First Friday Las Vegas

For over 20 years First Friday has been showcasing local artists, makers, cooks, and musicians creating a vibrant community space for all to enjoy. I recommend bringing a friend to join you in a walk down 1st street which will be lined with vendor booths each full to the brim with handmade arts and crafts. And don't forget to grab a bite to eat from one of the dozens of food trucks parked at Art Square.

First friday was fun, I went in the middle of summer so it was beyond hot. There were several vendors and food trucks. Make sure you don't forget to walk inside the building, there are several talented artist selling their work inside. Stay hydrated and you'll have a blast

I attended this event as a vendor. It was packed! The event runs from 5pm-11pm you can find arts and crafts, food, vintage and new clothes, drinks, jewelery, books and more! Great experience and great sales for my shop.

First Friday is easily one of my favorite events in the different cities I travel to. I have to give LV first Friday a mid 3 star rating. Although there were some vendors of color present, it wasn’t enough to keep my interest for long. Out of many many vendor booths, I counted 5, maybe 6 booths with products or services for POC. Everything other vendor, art museum, boutique, DJ or live band catered a group of people that did not include people of color. I would love to see more diversity in vendors and entertainment. The events draws a large crowd and I will say it was managed well, and I felt safe. I will return in hopes of seeing an increase of black and brown vendors.

The BES✝️🫂🧜🏻‍♀️🐶👑💐 We ARE ONE CREATOR$ 2025 LA$ VEGA$ BABY KEEP SHINING $TAR$ 💯🌎☮️☘️💚 👻✅️🧘‍♂️🥳 🦄💪🏽💸 ♾️

Probably one of the best events to go to in Vegas - especially since entry is free! First Friday LV features a wide variety of eclectic vendors, art galleries (free to enter), sundry happenings, and terrific food trucks/street food. From around the square to down main street you can find live music everywhere. The outside ‘food court’ at art square has every type of food you could think of (we had delicious hodgepodge of teriyaki chicken, homemade Mexican agua frescas, and Russian cuisine all for one meal). For locals and tourists alike I would definitely recommend taking an Uber/Lyft here as roads are blocked off, traffic gets bad and parking can become a nightmare.

This is a highly recommended event for non-locals to come visit. This is not your regular monthly artwalk as there are also live music performances, drum circles, and food trucks. There are only a couple things to worry about and that is parking and some people that are too politically active that they will shove pamphlets at your face (which is a preventable event by not giving them too much attention). Otherwise, it is just a lot of fun to attend.

Our first time at First Friday. Parked at one of the casinos on Freemont Street and any easy walk over. So much more then we expected. Lots of great food trucks. Multiple stages of live entertainment. Great artwork for sale. Will be back.

The only two months of the year that I would come to this event would be April and October. The months in between are too hot. The months before and after are too cold. The outdoor portion of this monthly event is mainly distributed on Main Street between Charleston Boulevard and Gass Avenue. This is where all of the food vendors are. It can be a bit crowded with foot traffic. There are also some festivities along the main portion of the Arts District, south of Charleston Boulevard. The biggest attraction is the outdoor market of thrift clothing at the southwest corner of Main Street and Imperial Avenue. For the summer months, you're better off going to Fremont Street, because it is cooler. The Viva Vision screen prevents the sun from heating the pavement underneath, and the air conditioning extends from the casino properties and retailers on each side.

Parking can be a pain you'd have to come early. There's different venue and food trucks to check out as well as live entertainment

This free street vendor event is absolutely A VIBE!! So much music, art , good food and even better vibes from the people around enjoying ourselves! Thai is definitely a Las Vegas gem event I'm so glad it's every month!

Fun night, great food and unlimited places to see. Check it out! And don't forget to find the 10 dollar tatto joint.

Definitely a fun experience, I would go if you've never been! but I don't know if it's something I would go to consistently. I would definitely recommend ubering as the parking is not very plentiful and you'll most likely end up parking somewhere unsafe. We had homeless people knocking on our car window and all of the other cars surrounding us. There was a shooting pretty close, so all of the surrounding streets were taped off and cop cars on every block. It is an interesting crowd, for sure. There was lots of cool artwork and different booths with very pretty art pieces and unique items. They had a booth to try new drinks and there is lots of food trucks!

