COLORADO SPRINGS — It's a big party that happens in Colorado Springs once every month and it draws hundreds of people to the downtown area.
It's called First Friday Downtown. It's a free event that features new art and live music at various galleries and other businesses, giving people another reason to head downtown.
The monthly tradition has been going on since about 2011.
Karen Standridge, president of Gallery 113, said, "All of the galleries downtown and many of the businesses that also have art will be open late."
Those businesses invite anyone and everyone to stop in and enjoy a night on the town to explore the art scene of Colorado Springs.
Standridge said, "Every month we have two featured artists and those artists are always on hand."
She said on any given First Friday at least 200 extra people come downtown because of this event.
Mary Gorman, one of the featured artists said, "We always change out. We have an incredible selection of art and people really appreciate that."
People like Dottie Lirette who's been coming to First Friday Downtown since it's inception.
Lirette said, "It's lively. It's fun. You get to see local art. It gets you downtown. We always end up at a restaurant downtown afterwards."
First Friday is not only strengthening the local art scene, but the downtown economy.
Standridge said, "I think it benefits restaurants. It benefits shops that aren't necessarily art shops. Many of them are open for the First Friday Artwalk and they enjoy the crowds as well."
For the full list of galleries and businesses involved in First Friday CLICK HERE.
