but pathetic organization. Usually South First Friday's consists of only a few (4-6 open galleries) that all seem to shutdown before 10PM. The turnout is pretty low (maybe hundreds of people at most). It is extremely disappointing for such a large city. Anno Domini, MACLA, and the Textile Museum consistently impress me -- but 3 open galleries just doesn't cut it. Put some people on the street, create some excitement, create stuff to sell... Where are all of the food carts/trucks? The last 2 months there has been ONLY a single truck! Come on, get it together, do a bit more advertisting, get some more artists, some music, some ANYTHING. read more

Pretty cool event. Parking was ridiculousness - just find a cheap hourly rate and that is the best way to go. You get a little bit of everything - cool art, good food, cool merchandise,and some really creative, unique and cool performances. The performances ranged from bands, to art performances, to street acts. Going to the bar or having a little flask around prior makes the event even funner. There is port-o-potties (portable bathrooms) around, if you drank a lot and you need to puke or if you drank a lot and you need to pee like me :) read more

Last night was my first time at South First Fridays. If you like people watching and energetic street scenes, South First Fridays is for you. The exhibits are astonishing, provocative and spontaneous. The exhibitors interact with the crowd. People seemed friendly, particularly for a crowded street event in an urban setting at night. Notably, I got several courteous apologies from people who were jostled into me accidentally. San Jose's excellent food trucks are scattered throughout the walk so that quick and tasty snacks are available. You can duck into a restaurant if you want to sit down. There is even a beer garden positioned halfway up the three-block walk with a host of local and regional brewers offering glasses and tastings of their finest craft. This section of South First has always had a washed out feeling, a sort of benign neglect that was interesting but offered little to do other than a brief stroll after a movie or dinner. I really applaud the City of San Jose for developing this event. It's perfect for the wide open layout of the area. I am definitely going back. read more

the fact that this exists in san jose is really promising. each SFF event seems to get more elaborate, with higher attendance. i've heard it said that no one goes to art openings to look at the art. if this were the case, then SFF gets 5 stars for the turnout and the legwork that goes into everything. unfortunately, some of us do actually look at what's on the walls, and that's more of a hit-or-miss affair. granted, san jose is not some art mecca like sf or la. still, some of the galleries could step it up. the strongest offerings tend to come from the ICA and from space 47, where the work usually possesses a sophistication and an awareness that's hard to find in some of the other spaces. more common is this "street" kind of look-- not sure if there is a name for it, (like this kinda http://www.urbanretro.co.uk/images/detailed/d_URA15001.jpg) but these sort of urban-cartoon doodle characters with big bulbous features and tiny little eyes, usually lots of paint dripping here and there, cheap materials... pseudo graffiti artist type stuff, now trying to infiltrate the fine art echelon, completely oblivious that they're recreating this silly, uninteresting 'look' or style, with no critical substance... i could keep going at the risk of sounding even snobbier. the impression i get is that there's this underlying mentality that goes something like: the fact that people are making the effort to show their work and organize an event somehow justifies the whole thing, even when the work itself is not always up to snuff. feels like there's either not a big enough pool of artwork to choose from, or maybe there are just a lot of legit artists who still need to come out of the woodwork. i guess you gotta start somewhere. definitely still worth showing up for the social aspect, and the occasional gem. read more

Tons of free entertainment, the chance to see local art, and a great way to get a taste of south bay culture. No reason to miss this =)

See previous review. This walk was kind of the same as before, and with fewer people as there appear to be than, again before, coming out to look at the galleries, hear music, and so on. The weather was good. read more

Lots of free art and fabulous people-watching, especially in the summers when the sun sets late and the evenings are cool. One gallery (Kaleid) is on South 4th by King Library, but the others are clustered on South 1st. Some galleries get packed between 9 and 10, so if you want to take in the art without a crowd you should get there at 8 when the galleries open. Really, though, the crowds are part of the show. read more

Last Friday was fun, good music, cool artwork, and free. We will definitely be back for more First Fridays of the month.

Last night was my first experience at SubZero or South First Fridays. It was so amazing and I did not have to a pay single penny. I parked in the neighboring San Jose State parking garage and strolled on over, because it was that close. Once we arrived, there was a sea of people. lights. and artwork. I especially enjoyed the chalk walk area, where participants of the festival were allowed to borrow chalk and draw whatever they liked on the street. Another memorable exhibit was the nude camouflaged paintings. I've never seen anything like it and I just thought the art was so beautiful and brave. Finally, coming to the best part of Subzero was the music. Our favorite band, Brother Grand, played and it was just like a mini concert! We even got to meet them! If you have time next year or whenever this comes up again - I definitely recommend you to check it out, because its free and its worth your time! read more

Review for SubZERO Festival SubZERO is a swirling vortex of local arts and indie and it is AWESOME! In the interest of full disclosure, My dance troupe has performed at this event for the past three years. We don't make any money off of it, sell merchandise, etc. We simply share our art form and revel in the atmosphere. This event was full of visual, musical, performing, etc. artists. The streets were blocked off and the people reigned! It was fine for adventurous families in the early evening and great for adults late into the night. Food trucks offered tasty fare, bars, hooka lounges, some art galleries and other businesses along the way were all open for at least part of the night on top of the exhibitors lining the street in tents, walking the avenue and dancing on the walls (yes, literally). There were incredible live models walking about painted head to toe in amazing body paint, stilted puppeteers, poets and more. There was a taiko band roaming the street. Stage bands performed in the beer garden and on a main stage. It was a feast for all the senses. Things are more subdued earlier in the evening. AS it gets later and people get a few more drinks in them, they loosen up a bit. Parking is a little tricky but there is a parking garage across from the site and if you carpool of plan to get there early and hang out for the long haul, it is fine. I hope to be there as a performer again, next year. If not, I'll stroll the event on my own. It is worth it. read more