Art & Music Around Wichita
Final Friday
Final Friday — As the name implies, Final Friday happens the last Friday of each month. Art galleries, museums,restaurants and retail shops around Wichita stay open late and welcome visitors. Recognizing that Downtown is the artistic and cultural center for the region, WDDC offers a trolley to transport art lovers to the concentration of venues in Downtown. The ride is free and allows attendees to park once and visit several galleries.
Hours vary between galleries but all are open during the core hours of 7pm to 9pm. Most galleries use Final Friday to unveil and debut new shows or as a closing reception. All venues are free and open to the public and several galleries incorporate artist demonstrations and/or live music. Not only does this event give guests the opportunity to view creative art space, it also is an excellent time to purchase one-of-a-kind artwork directly from artists. For more information visit the downtownwichita website.
Banner Photo - courtesy of Bob Schwan Studios
First Friday
1st Friday — Debuted in April 2009 as a musical supplement to the Final Friday art crawl. The event is designed to bring together venues, musicians, patrons and music enthusiasts looking to enjoy and discover regional talent.
1st Friday is a collaborative effort involving ROK ICT!, Hartke Records, Naked City and Wichita Downtown Development Corporation. Music begins at most venues by 6 p.m. 1st Friday offers a unique opportunity to support the burgeoning music scene in Wichita. Fans, bands, venues and businesses interested in learning more about First Friday can go to www.WichitaFirstFriday.org.
Photo courtesy of Bob Schwan Studios.