If you get a chance and are in Vegas the first Friday of any month, try to make it to the Arts District "First Friday" event they have every month. IN THE HEART OF LAS VEGAS THE FIRST FRIDAY FOUNDATION IS A 501(C)3 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE. EVENT PURPOSE: The event purpose is to create platforms for emerging artists, support community connection, and bring artistic experiences to the community through outreach programs. The First Friday Foundation works with community-minded organizations across the Las Vegas valley including schools, youth groups, senior centers, ethnic and faith-based organizations, and other non-profits. They celebrate diversity and engage people around one core central theme - CREATIVITY! Overall is a fun and wonderful event for all walks of life including children and pets as well as party goes and adults. Highly recommend, we had a blast!

If you're ever in Vegas on the first Friday of the month, definitely make a trip to First Friday in the Arts District! It's grown over the years. Still a large turn out of various artist and their work. They also have a section for food trucks and vendors. Lots to see and eat here. A very creative, festive, and friendly environment. There's also various musical acts, from DJ's to live bands. A great place to hang out and enjoy the evening. We came early, 4:30pm, and parked in the Arts District on S. Main Street, near the various bars, restaurants, and antique shops. Paid about $5 for 3 hours on the street parking meters. I would say 3-4 hours is a good amount of time to check out everything and grab some food & drinks.

1st experience. Loved all the choices. Loved all the locals that represented our community! I must say Eric Roy law office had one of the best booths and had the best energy!! Dance contest, free t-shirts, and character drawings. The pizza truck was amazing pizza but the service was awful! Not one person smiled, same with the chicken /catfish. Smile people we are trying to support the local business! Music was great. It wasn't my favorite genre, but the young man performed a great show! It was a hard rock/rap but he sang better live than most big name performers!! Also must add the Latino DJ was super good! And I must add Hot Dogs on a Stick was the must have!! Always perfect and the friendliest of all venders!!!

It has been years since I last went to First Friday. A culprit of a change in job locations and the pandemic. I would have given it a 3 at best. It was small, laid out awkwardly and the entertainment was hit or miss. So much has changed since then. Instead of the parking lot being filled with booths, they moved the action over to Main Street. If I had to estimate, there were more than 2x the amount of vendors plus a dozen or so more food trucks. Everything was easy to find. We were blessed with the opportunity to see Chasing Light Music perform. They are fantastic, especially the lead singer. The art exhibitions in the building were great. I enjoyed the various art vendors selling pins, collectibles, cookies, jerky, and their own art creations. Nearby Dragons Alley/Taverna Costera gave us a great place to warm up from the cold. A second, smaller stage had another enjoyable band and the art district offers multiple mainstays and new bars and restaurants for the after-party.

Our fourth of July was celebrated here. This was maybe my fourth time coming and besides my first time this was probably the best experience I had. The community is very open and all the vendors show so much kindness. They have food trucks, small vendors, a bar, and partnerships with cannabis stores. The companies hand out the best freebies and even the small business have began giving out samples. The vendors do become reparative the more you go but it's still tons of fun.

After many years in Vegas I finally managed to go to a first Friday. It was such a blast! Everyone was in a good mood and there was so much going on! Me and my friends enjoyed bar hopping!

For over 20 years First Friday has been showcasing local artists, makers, cooks, and musicians creating a vibrant community space for all to enjoy. I recommend bringing a friend to join you in a walk down 1st street which will be lined with vendor booths each full to the brim with handmade arts and crafts. And don't forget to grab a bite to eat from one of the dozens of food trucks parked at Art Square.

I LOVE FIRST FRIDAY. This is exactly what the city of Las Vegas needs to keep the culture alive! I remember yearssss ago, my family had the very first food truck there. It was NOTHING like it is today. Then, it was just a one street event. Today it's an entire block party so big that parking is a headache! So definitely get dropped off in a uber so you can spend more time stuffing your face while you look at art than looking for parking

This is a must! The whole scene of creators and locals wandering and appreciating all form of art is amazing! It is family friendly as well as I take my kids, just be mindful there are a lot of people. The booths are fantastic and have a array of goodies, art pieces, snacks, and anything you can think of. The food trucks have a nice variety of things available to eat, if you find the truck with the pineapple lemonade you need to get you one! I cannot say enough great things about this event, it truly is a great time for everyone with an abundance of things to do.

