January First Friday Be sure to bundle up as it may be chilly this month. You’ll want to check out the live tiki carving at Casino Center and California by Charles Christians and Matthew Dittember. On January 2, 6pm-10pm, we will be hosting more than 50 artists on the street (including the Outdoor Exhibition Spaces) and in the gallery spaces within the outdoor festival area on Casino Center Blvd. and Colorado Ave. The Outdoor Exhibition Spaces are being curated by Enrique Nevarez (see below). New exhibits opening elsewhere include Jerome Barkley at City of the World and Jeff Britton showing at Trifecta Gallery in the Arts Factory.
We have a minimal $2 entry fee at the gates to the outdoor festival (children twelve and under free when accompanied by an adult). All of the entry fees go to support the First Friday arts event with more artists and live performance. This also allows us to continue to pay for all of the necessary infrastructure for an event that has grown as First Friday has. Each month we pay for trolleys, barricading, artist tents, stages and supporting equipment, porta-potties, tables and chairs, power and technicians for the event, security, police, safety (ambulance, EMT’s etc.), set up and clean up crews and more! All of these things are done to enhance the experience for our visitors and to continue to give artists in the Las Vegas community the opportunity to show their work to a large and diverse audience.
El Cortez/First Friday Express Trolley
The El Cortez Hotel & Casino joined with First Friday and is sponsoring an Express Trolley. The trolley will take patrons from the El Cortez, 600 East Fremont Street at the Cortez Garden Gateway (with 1,200 free parking spaces in the garage and also valet) to the Main Street and Colorado Trolley Stop at First Friday (and back again). The bus will run from 6:00 p.m.(starting at the El Cortez) until 10:00 p.m. with the last First Friday stop at approximately 9:30 p.m. Take advantage of the convenient parking and avoid traffic after the event. You can also enjoy the Entertainment District’s First Friday after parties when you arrive back at the El Cortez.
DISCOUNTS
This First Friday, the ‘i love First Friday 2!’ sticker will be redeemable at Big Island Smoothies ( 2 for 1 smoothies), located at 1516 Las Vegas Blvd. S., next to Dino’s Lounge. For the best Mexican food around try La Cabana located at 526 S. Martin Luther King Blvd., $2 off any entree. The sticker is valid throughout January 2009! For info WWW.PARADISELOUNGELV.COM
OUTDOOR FESTIVAL INFO
Buy a Best Friend of First Friday card and get free entry for one year ($25). We also have special “I ‘heart’ First Friday” t-shirts available for just $15 at the Friends of First Friday Information Table. Within the gated outdoor festival area there are NO DOGS, skateboards, hacky sacks or bikes. City ordinance requires no glass bottles or cans! All of these rules are for everyone’s safety and comfort.
Outdoor Artists Exhibition Spaces
First Friday Outdoor Exhibition spaces featuring art work by Brandon Lin, Miriam Krasner, Ashley Jacobson, Marie Grujiciic, Paul Tokarski, Juan Muniz (Frijol Boy), Lilith Travaglini, Leslie Ann Farrel, Enrique Nevarez, Autumn McGrath Luis Martinez and Lisa Atkins. Provided free-of-charge to selected artists, the Outdoor Exhibition Spaces give creators of a variety of disciplines the opportunity to showcase their latest works in the heart of the popular First Friday festival grounds. Artists can apply at art@firstfriday-lasvegas.org.
Live Entertainment
The LAND ROVER STAGE:
- Hedwig and the Angry Inch excerpts
- The Day After (Indy Rock)
- Neon Facade
- Ministry of Love
- DJ Vajayjay (will spin between bands)
California and Casino Center
Live Tiki carving demonstration by Charles Christians and Matthew Dittember
Break dancers provide more entertainment on Colorado near Main St.
Outdoor Festival Food and Beverage
Dino’s continues to offer libations of all kinds. Fabulous tacos by La Cabana. Be sure to get your sweets from the Kabob Hut. Also, Whirlygig, the non-profit producer of FF, has their official water and soda booth (on Casino Center & Colorado) with all proceeds benefiting First Friday. Quench your thirst and support FF at the same time! www.whirlygiglasvegas.org.
FIRST FRIDAY PARKING & TRANSPORTATION
Clark County provides FREE parking at the Clark County Government Center and in October there will be two FREE Trolleys which make 6 stops throughout the festival from 6 to10 pm
NEW SHOWS AND GALLERIES THIS MONTH:
3rd St. Revolution Art Gallery 224 Imperial Av.Las Vegas ,Nv 89104 702-380-8442/702-644-5388 Contemporary Modern Art.Juan Ybarra Sculpture,Graphics. Ezequiel Lee Orona,Sculpture,Graphics,Mixed Media,Paintings. Musical Guests,Billy Dare and The Pumps.Jazz Musician Saxaphonist David Ace.M-S 10-2. Open late First Friday.
CAC: Pressing the Limits – December 4th – January 23rd Closing Reception with Artist Lecture:
Friday, January 23rd, 6-9pm with artist lecture @ 7pm Curator: Michael Costello
Artists: Michael Costello, Mitchell Shields Marti, Jennifer Lynch, Willis F. Lee.
Concentrating on experimental monotype “imprinting” Contemporary Arts Center 101 East Charleston Blvd., Suite 101 Hours: Noon-5pm, Tuesday-Saturday, First Friday 6pm – 10pm
(702) 382 3886 www.lasvegascac.org
CITY OF THE WORLD: January Featured Artist – JEROME BARKLEY. Born in Harlem, NY, Jerome embraced the cultural experience at a young age, studied at the famous high school of Music and Art, attended Wagner College in Staten Island, NY, studied under Faith Reingold, and graduated with a B.A. in Fine Art. Jerome has taught art in New York, Florida and Las Vegas. His love for abstract art on abstract surfaces has brought him to the world of time and art. “Incorporating time and art brings an added feature to my work” – “Time is endless in art as much as art being endless in time.”
THE FALLOUT GALLERY closing reception 6-10pm for Tarissa Tiberti “3%”, sculptures and Metallic C-prints Jan 2, 2009. Opening Jan 9 Mentalist & Medium, an exhibition of new large- scale paintings by Elizabeth Blau. 1551 S. Commerce Street, Open First Friday 6-10pm. Regular Hours: Wed.-Sat noon-4:00pm or by appointment. www.thefallout.net 702.269.3111.
Pop Culture Gallery: January 2; Come ring in the New Year and do the Time Warp at the hot pink building on the corner of Colorado and Third Street! The gallery will be featuring, movie posters and memorabilia from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Clockwork Orange and other TIME-LY favorites. Also showing the artwork of well-known tattoo artists Shawn Barber and Norm, pop icon painter Ocean Clark, the photography of Ski Bassham, and the funky jewelry designs of Jen Gannon: 1302 South Third Street, 702-388-2015.
Trifecta Gallery showing Jeff Britton “Guilty Pleasures”. Opening reception Jan 2, First Friday. 103 E. Charleston #108, Las Vegas, NV 89104 702.366.7001 www.trifectagallery.com
