First Friday
Explore First Friday Downtown
May 3, 4:30 pm
Free and open to the public, First Friday Downtown features new art, live music, and special events on the first Friday of every month from 5-9 p.m. at dozens of galleries, retailers and nonprofits throughout Downtown Colorado Springs.
Galleries offer in-person First Friday experiences compliant with current public health guidelines. Scroll down for a comprehensive of participating venues, updated monthly.
First Friday
First Friday
May 3 @ 4:30 pm - 8:00 pm
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every month that begins at 4:30 pm on day First of the month, repeating until December 7, 2024
May 3, 2024 Featured events & shows
Events are added as information is received
Cottonwood Center for the ArtsSew Subversive
- 5-8 p.m.
- We asked artists: what can you say with fiber that you can't say with other mediums? This call for entries invited artists to submit works that feature textile techniques as an art medium.
- Two floors of open studios + galleries
- Beer, wine, and cocktail by donation.
True North GalleryDecember After Dark with True North
- 5-10:30 pm
- True North Art Gallery is proud to present art by 20 fantastic local creatives. Explore all different mediums from painting to sculpture to printmaking and even lipstick!
- Wine and treats will be available in the gallery PLUS the doors are staying open late.
Kinship LandingKatie Scruggs Galloway
- 5-9 p.m.
- Katie Scruggs Galloway from Becoming // Poetry presents her new book, Still and Still Moving
- Live music courtesy of Jason Lee Band 7-9 p.m.
- $2 Kinship Lagers
The Look Up GalleryDistortion
- 5-9 p.m.
- Located inside Yobel
- Distortion is a new collection of large scale works by local artist Ben Bires.
- Beverages offered
- Music by DJ Rocky Ross
The Gallery at Cacao ChemistryArt by Laurel Bahe and Lorraine Danzo
- 5-9:30 p.m.
- Artists in person doing demonstrations
- Sample delicious chocolate while you browse local art!
Kreuser GalleryThree new exhibits for December!
- 5-9 p.m.
- Atmospheres and Orbits, a playful new series of paintings done in oil and cold wax depicting an attitude of experimentation and play by Nancy Roach.
- Release of the Trammels, a new exhibit of works by Don Goede
- Shifting Reality, a collection of works by Lori Goede.
- Music by Dubfuscious
Gallery 113In the Spirit of the Season
- 5-8 p.m.
- December at Gallery 113 features timeless and innovative art works by our seventeen local member artists.
- Wine and Chocolates
Colorado Co-opJewelry Trunk Show with Christy Metz Design and Like Water Jewelry
- 1-8 p.m.
- Christy Metz Design and Like Water Jewelry will both be in-store with new pieces just in time for Holiday Shopping!
Universal Education FoundationJust Art (and Gifts!)
- 5-8 p.m.
- Featured artists: Michelle Bracewell, Nicole Curtis, John Hagerty, Stephanie Lassen, Daniel Logan, Elizabeth Mackiewicz, Kristine Urban, Michael VanGalder, Frechelle Wilson
- Snacks will be served, wine and beer by donation
Studio NoirFirst Friday at Studio Noir
- 4-7:30 p.m.
- Featured artist Tim Bachman {Odd Dream Design)!
- Refreshments will be available.
Mash MechanixCountywyde Bluegrass
- 6-9 p.m.
- Countywyde is a high-energy bluegrass band from Colorado Springs who loves making music
- Craft beer and NA options
The Bridge GallerySmall Works
- 5-8 p.m.
- We’ve invited some of our favorite artists to create smaller size works in clay, photography, painting, fiber, and mixed media.
- Great for holiday gifting!
Anita Marie Fine ArtStoried Places 2
- 5-8 p.m.
- A continuation of a series of places where the artist discovered a personal meaning and motivation to paint with an unshared intimacy.
- Featured artists Richard Dahlquist and Chuck Mardosz
CC Mobile Arts
CC Mobile Arts 3rd Birthday Bash!
- 3-8 p.m.