It's been awhile... My neighbor wanted to karaoke, so we met up at Ninja at 7:30pm. Dead. Decided to take a walk around 18b. The name, "18b," represents the original Arts District area, which consisted of 18 blocks. Despite living nearby, I tend to avoid the crowds. Actually, it wasn't that bad, and I actually enjoyed the stroll. There's cool vendors hawking everything from jewelry, clothes, and soap. A few street musicians, who actually can play, serenaded on Main St. Not a bad summer night in Vegas (104f)!

I've lived in Vegas for almost two decades and not once have I visited First Friday or even the Arts District. I mean, I've been close on Main St but never crossed Charleston in to this particular area. We've met some new friends who love First Friday so they asked us to meet them out. I had to work late that Friday so I was very worried about parking. I mean I hate parking downtown when it's not First Friday so I couldn't imagine what it was going to be like. Lucky for us, we decided to start looking fairly far away from our meet up spot and were able to find spots right away. I won't say where (lol) but it was only like 5 or 6 blocks away and took us less than 10 min to get to First Friday. After spending some time doing karaoke, we hit up the food trucks. It was busy to me but one of the people we were with said it was less than the month before, which if true, is insane. Luckily, the truck we wanted to eat at had a shorter line but some lines ran at least 30 sets of people deep. That's the thing I don't like about events like this. The long lines and the very expensive food trucks. I mean did I love my quesadilla? Yes! Was it worth $80 for 4? Not really. There are so many vendors and food stalls. It can be a bit overwhelming in terms of sheer volume but it also can be a bit underwhelming in terms of what items are being sold. Maybe it's because I'm not an artsy person, I don't buy art and put it up on my walls, but it was still fun to see all the things. I did buy quite a bit of small things though, like stickers and enamel pins. Would I want to come back? I'm not sure. But I would highly recommend if you're into being in large crowds and having a feast for the eyes.

Scary. Of the 50 or so crafty booths, there were maybe 5 that I would consider based on the quality. I was leery of any food places, because so much of the prepared food to sell was exposed. It was nearly impossible to find bottled water. People were dressed and acted like the devil - red face, horns, and all. Lots of men in dresses with tube socks carrying purses. Women looked like witches minus the hats or like they could kick my behind. There was a literary open mic section to read poetry. Every reading was cheers to queers. I have nothing against people with alternative lifestyles, but really?... everyone shouting this out? No mention of the beauty of nature or generic love or puppies or rainbows... just queer messages. There was a long-haired guy in a cute shift dress on a corner (he was actually pretty) yelling "we're in a revolution!" "Come talk to me about the socialist movement", whatever..He sounded so professional and manly... it was just creepy hearing this tone coming from a "pretty lady", like a scary doll. The whole place was just off... and it was about a good 0.5 square miles of this non-stop. It was like a Halloween costume event, without the fun or cute costumes.

Hmmm. I've heard so much about this event, finally went to experience it. If you park at 500 S. Main parking garage you can take a free shuttle to the arts district. From the shuttle drop off walk toward Charleston and S. Main corner and you'll see the entrance to the first Friday. Its free to enter, its dog friendly, they have bars where police officers check your ID and place a "party" wristband on you. Decent selection of libations to pick from. The vendors at the first Friday range from artist, handmade cosmetics (soap, lotion), candles, incense holders, vintage reclaimed clothing, jewelry, hats. Also various art galleries you can walk into and explore. There are food trucks stationed inside as well. I was honestly expecting so much more and will say this event was lacking luster and did. It fulfill my expectations.

Free parking can be bad. Luckily for us, we did a few loops and found one about 3 streets away, 7mins walk and we were there. Free entry. If you have time and are antsy to get outside and want to do something, this is the place for you... basically for free, if you're just walking and viewing. Food lines can be long. Lots of art to see in the bldgs, lots of vendors to buy stuff from. A few DJs playing music to pump the crowd. It can get crowded later on in the evening. Overall, a nice evening out, walking around and window shop. .

