First Friday Art Walk

Not worth the time. Hardly anything to see at all and in a sketchy area of town. If I could give a 0 star I would. Plenty of other way better things to do on a Friday night.

I wanted to like First Friday. I wanted to love First Friday. I’m an Art & Festival lover, so I was particularly excited to go. I read several blurbs about FF in several travel books and on the FF website, making it sound like a big party where Chinatown closes off several streets for pedestrians to drink and dance to live music and look at art galleries. Unfortunately, I realized rather quickly that First Friday has become a shadow of what is apparently once was.
Pros: Parking was super easy (because it’s not as popular of an event anymore I’m guessing). At least there are some tasty restaurants in Chinatown!
Cons: No streets were blocked off when we wandered around, and it took awhile to find a gallery. They’re very spread out from each other. Mark’s was very nice (they’ll give you a map), but the many of the other galleries we stopped by were more like resale shops and/​or closed early (they’re supposed to stay open til 9pm but several did not). I’ve never been to First Friday before so I don’t know if this was maybe a fluke due to the upcoming Easter Sunday, but needless to say, I was very disappointed by the whole experience.

I just didn’t get it. I expected so much more, especially after seeing wonderful downtown events like the Night Markets and Eat The Street, but after three hours here I was still wondering when all the individual ‘parties’ at various bars, restaurants, and art venues would coalesce into one giant, lively event. Part of the problem I had was that there was so much dead space between the venues that the lively spirit in one area faded before reaching another. Based on what others said, maybe if I’d waited another hour or two then things would’ve finally reached critical mass? For a party, there seemed to be too few people, too few bands (especially outdoors, where there was only one), and as I mentioned, too much dead space. (The few bands I did see and hear played a variety of music, depending on the venue, which was nice. A band called Streetlight Cadence — four guys singing, playing a jury-​rigged «standup cello,» a violin, a guitar, an accordion, and a jury-​rigged drum and tambourine [which the accordion played with his feet while keeping up with his primary instrument also] — was particularly good and drew a huge crowd to the street corner where they played for a long while.) For an arts festival, there also seemed to be far too little art; what was there was interesting and covered a variety of mediums and styles, but there just wasn’t all that much. I know most of Chinatown closes down by 4:00/5:00, but I guess I thought more places would be open for this event, lending light and sound, as well as art and culture, to the proceedings.

I’ve been to the Chinatown First Fridays a couple of times. but throughout the years. it slowly started to lose its touch. Walked around to people watch. Not much art to look at night but Art at Marks Garage and other little places. If you’re into the whole drinking and ragefest, definitely come here at night for that experience. I would prefer to go to Art After Dark at the Honolulu Museum of Art.

What a great way to spend Friday, the glass works currently on display are pretty amazing. There are so many talented people on the island and great to meet a few of them in the ateliers that were open last night.

First Friday is not for everyone. I get to experience it if I’m fortunate to be there when there’s a first Friday. So Rianne, Melanio, the partner, and myself decided to check it out since they had never been. We started at Bar 35, then twentyninehotel, which we just walked through and didn’t drink or anything. It’s really interesting to watch all the different types of people in the same area.
Professionals, homeless, posers, hookers, hipsters, families, old school Chinese, Unilocalers artists, trannies, gays, lesbians, tourists, cousins, etc.
Marks Garage had an interesting gallery. There were a couple others we wandered into… and we did this waiting for a table at Lucky Belly. It is a fun place to check out every once in a while. I don’t know if I’d come every first Friday… it might lose its charm and appeal. Oh, and parking is a bitch and at a premium. My advice is to bus or cab it in.

first fridays!

It actually has taken me over a year of living here to check this out.
Actually was a pretty fun time with a mix of artsy type stores with alll sorts of art and ‘organic’ stuff, bars are open for business, and a cool little place to go people watching. Honestly, it was not as crowded as I expected. I guess Honolulu is not as big a city as I thought.
Checked out a few bars and dance places, new yoga studio which served free food for checking them out, and art places (bunch of reviews yet to come). Overall, a great place to make the 365 Challenge a bit less challenging (still hard!).
Will probably go here several times per year easily. I recommend parking on the outskirts of chinatown and walking, will probably get there faster than circling around chinatown to find a spot.
365 Challenge: #61/​365

It was our first time going to Chinatown’s First Friday of the month and it was interesting to see how busy it was at night… Curiously enough the place was packed and so sadly disappointed that the Bars/​Restaurants lines were like so long. Indigos was packed and was looking forward to dining in and having a couple of drinks. Parking was not so much of a problem. guess cause of the rain. Certainly enjoyed the Art Walk and would probably go again but not on a First Friday. There are restaurants there that I would like to dine, just somewhat uncomfortable walking down the streets of homeless people… all in all China Town is a great place to venture but I’m probably feeling much safer in the day hours!