- Hosted at 116 E Boulder St.
- FREE event to celebrate three years of joy and art with CC Mobile Arts!
- Live music by Swipe Right, Tiny Tomboy, Son Desmadre, and DJ Tarek
- Dance workshop
- Food trucks
- Artisan market
- Help raise funds for Pikes Peak Poet Laureate Ashley Corneluis writing residency in France
Location:
CC Mobile Arts
116 E Boulder St.
Resu’s Collection
First Friday First Timers!
- 5-7 p.m.
- Ryan and Virginia Aragon present Colorful Colorado – An exploration in felt and pastel
- Explore the colorful palettes and landscapes of Colorado through felt and pastel pieces inspired by Resu’s own offering of handmade wool and felt garments along with a colorful Himalayan inspired apparel line.
- Refreshments served
Location:
Resu’s Collection
113 N Tejon St.
Painting with a Twist
Creative & Unique Works by the Artists of "The Twist"
- 4-7 p.m.
- Toss a “Twist” into your First Friday stroll & stop into the studio to enjoy some truly unique pieces of work created by the Painting with a Twist crew.
- Stickers, Prints & original works PLUS $3 glasses of house wine.
- Mini canvas & projects starting at just $10
- Get creative yourself this First Friday!
Location:
Painting with a Twist
115 N Tejon St.
Barre Forte
First Friday First Timers!
- 5-8 p.m.
- A chance to check out Barre Forte’s inclusive space for all people to find their community and move their bodies.
- Featured artist Eli Arellano, a local Chicano/Indigenous artist
- Arrellano creates art from unconventional materials like tobacco and flowers
- Nibbles and drinks served
Location:
Barre Forte
115 N Tejon St. (entrance in alley)
KAE | Event Studio & Floral Boutique
Wine & Florals (Sip & Snip Workshop)
- 4-7 p.m.
- Come in, snag some unique blooms and create a fresh flower arrangement while enjoying complimentary beverages and snacks!
- Live demonstrations every 30 minutes
- Purchase your vase and fill it with flowers for $75 or build your own wrapped bouquet for $5 per stem
Location:
KAE | Event Studio & Floral Boutique
120 Pueblo Ave.
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
First Friday Art Party
- 5-8 p.m.
- Free museum admission
- Drinks and snacks available for purchase
Location:
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
30 W Dale St.
Auric Gallery
Five unique exhibits for May!
- 3-9 p.m.
- Flourish by Abigail Kreuser
- Legacy by Burgess Family
- If These Walls Could Talk by Skylar Call
- Night Blooms by Jes Moran
- Sho Ga Nai by Jonathan Nishimoto
- Cash bar
Location:
Auric Gallery
125 E Boulder St.
CLAY Venues
Inkwell by Ekstasis
- 6:30-8:30 p.m.
- Inkwell is a unique event to celebrate creativity that lifts eyes to Christ’s beauty.
- Connect, mingle, and admire great art, live music, poetry and creativity.
- The evening will include a gallery section, food and drink, musical performances, poetry readings, essay readings, and audience Q&A sessions.
- Light appetizers and a cash bar
- Live music
Location:
CLAY Venues
10 N Wahsatch Ave.
Cottonwood Center for the Arts
SNAPSHOTS & FUNCTIONALLY SCATTERED
- 5-8 p.m.
-
- SNAPSHOTS: a solo exhibition by local artist Kelli Bradley. Kelli’s delicate and haunting work resonates with a sense of déjà vu and nostalgia, each piece inviting the viewer to share an intimate and unexpected moment with it.
- FUNCTIONALLY SCATTERED: a solo exhibition by local artist Samantha Disney-Saxton. With meticulous attention to the intention of every detail, Samantha’s works are equal parts sculpture and storytelling.
- Two floors of open studios and galleries
- Beer, wine, and specialty cocktail by donation
Location:
Cottonwood Center for the Arts
427 E Colorado Ave.
Pasley Commercial Interiors
First Friday in Style!
- 5-9 p.m.