Pre pandemic I used to come to first fridays and this is my first visit back for first Friday during Covid-19 on May on May 7th. Before coming to First Fridays plan accordingly with parking and the friends and family you will be going with. You will have a hard time looking for parking if you come at the peak of the event. I recommend taking a rideshare, carpooling with your friends or be very patient on looking for parking around or near the event. According to the event, they mentioned that its required to make reservations for your spot which I booked for 2. But when we went the staff did not check or ask to see your confirmation. I believed the event did this to control foot traffic on who is coming in and coming out. A lot of the artists are in the buildings and you have some artists and vendors outside. The food trucks were separated from the Art and vendor section. if you are planning on eating expect to be waiting in line which was very long. We wanted to eat at the Food trucks but the lines were crazy long like an hour wait. Overall, I enjoyed a couple of artists work and getting to know them.

If you want to get out the first Friday of every month and see some vendors, local art, get some grub and hang out, look no further! That's just what this is!! There is a food truck area that is well laid out, has lots of options and plenty of seating! You can get everything from tacos, pizza, pasta, burgers, seafood, milkshakes, donuts, hotdogs.... They have a lot of options! The vendors are varied from art, dog treats, jewelry, clothing and so on. They have different things and you can take your time looking at it all. Most of this is free to access. There was one part that wanted to charge you to get into. But that part was more for the DJ and to hang out. Not shop. So it's what you make it and what you want out of it. There is plenty of parking, you just have to look for it. The later in the evening it gets, the more parking fills up. So just be patient. This is a street event so there will be walking involved. Wear comfortable shoes and just be prepared.

First and foremost, the worst thing about First Friday (only one bad thing) is the PARKING. In fact, this recent event was my third attempt at attending the huge public outdoor festival. Previous attempts involved a frustrated me driving around for half an hour to an hour, looking for a parking space before giving up and leaving. There are paid parking lots but its dark lighting in a corner of the district is a little sketchy. I'd like to return to my car with the windows still in tact. The alternative is the plentiful street parking under bright lights in populated areas. If you can snag a spot, you've hit the lottery and are ready to get to stepping. SO MUCH TO SEE during First Friday it's incredible. Artists, weed info, food trucks & vendors, dancers, musicians, crafts, and this is just in that square plaza area on the North side of Charleston. To the South are all the regular businesses like bars, galleries, and coffee shops open during later hours opening their doors to the visiting crowds. Dress in comfortable shoes because there's a good amount of walking in exploring all that is to be seen. First Friday is such a cool community event, I could see myself attending many times again for the variety of food and culture... Though next time I'll probably take a Lyft.

So much fun! So many things to do, eat, see, drink... it's endless! Last night was Brew Fest / First Friday and I was so jealous that I couldn't go and drink and look around as much because I was working the event but they had the milkshake wasted truck, taco trucks, hot dog fries, the potato tornadoes!! Live music and so much more. Every first Friday of the month (example: May 6 was the "First" Friday of the month) they do this event! Make sure to come down to the arts district and check it all out!

What a nightmare to find parking! People driving around the arts district for hours to find a parking spot! The event continues to grow and all the city does is to install kiosks on all the streets and charge for parking every spot at least a mile around the event. The whole area is surrounded by run down vacant dilapidated properties and land and won't build a parking structure! Event website says there's parking about 1/2 mile at 500 Main Street and a shuttle will be running regularly to transport people to the event! Not the case. No shuttle ever showed up. Elderly people standing on Main for hours today waiting for a shuttle. People called event telephone number and they have no idea where one should park and don't know about a shuttle. Google event parking for First Friday and that even states a shuttle will be running regularly.

So much food to choose from. Mind you, the food is very expensive compared to the same food trucks at another location. They gotta pay a fee to park here, so you gotta pay for it too with the bill. But it's not just about the food. It's being around so many different people. So much different cultures walking around. You pretty much serve yourself around here. You can make a quick walk to Main Street and go shopping for even more things. Lots of local businesses here to support. Love stage makes it nice to be here too.

If your into art and/or food, then First Friday is a must!!! There are many many options of art and food vendors throughout the whole venue. Nearly every local has tried out First Friday.

