Why I Love Philly - First Fridays!!

I first attended First Fridays as a poor college freshman at Temple University. Not having a lot of recreational funds and having several artistic friends made this a great once a month outing. Revisiting this event years later offered a similar and more appreciative view on this great opportunity. This free event (unless you decide to purchase artwork) is a great experience for all ages, regardless of your tastes in artwork.

Art Galleries in Olde City started the trend of staying open late on the first Friday of each month and now many galleries in the city participate. From five pm until nine pm, patrons and appreciators of art are encouraged to walk through and enjoy many different styles and genres of artwork. Depending on the gallery, you can see paintings, prints, sculptures and mixed media works by several artists all in one studio or see shows that highlight the works of one artist exclusively. Many of the galleries offer h'ors d'oeuvres and beverages as you walk through and often the artists are on hand to discuss the motivation for their work.

What is even more fun to observe is what happens on the streets of the city. Young artists, photographers, jewelry makers and other vendors set up tables and blankets to display their art. Restaurants have outside seating, live music is played at several locations and patrons move through the city happily. There is excitement, generosity and a warm feeling of community on First Fridays. Many people outside of Philly view the inhabitants as negative and brash. Events like First Friday invite visitors and critics to see that Philadelphia is warm, inviting, and cultured.


Your next opportunity to visit First Friday is this Friday, October 1st from 5-9 pm.