Downtown’s First Friday event celebrates 13 years of culture

Widely regarded as Las Vegas’ premier arts and cultural event, First Friday celebrated its 13^th anniversary in October. With a stated mission of “uniting and serving the Las Vegas community at large, celebrating and promoting local arts and culture,” the festival, which enlivens Downtown Las Vegas on the first Friday of every month, earned nonprofit status this summer and has grown into one of the largest such events in the west.

“First Friday is the best and most enduring example we have of Las Vegas’ unique creative class and endemic culture,” said Joey Vanas, executive director for the First Friday Foundation. “The artists and vendors, and 20,000 attendees, come from everywhere in the [Las Vegas] valley.”

In December and January, First Friday will focus on gallery shows. Participating artists include James Henninger, of Downtown’s Art Factory, who made headlines in 2013 when he publicly burned a number of unsold pieces, claiming he lacked room in his tiny apartment. January’s event will unveil a new show with his signature encaustic wax paintings.

Alex Huerta, a longtime stalwart of the Las Vegas art scene and also located in the Arts Factory (at his PeaceNArt Studio), is a self-taught painter and muralist who’s lately earning more recognition, including landing his first solo gallery show, “Vintage Urban Collection,” at Sahara West Library in August.

February’s First Friday theme will revolve around love. Previous editions have included love confession booths and a pop-up wedding chapel.

First Friday also features live music and food and beverages. For serious art lovers and buyers, Preview Thursday, which occurs the day before First Friday each month, offers a chance to interact with exhibiting area artists.

— Paul Rogers, Tribune Content Solutions