I was really looking forward to First Friday, since my roommate and classmates talked it up like it was a huge outdoor art/music/food festival near Fremont St. - which attracted local artists, food vendors and musicians. First of all, it's no where walking distance from Fremont St. if anything it's at least a 15 minute Uber ride to the actual street. When we arrived around around 8p, there were a handful of vendors selling stuff like, art, T-shirts and crystal rocks. I didn't see and get the vibe that everyone talked this event up to be. The alcohol sold was only beer and wine. My roomie and I ended up looking on Yelp for the closest bar, and found Mingo Bar (review coming soon!). After hitting up the bar for a round of drinks and an appetizer, the crowd definitely grew from when we first arrived. But I still didn't see much of the art vendors I initially expected to see. There were definitely a lot of drunk people walking around, booboo. I may have to give it another try in September to compare, but I didn't have a real memorable experience at this event.

After years and years of going to First Friday. I'm a big fan of the 18b Arts district and it's time to yelp up and pay my respect to First Friday...here's your executive summary: FF Food: The local foodie truck vendors are usually well represented especially when the weather is nice. There's a wide array of food to sample and link up via social media if you want to find the trucks outside of FF. Alcohol is available and controlled well if you're looking for drinks as you stroll along. FF Art and misc: I usually stroll around The Arts Factory and Artifice to check out the cool local art. Afterwards, I'll hit the streets to check out the cool art vendors setup for First Friday. Talented artists are a plenty and Pop art is represented well. You can also find numerous unique arts and crafts that you wouldn't find in any store. There's something for everyone. FF Entertainment: You'll definitely find some diverse live street music entertainment. Performance stages are also showcased throughout FF. Watching the artists paint or create art live is entertaining to watch as well. Some First Fridays are better than others and it appears to occur when the weather is nicer (no wind or rain) in the evening. Parking can be a challenge: you can get lucky with free parking on the sides street or pay $10 to park in lot. The crowds are diverse with locals from all over the valley and definitely family (and pet) friendly. This is a (free) intimate local's side of Vegas you won't find on The Strip that has something for everyone. See you at the next one!

Amazing food selections and a great street party friendly safe and chill vibe. Pork Slider Boa Buns, Lobster Tots, Elote Hot dog, strawberry churros. The tots are still on my mind.

Parking situation is horrendous ... most lots are full and street parking is practically nonexistent. Just know if you do street park, it's the Super Bowl every first Friday for City of Las Vegas parking inspectors. They love finding everyone with expired tags, expired parking etc and WILL fine you very quickly. Overall, an ok experience walking around the actually event area but to those organizing First Friday, please stop charging food truck vendors insane entry fees to be there (I've heard amounts anywhere from $500 to $1000) because they then have to pass that cost onto the consumer and raise their prices. $15 for a milkshake? $9 for a brownie? Comon... what a joke. We live very close by but won't be back to first Friday just due to the sheer chaos in the area and ridiculous prices.

Increíble experiencia !! Arte por todos lado, comida y diversión! Me encanto encontrar gente emprendedora y con gran ingenio al promover sus productos.

Just got back from First Friday for the first time and I have to say: If you didn't have the chance to go before make it point to do so :) I will start with the food: if you are a foodie person, enjoy different things, carnival food, food trucks, and home made style dishes this is a must for you. It has been a while since I seen so many food trucks and vendors in one location (Foodie fest style). The smell from each location is great. You can't try them all in one night but the lines to each one shows how good it is. Music is everywhere, live band stage, DJ's playing different kind of music in different locations and lights to get you into it :) The Art galleries are open for everyone to go around, view and if you are looking for something that is not mainstream you are sure to find it there. There are different vendors tents everywhere, from Vinyl stickers, gages, shirts and things you don't see everyday. This is a great spot to come in with friends, kids, family, date or even just walking with your pet, I highly recommend it. Parking might be a little tight but if you don't mind walking 5 minutes parking is easy. I just wanted to note that if you are worried about security, because this is an open venue and free for all to come in(no cover charge) metro is everywhere - makes you feel safe.

