For over a decade now, the first Friday of the month in Las Vegas plays host to the First Friday festival in the downtown area down the middle of Casino Center and Colorado. This free street festival displays local artists. musicians and performers, and each month the layout and participants are ever-changing. You can always expect to see a mix of vendors who are there every month to those who only participate once or twice a year or in certain seasons. First Friday is a great place to experience the arts culture around Las Vegas and have a chance to meet some of the artists and performers first hand. There is also a dedicated area for the local food trucks, just in case you need a snack for your stroll through the event area. But beware, once you go for the first time, you may find yourself checking the calendar from then on to find out when the next one will be!
Driver’s Report:
The event area is just north of the strip, between Las Vegas Blvd. and Main St, With Charleston as a cross street, finding the festival is easy; finding parking is the challenge. If you want free street parking, the earlier you get there the better (the event typically starts at five p.m. and street parking is restricted until after six p.m.) The later it gets, the more likely you will need paid parking, but there are plenty of paid parking options. Many businesses in the arts district stay open for First Friday and offer parking for around $5. Symphony Park also has parking (for $3) and provides shuttle service. Since we have a stroller, we typically look for street parking first then private business parking second so we don’t have to deal with the shuttle.
Wheels Report:
The festival is mainly located on the street, so access is generally not a problem, although sometimes the festival sometimes bleeds over into a gravel lot which can be a bit of pain to navigate through. The majority of vendors are on pavement, and cable lines over the streets have metal covers on them. Sidewalks are sometimes blocked by electrical chords, but since the majority of vendors are on the street this is usually not an issue.
Tech Report:
The festival is in the heart of Las Vegas, there shouldn’t be any problems here.
Kids Report:
The festival is very family friendly. You will find there is a heavy police presence here and first aid stations, so it is generally very safe. There is a large Kids Zone that hosts art projects and activities for kids, balloon artists, and other kid-friendly vendors. Both my teenager and toddler love to go to First Friday. Bathrooms are portable event bathrooms, but many businesses in the area stay open late on First Friday, so you may be able to find a different option if needed.
Food Report:
Although the food trucks and vendors that participate vary from month to month, there is an astounding range of options. We’ve seen everything from wood-fire pizza to all vegan, gluten-free treats to funnel cakes, Thai barbeque to jerk chicken. For those of us with food sensitives, there may be some months you can find a treat and sometimes you can’t, but even so, it’s fun to look through them and see what’s new. If you forgot to bring water, look for the First Friday booths scattered around the event area.
General Tips:
Bad weather or calendar conflicts have been known to cancel or delay the event, so check the First Friday webpage or facebook page before leaving. Arriving early is the best way to secure close parking, but if you’re sensitive to heat, wait until the sun goes down during summer months and bring water, especially if you’re bringing the kids. There are plenty of performers who accept tips, so it’s nice to have cash on hand, but you will find that many of the vendors will accept cards as well. Plan to invest one to two hours to walk the event grounds, or all evening if you plan to watch some of the live performances. Festival typically closes at 11.
Web Report:
Official site: http://fflv.net/menu/