My first time at First Friday, and I didn’t go just to go to bars. I went to see the supposed art galleries.
Since it’s located in China Town, we didn’t take the car. Highly advised. Anyway, my friends and I took the bus down early (around 6) because we wanted food before we walk around. After we ate, we went into a nice gallery, and then to another, then another, and another. Later on, we went to a. gypsy area? Some of the things amazed me. Especially for those who drew things by hand, or make. Some places has random items, some have a story behind their work, and others just want to show their work.
Some of the art work… just have a paper, with glitter on top with some writing. and it costs 6 dollars? It may be going to something better, but I think I rather have an origami at that point.
There were a massive amount of people all around, and you see more people lining up for bars while drunk guys pass by and say howdy-​do.
The one thing that caught my attention at the art walk, was this… dancing martial art called Capoeira. It was fascinating! I couldn’t stop watching… and the beat with nice to hear too.
Sadly, I didn’t go to bars, so I can’t say much in that. For now, it’s for the art walk.

Chad O. got it right. First Friday has almost nothing to do with art, unless you consider make-​up to be painting and batch-​job clothing to be fashion. Which perhaps a lot of the attendees tonight did.
Don’t get me wrong: I like pretty, young, lithe, female eye-​candy as much as the next person. And I am totally okay with no parking; over-​crowded, over-​priced bars; and random weirdness in the streets.
What killed me was the smoke. Seriously, some guy walked by us and blew smoke directly in our faces. Most people just drunkenly waved their cigarettes about, or threw them still lit and smoking into the street. But when did so many people decide that it was important to get together and smoke endlessly? I actually didn’t want to bar hop mostly because I did not want to go outside until all the smokers died of cancer. That and I didn’t have my ID so it takes at least 10 min to convince anyone to let me in even though I definitely look like I’ve lived all three of my decades and all of my friends are exactly the same age. But mostly the smoke. Way to go, D.A.R.E., you really sucked!

Every first Friday in China Town, galleries and restaurants are open until later. I don’t usually see so many people downtown/​China Town at night. This is a special day/​hours (6−9pm).
I usually avoid crowd but it is fun some time. Something different. Totally reminds me of a big city’s night out.
Used to like Nuuanu Block Parties.
Used to be afraid of visiting downtown/​china town at night or weekend. It used to be a ghost town. I don’t like crowd but I don’t feel comfortable with a deserted area either.
Anyhow, worth a visit!
Unilocal 365 — ¹¹⁸⁄₃₆₅

Fun for singles, groups of friends, couples, but not for ma and pa. I felt bad dragging my whole family here thinking we‘d see some art and have some street food. Instead we spent half the night looking for parking, and then half the night trying to make our way through the crowds.
Definitely not for families and young kids, lots of hooched up folks, drinking, smoking, grinding… essentially it’s a club… outside.

Oh crowds… the masses that seem to come out on the first Friday of the month and crowd the streets of Chinatown! For some reason, everyone comes out of the woodwork once a month and descend upon Nuuanu and Hotel streets, while filling up the parking lots and packing the bars and galleries that dote the section.
There are quite a few galleries and independent studios that will open their doors for this monthly event. As you peruse the various studios of sculptures, paint, photography, and much more, you will find a wide array that may or may not appeal to your aesthetic.
The bars become quite lively and crowded with cover charges that run from $ 10 and up. There are lots of options, but I can guarantee they will be bursting at the seams and onto the streets!
Parking can be a bit trying as the closer lots and municipal lots will fill up quickly. So as the later you get into the night, plan to be hunting or end up driving a bit more!
Will you end up spending money? Yup, either on the art or on the drinks!