Not sure if it's the time of the year (February), but we were very disappointed on our first visit to the arts festival. It was much smaller than we thought. It literally took us less than 25 minutes to walk it. There were maybe 40 booths selling mostly paintings and jewelries. Work quality in general was not impressive. The most interesting art was the paintings inside a dark tent where you are given 3D glasses and hand-held black light. The rest of the booths were ho-hum at best. There were some food trucks and a center stage. Underwhelming is the word I would use to describe it.

I used to be a frequent First Friday regular every month. I come here to try out new food from local food trucks/stands and check out all the locals artists and vendors. It is a nice place to spend the evening eating good food and checking out all the arts. Or you can check out various local artist performing on stage or street all around the area. I like taking new people to show them the "local" side of Las Vegas and not just the strip. They also have a stand to purchase alcohol for you thirsty folks. I did stopped going for several months because I started seeing the same thing. After coming back, it seem like they have expanded their food options and have more vendors to check out. It looked busier than ever but I still enjoyed the vibe. Parking can be hectic but we always find parking on the streets even though it may be a few blocks away. This time we tried the shrimps on a stick from Nic. The shrimps is amazingly good. It is grilled to perfection and flavorful. We also got the garlic chicken combo and garlic fries from small kine grindz. Boy, was the chicken soooo good! The meat was tender and the skin was super crispy. You can definitely take the garlic flavor if you love garlic! The garlic fries was okay but wished it was a be crispy. We also got the lava flow from wowwow Hawaiian lemonade. It is made with coconut, pineapple, and strawberry perfection blended to satisfy your thirst. There is a bar located inside the FF area too where you can come grab a few drinks to enjoy the night away with your friends. Overall, I will come back here to check out the other vendors. We came a bit late so we didn't get a chance to explore everything. It seem like it has gotten bigger with more things to do.

I love art so when I first came here it was a lot of fun! Lots of vendors to buy food and art from. Foods kind of pricy but not surprising for food trucks. Art can be pricy but we got some super cheap art that we love. Be prepared because parking is a pain!

had a great time, lots of food and small business to support. nice place to walk around

The smelled of marijuana and cigarets was disgusting... How is this possible you ask it's outdoor? exactly... so disgusting. This was our first and last time attending. We were disappointed because before Covid we heard such great things about it! If I could give 0 stars I would but have to give it 1 star

This is one of those events that unfortunately has taken a sharp decline in nearly all categories that one would rank such an event: fun, value, entertainment, and cultural value. When I first attended First Friday about a year ago, it was a very expansive festival covering several blocks of downtown and showcasing several local artists, local food trucks, and mom & pop retail stores. It had great live music and an eclectic mix of attendees that made for great people watching. Over the past few months, though, the numbers of participating artists has declined dramatically and the food selection has been reduced to a few overpriced food trucks. The amount of real estate that once hosted First Friday has reduced dramatically as well and the crowd that attends the event has become a lot more shady and drunken. It's now not a lot different than Fremont Street but covering a different part of downtown. Beggars and scam Charities are there now along with a few scant artist booths and beer booths. Parking has become a business more than anything and now everyone and their brother that owns an orange vest collects $10 for parking in any random dirt lot you can find. So sad. First Friday used to be about showcasing local artists and spreading culture through the "Arts District." Now it's nothing more than yet another way to squeeze every last dollar out of anyone that walks by.

What happened to you First Friday? You've shrunk to less than half your size! As of June 5, 2015 FF is now relegated to what I used to consider the "end" of this event. First Friday is now ONLY on the corner where the Arts Factory and the Artifice are. No more is the impromptu skate park, the free for for all graffiti, or the stage nearby that was host to some spiffy entertainers (like flame throwers!). All that's left are the food trucks, EDM stage, main concert stage, and your usual oddball street performers. You can walk FF in 10 minutes and there's not much to do. I remember maybe 3-4 years ago, there were A LOT more galleries open. Now there's just Arts Factory :/ Worth a Return Visit? Boooo. I went with my husband and another couple, and everyone pretty much thought First Friday sucked. We even debated walking over to Fremont. First Friday is tiny now and even more packed. The lure is gone. I think June 5 was officially my last First Friday. YELP 100 CHALLENGE 2015: #123

