First Fridays: Phoenix' monthly celebration of arts & culture

November 4, 12:58 PMPhoenix Travel ExaminerJay Hammond

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Phoenix luminaries at the METRO light rail Arts District station. Copyright 2009

First Fridays are a signature event in the Phoenix metro area. What started as an extension of the annual two-day Art Detour, is now the largest monthly art walk in the nation. And it's FREE.

The monthly self-guided tour of more than 70 galleries, museums, studios, stores, booths and other art-related venues brings as many as 20,000 people to downtown Phoenix from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. on the first Friday of each month. Although First Fridays are a monthly event, no two months are ever exactly alike. The museum exhibits change. Different artists and new works are featured at participating galleries. Entertainers, performers, readers and shows vary with the season and availability. Besides, the number of venues and the size of the crowd (which almost qualifies as entertainment in its own right) make it practically impossible to see and fully appreciate everything in just four hours. Just check out Summer Cool: Phoenix First Fridays and 24 hours in Phoenix with fashion designer Angela Johnson for an idea of how vaired this event can be!

First Fridays and the annual Art Detour (held in March) are organized by Artlink, one of Phoenix' oldest non-profits dedicated to promoting the arts. Each year, Artlink publishes a map of participating venues showing the routes taken by the FREE shuttles that help attendees get around. The maps are available online or at the Phoenix Art Museum (headquarters for First Fridays). Maps are updated at least once a year.

If you go: Parking always seems to be an issue in downtown Phoenix, particularly with events of this size. Those unfamiliar with the downtown area's one-way and interrupted streets may also find driving confusing. Why not take the light rail instead? Park and ride lots are available at many locations along the route and trains will deliver and pick up passengers in the heart of the downtown arts district.