First Friday

Come Out to See the Local Artists, Drink Good Wine and Beer, Eat Some Good Food, and a Have a Good Time

If you're an art fan around the Philadelphia area, you've probably heard of Friday after 5 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Now let me introduce to you today the other place to be on a Friday night once a month in Philadelphia's historic Old City neighborhood. I speak of First Friday which is on, you guessed it, the first Friday of every month. It's when all the galleries mostly on 2nd and 3rd streets from Spring Garden to Market open their doors for art openings, wine and beer, hors d'oeuvres and snacks, and one big artsy get-together.

The Place To Be


This event, started in 1991 after Wilmington, Delaware began theirs a couple years earlier, offers many local up and coming artists the opportunity to show and sell their art without dealing with the stuffier galleries in more richy neighborhoods. On the other end, people of all walks of life can walk and mingle with the art crowd in a laid back manner to look at new art whether they are planning to buy or not.

You can usually meet the artist at the opening at certain times, and talk to them about their work, get their autograph or what have you, or just shoot the breeze. If you're not feeling too social most galleries have a guest book where you can leave a note of appreciation, your email, or just a friendly hello. You can find some pamphlets regarded the artists with a little more information, such as a website. It'll include all the artists if its a group show, or just the featured artist. I ran into one gallery last night featuring Chuck Close.

Music and Good Times

The whole atmosphere is what contributes to such a good time. As you hop from gallery to gallery you are spectator to all kinds of entertainment. I've seen fire breathers, sword swallowers, belly dancers, jugglers, and there's always the pan handlers and street musicians. An old man with an electric violin, a young girl with a banjo, whole bands, and singers are all there on the sidewalk for your enjoyment and generous contribution.