I've wanted to go to First Friday for a long time but I never seemed to get there. Friday night, I had a ticket for the play "The Mineola Twins" at the Art Square Theatre in the heart of the downtown Arts District and thus I was thrust into the First Friday action. I didn't go as early as I could have to get a good parking spot and I opted not to take one of the shuttles. I scouted a couple of side streets and ended up parking at Gass and 3rd which gave me only a 6 block walk. From the moment I got the vibe of the crowd, I knew I was hooked on First Friday. It was enjoyable seeing the street performers, looking at some of the art (wow, some of it looks like something one of my 6th grade students did years ago), and smelling the most incense I've smelled since I was in grad school. It was also a fun diversion to see Metro cuffing a guy on the hood of one of their cruisers. I was on a mission to find an ice cream truck but alas there was none to be found. I ended up getting a deep fried Twinkie from one of the vendors. No need to go inside the Mermaids Casino on Fremont Street now. It was surprisingly good, but it's not something I'd buy on a regular basis. I will be back to First Friday when I can spend some more time and enjoy the vibes some more. If December is an OK weather night, I'll be there. It was great fun!

For creative minded people, or at least more creative than Kim and Kanye when they named their baby Kimye (jk, it's more their name coined up by the paparazzi), First Friday located in the downtown district of Las Vegas is a must visit event. To be more precise, First Friday is on 3rd street and Casino Center between Oakey and Charleston. Over the years more vendors have come out, performers have participated, food trucks dished out their best, security and police presence have increased. You might ask yourself where does all the fun begin? Drive towards downtown until you get to the vendor melee or crowd of people and find the next available parking. I pay the $5 to park in designated spots but I've been lucky before by finding parking off Commerce or Main St and just walking a short distance. Bring cash! Some of the vendor prices have been ridiculous but the food trucks have stayed consistent, fresh and affordable. I enjoy art so I stop and admire, eat on the way to the next stop until it's time to finish the night off at the Fremont East district. You can usually find me at Commonwealth, yeeeee! And by finish, I mean not stay until 10pm/11pm. Every First Friday is not the same so come out for a couple hours. One month they had burning man here. Not in the traditional sense but a poor version of it but at least they try to do something different each time.

I love first Friday. You can find everything from art galleries, local vendors, and food trucks (including a place called Engine Pizza which is a fire truck converted into a brick oven pizza place!). People in this town expect a huge First Friday...I honestly don't know if that will EVER happen in this town. It's Vegas...sooooo many shows, events, blah blah blah happening all the time...how could FF even be at it's maximum potential? Oh let's not forget the jacked up weather...it could be too hot, too cold..or soo windy trees are falling down. I think "smaller" less busy cities where people only get to look forward to their FF...they tend to be bigger and "better". I will continue to attend our FF here in Vegas and support our fun gathering. Support local businesses. Otherwise enjoy your other 4 million options you have here in Vegas! ;)

First Friday is always a great time. Come early to find parking and plan to stay late because there is a ton of stuff to do. We always start by walking around and checking out all the cool vendors. Nevada Brew Works is a must visit. It's on Main Street in the Brewery Row. They have the BEST beer and cocktails! And the food is AMAZING! I love the pizza and beer-brined wings. The large patio area always has DJ's playing a variety of music - its a serious vibe!

Amongst the overpriced glitz and glam tourist areas that make up Las Vegas, you find little gems like First Fridays that are fun and free. Various food trucks, live music, and lots of art and crafty vendors to check out. Bubs and I had a good time walking around and exploring the area. Alcohol is served at moderate prices. $6 - $10 depending on what you're getting. We both got $10 mules, but they were decent pours. Let's face it, yes parking sucks the big one. There are event lots, around $10, or you can scour the streets for a free spot. At 8pm it took me about 15 min to find free street parking. Not the worst I've ever endured. When you're ballin' on a budget and need to get out of the house, First Fridays is a cool place to check out.