- Selection of local, original art
- Curated, one-of-a-kind pieces from other stateside artists
- Both small and large format pieces
- Unique lighting, furniture, and rugs for commercial interior design
- Light refreshments in a buoyant colorful atmosphere
- Tito’s Burritos will be parked in front
Location:
Pasley Commercial Interiors
616 N Tejon St.
Gallery 113
Divergence- A Two Person Show
- 5-8 p.m.
- Featured artists: Mary Gorman and Teri Homick
-
- Gorman’s paintings on silk have the ethereal quality of fresh laundry blowing in the wind on a sunny day.
- Homick’s mixed media work is dark, mysterious, and moody in color and subject matter
- Come by Gallery 113 during May to view two professional painters with two different perspectives!
- Wine and chocolate provided
Location:
Gallery 113
125 1/2 N Tejon St.
Kinship Landing
Connect to Culture
- 5-9 p.m.
- Featured artist Rebekah Hayden live painting
- Live music by Sara Van Hecke, 7-9 p.m.
- $2 Kinship Lagers all night
Location:
Kinship Landing
415 S Nevada Ave.
The Gallery at Cacao Chemistry
Chocolate + Art = ♥
- 5-9:30 p.m.
- Featuring art by Lorraine Danzo and Laurel Bahe
- Laurel will have new marbled art work on display
- Live artist demonstrations
- Stop by to meet the artists and sample decadent chocolate!
Location:
The Gallery at Cacao Chemistry
109 N Tejon St.
Bell Brothers Brewing
Firkin First Friday!
- 5-11 p.m.
- Special beer release: pineapple-orange-guava marshmallow Mexican lager
- Live music by Here Sometimes 6-9 p.m.
- Seven local artists showcased, mediums include wood, paint, glass, and photography.
- Light eats available, or order Munchies direct to your seat in the taproom
Location:
Bell Brothers Brewing
114 N Tejon St., Unit 100
Artwalk Alley
First Friday Underground at Artwalk Alley
- 5-11 p.m.
- Check out the new installation by Matt Clark of Lil Bud Designs
- Artwork Alley is located in the corridor below Bell Brothers Brewing
- Enter using the entrance to Bloom Ultra Lounge and Shrunken Head Tiki Bar
- See Matt’s full portfolio HERE
Location:
Artwalk Alley
112-114 N Tejon St.
UCCS Downtown
Bridging the Past with the Present
- 5-8 p.m.
- Featured artist Ania Milo
- Ania Milo is contemporary abstract painter, business owner, poet, photographer, mentor, community activist and an Organizational Psychology coach.
- Her diverse life and work experiences and extensive education are the foundation of her vibrant, color-rich and emotionally powerful paintings that reflect the dynamic and distinctive culture of her childhood home, Poland.
Location:
UCCS Downtown
102 S Tejon St., Ste 105-A
The Bridge Gallery
CLAY
- 5-8 p.m.
- A variety of functional and non-functional pieces will be exhibited by Frank Gray, Mark Wong, Rui Haagen, Clyde Tullis, Sandy Kinnee, and Deena Bennet.
Location:
The Bridge Gallery
218 W Colorado Ave.
Escape Velocity Comics & Graphic Novels
Late Night Comics Featuring: The Nerdy Alchemist
- 5-7 p.m.
- Open late for First Friday!
- Shop is nestled between several wonderful galleries and makes a perfect stop on your First Friday art walk
- Stop by to meet Abi, the featured artist for May. Abi is inspired by her favorite shows and games.
- Stock up on nerdy stickers, keychains, and prints before comic con season!
Location:
Escape Velocity Comics & Graphic Novels
19 E Bijou St.
Getting around Downtown
Hop on a PikeRide electric bike and use coupon code MAYAOTS24 for 60 minutes of ride time for only $8!
Try the new Free Downtown Shuttle to see more of Downtown! The new shuttle operates from Cache La Poudre to Rio Grande streets, seven days a week on 7-10 minute intervals. Click to learn about the free Downtown Shuttle.
