Not horrible, but probably only attend this once. Â It's an experience, that's for sure. Â There are a lot of things going on. Â A lot of little tables set up selling various things from art to jewelry to pipes. Â Some of the art galleries are open and you can take a quick look at some interesting art, if you can get in the door. Â This event is CROWDED. Â We attended in March and due to the previous month's shooting, the event ended early.
Highlights Â
the pupusas. Â DELICIOUS. Â this is bad, but i can't remember the name of the little stand we bought it off of. Â They had pork and chicken, i prefer chicken.
the music. there was this great band playing at the end of the night. they had some drummer that was amazing. really talented.
the art. saw some really amazing art. a huge piece in spray paint. and another wall where they allowed people to paint whatever they wanted.
the entertainment. the drunk goggle maze. that was kinda funny. also the huge group of people hula hooping.
on our walk back we actually passed by this tiny little old school fast food shack. there were a bunch of old school cars parked over there. very very classic.
I was NOT expecting this! I just thought we were going to walk around and see some art galleries, but we had such a great deal more with hundreds of people walking the streets to observe some of the coolest street acts and vendors ever!
We parked at the Kaiser parking lot which was only a few blocks away from the madness at Grand and Telegraph. There were people flocked everywhere to the outdoor bar (next to what looks like an old church?!), food trucks (Senor Sisig, HEY!), and kick ass tribal drums and dancing that was so hypnotizing to watch! There were also some talented street artists that alas, I could not watch due to my 5 foot frame, but got glimpses here and there through elbow holes. So difficult not to buy and decorate your own place with! Â I did fall victim to buying a couple photography art for $40 and he took my payment via iphone credit card thinga-majig. Dude was cool too.
Cool experience with a lot of young folk about! Not exactly a family event as there were puffs of smoke (if you know what I mean) in random areas. Overall, I would return with a little more cash to spend, and listen to the different grooves played on its very own block. Check out the guy who drums on his bike too. This is Oakland culture in its true glory.
I love this for Oakland!!! I'm ole school Oakland so I remember when Oakland was a lot more rugged, back in the days when you would get your shoes, coat, and hat took. So it was a little weird, but refreshing to see Oakland let her hair down. First Fridays reminds me of Ole School Berkeley, mixed with a little San Francisco, but still maintains that Oakland Pride.
Review Source:First Fridays are an experience. Â If you see a dude wearing a "Closet Spooner" t-shirt with lavender dreadlocks, camouflage pants, a raspberry beret and grin that'd rip off and make the devil look naive, say hello to me. Â I don't bite. Â But I do eat the truck foods. Â They're beyond intelligent three syllabled adjectives.
How trippy. Â First Friday's this Friday and this is my 500th Yelp. Â On that note, look for that same dude described above with PBR in hand.
I was a vendor at a first fridays event in SF a couple years back. Its just a place for these so-called urban professionals to get their booty call on. The sluttier  a female looks , the better for the so-called urban gentleman to holla at. the more blue shirted , and dress slacked down the dudes are the better for the slutty females eyes to pop dolla signs at.
i was not impressed and will never participate as a vendor. it is a place TO BE SEEN and nothing more. Real characters with no substance... and there is nothing professional 'bout that! but then Im an old cow what do I know ...mooo!
I was so into First Fridays in 2006, I have been to a couple of them, once during the summer and the other on a warm autumn evening.
First Fridays is primarily a black networking venue that begins around sunset and lasts until close to midnight. Â Depending upon the month's location, a post-party follows at a nearby club until closing hours. Â The first few hours of the event is structured for business networking, then it seems like the inevitable party vibe follows as the evening progresses.
The summer event was a First Friday in August held at the Preservation Park in Oakland. Â That particular event had a dress-to-impress-in-white color theme. Â I dragged one of my kindred spirited friends to explore this venue with me. Â After a wonderful dinner in downtown Oakland, we proceeded to Preservation Park to a wonderful festival-like atmosphere, music and rhythmn everywhere, and lotsa eye-candying fun. Â Droves of people were all over the sprawling grounds while a spacious dancefloor was conveniently available by a gazebo-like area. Â Various historical structures were open where bar stations were found. Â The after-party was at a club - Geoffrey's on 14th Street.
Albeit the obvious exhiliration and fascination I experienced, well, a more apropos adjective would have been, "intoxication", as observable by my bestfriend's sarcastic comment while in a balcony with a vantage point, "My Sofia! Â it's an ant colony of your .." grin widens, " .. your heart's desire!" .. I mischievously replied with my wink and smile ..
Yet,
I was disappointed with the bar service, most particularly the drinks. Â They were priced quite exhorbitantly, ie., hotel prices, when the cosmo drinks were served in tiny plastic cups and they were pretty weak! Â The other downside was that, being the first event I attended, I was unaware of the discounted online tix. Â I simply showed up and purchased tickets by the gate. Â The tix were $30 a head! Â Quite expensive, I should say for a not-in-the-city venue. Â Well, I complained and emailed the organizer. Â Thereafter, he'd send me a link every month for early ticket purchase for as low as $10.
For the fall First Friday event, I convinced another kindred soul to join me at the Fanatics Sports complex in San Francisco. Â It was interesting to observe the vibe of the San Francisco event was much different from the Oakland one. Â I am not quite sure where the difference in atmosphere stemmed from. Â Nonetheless, it was entertaining, and this time, no complaints vis a vis bar service. Â It was a surrealistic experience for my friend who was not quite used to a homogeneous sort of environment, being one who frequents bars within the Castro area.
I wish I've gone to more First Fridays in 2006, but I ran out of people to drag along with me. Â But that was then...
This is a roving event. Â You need to check the website to see the new location every month. Â It bills itself as the premier networking event for Urban professionals - translation - a chance for brown people to chill and see and be seen.
The theme parties tend to be a little more upscale than the regular events. Â As the name indicates, the events are the first Friday of every month.
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