I love that Vegas is trying to revamp downtown and bring in more artwork and culture. This was maybe my fourth time at First Friday and this was by far the biggest and most busy I've ever seen it. There was at least 10 different food trucks and food vendors, a couple bars, tons of vendors, lots of art studios and three different stages with different types of entertainers. The upsides are it's a free event to come to, there's tons of new things to discover and there's always some type of entertainment wether it's a signer, band, dj or dancers. Now for the downsides, the parking is definitely a major one. It's hard to find close, free parking and it's not the most easy area to navigate with the road closures. I recommend just ubering it. Another downfall is not all vendors accept cards so be prepared to bring cash. Lastly it tends to get really packed really quickly so if you're not one for crowds of people it might get pretty uncomfortable. Overall it's a great event though and I highly recommend everyone to check it out at least once in their life.

Great monthly event for Las Vegas that takes place on the First Friday of a new month. As the weather gets nicer the more people that tend to come out and enjoy the Arts, music, friendship, community, and of course food trucks. The arts district has grown substantially over the last few years most likely because of the growing community involvement and participation of this monthly festival. Many of the businesses open their galleries to the public to let the explore the arts in a no pressure environment. This allows each individual to discover and be inspired by the creativity that is thriving in Las Vegas. Many of the antique stores on Main St. also open their doors for patrons to explore. The First Friday Festival now extends from Imperial and 3rd streets North beyond Charleston Blvd and also engulfing Main and Casino Center. They also have some festivities near the Container Park and the Beat Coffee House and Emergency Arts on Fremont Street. Parking can be a pain in the arse sometimes, so if possible take one of the Express busses to DTLV RTC transit station and walk South to the First Friday Festival. Check the RTC website for express bus pick up and drop off locations with a park and ride lot. Or you can park off Fremont Street near Container Park and take a free shuttle from the El Cortez hotel casino. Another parking option is to park at the Smith's Center for a fee and take the free shuttle from that location. Or arrive early for the best parking spots near the closed off pedestrian area but that means you have to be down by 4-430pm. First Friday is a family friendly event and adventure. The organizers have a Kid Zone to keep the little ones engaged during their visit to the Festival. When it's time to eat the food trucks are located on Casino Center and Imperial. I can only make it to two trucks a visit because of the filling portions. This event only takes place once a month so make sure you plan ahead and bring your walking shoes to enjoy comfortably.

My first experience at the vegas local scene. At first, I was slightly confused on where to park but I simple paid 10 bucks to get a parking spot less than a mile from the fun. At the entrance there was a group act that drew in a big crowd. At first glance, the area didnt seem very big, however walking around there were tons of things first friday had to offer. There are tons of food trucks that line the other side of the main stage. You circle around to find the many art vendors. Several performers lined the art vendors as well. There was quite a mix of candle makers, garden creations, clothing, woodwork items, accessories and many other art medias. Surrounding the rest of the area were pockets of art galleries. There were many ins and outs of the halls of these art galleries. Its pretty easy to get lost in it but hey why not get lost in all the art. I cant wait to go back and check out some of the lounges. Check out the next First Friday!

First Friday is... an experience. I've been a few times and definitely felt it was a cheap date option, or a means of getting those darn daily recommended steps in. But overall, I wasn't impressed. As most reviews pointed out: parking sucks. Unless you get there super early, or have unbelievable luck, finding a spot within a couple blocks of the entrance during primetime is impossible. Carpool or uber if you can. Some of the art vendors feel more like arts-and-crafts peddlers, the lines for the porta potties are absurd, and a few of the street entertainers qualify as legal harassers. But other than that, it's fine. The positives? There are quite a few food vendors, pets are allowed, and admission is free. Also, a lot of the vendors are reasonably priced. First Friday is largely what you make it. If you manage your expectations and plan accordingly, it's a solid 3-star experience. Since I rarely manage anything, it'll be a 2 for me.

If I were you, I would block out the FIRST FRIDAY of every month! This community event has everything from drinks to food to arts and crafts. It's always a good time once you have found parking haha. A lot of vendors come out to display their craft whether it be apparels, food or art. I love coming here for the street artists and the food. If you're a dancer, they have battles out here too by the Arts Factory. Definitely a good time for any locals. I suggest uber-ing and parking somewhere a bit away from the festivities because of traffic, construction and the limited parking spaces in the area. Bring a lot of cash because there are some talented people here in Vegas and you never know which of them will rise to the top.