ART + FASHION + DRINKS
– need to kno yo –
— art galleries from 6p-​9p
— bars charge $ 10 cover
— you’re gonna be walking a lot, and standing-​around even more
— CROWDED!!!
— only on the first friday of each month
– oooouu yeeeah –
there is a range in people and ages (but an older crowd, aka not really «family friendly». you can dress to impress!!! but you don’t have to… there’s a lot of men in tees and jeans…
– ugh –
can get pretty pricy… CROWDED is an understatement. people are in the streets everywhere. all the «hot spots» have crazy long lines…
– little insights –
lots of people talk about it, but it’s only cause lots of people go cause it’s the «cool» thing to-​do. i’m not much of a fan for the late-​night crowd because it gets crazy crowded. but the art galleries are something cool to check-​out. some places have fashion shows which are pretty neat, but it can be a kinda hit-​or-​miss each time.
the other thing i like about it, is that it’s only once a month, so it’s hard to get tired of it, and easy to miss it to where you kinda look forward to going the next month. should go if you’re bored of the same-​old-​thang in hi…

I’m from SF, we have something similar and this whole First Friday Art Walk (I did not see any art what so ever) should just be called Chinatown blockparty. Lol. I had no idea there was even art involved. The atmosphere is pretty neat, parking wasn’t too bad and the crowds were pretty calm (I heard different stories from different people). I liked it, I’ll probably come back if I had nothing to do. It gets super busy really early so come early and avoid the lines. Even if you get a stamp, you still have to get back in line to get back in! Which I thought was pretty nuts. Cover is $ 5 depending on where you go. Soho was super cracking and the line was ridiculous + the ambulance showed up and I still have no idea what happened. Good times and glad I popped my First Fridays cherry. lol

«First Friday» is a night in Downtown, Honolulu where Art Galleries are opened late and bars are filed to the maximum capacity. Held only the FIRST FRIDAY of each MONTH.
From 6PM-​9PM — all the art galleries in Chinatown/​Downtown district are opened for showing. They are usually closed early on regular days.
After 9PM — Bars start charging cover ~$ 10.
WHAT I LIKE:
+It’s something to do
+Exciting to be where the action is
+I usually run into people I don’t see often when I’m here
+Great opportunity to check out the art galleries, which I don’t get a chance to do as they close early (5pm) usually.
+Interesting bands play on the streets, at different art galleries and bars
+Interesting food stands on the streets to try out
WHAT I DON’T LIKE:
+Supercrowded
+Lines out the door at every bar
+Wait for restaurants are just too long
+Cover fee at every bar (after 9pm)
+Hard to find parking (all the garages are full)
+Hard to leave the area with people walking everywhere, all over
Definitely worth checking out once or twice.

Opening AIM…
Logging in…
Chat Window open…
LikeYouCouldAffordTHIS is now online
HotPolishChick: Hi!
LikeYouCouldAffordTHIS: hi
HotPolishChick: I’M GOING TO ART AFTER DARK!
LikeYouCouldAffordTHIS: At the end of the month?
HotPolishChick: No, today…
LikeYouCouldAffordTHIS: Today is First Friday…
HotPolishChick: Yeah that’s what I mean…
LikeYouCouldAffordTHIS: Art After Dark at the end of the month, First Friday is at the beginning of the month.
HotPolishChick: No it’s Art After Dark…
LikeYouCouldAffordTHIS: Art After Dark is where you go when you are tired of bars playing Top 4ugly same old shit songs and are willing to listen to any crap band so long as it’s different, because best friend’s hot ex is maning one of the booths and friend of a friend of a friend of a co-​worker of a co-​worker is playing in said band.
HotPolishChick: No I really think it’s Art After Dark, I think First Friday is…
LikeYouCouldAffordTHIS: First Friday is where you walk around pretending to look at art with a notepad and draw your own art in writing up fake parking tickets to drivers violating the «Parking next to a REAL car» offense. And where you take that special pen cashiers use while bar hopping and giving the waitstaff funny looks then swiping it to check if it’s legit to screw with their heads.
HotPolishChick: Maybe I got it wrong…
LikeYouCouldAffordTHIS: Yeah you did but I can see how you got them mistaken, Dark Art, First Art too similar for a blonde. However both are fun, just got to go in with a positive I’m going to have fun vibe. Not with the having a bitch-​fit about work club shitty attitude that most go there in with…
HotPolishChick: Are you sure it’s not Art After Dark, I’m pretty sure…
LikeYouCouldAffordTHIS: *grumble* stupid haole… *grumble*
HotPolishChick: Huh? What was that…
LikeYouCouldAffordTHIS: Nevermind
HotPolishChick: So you going?
HotPolishChick: Hello?
HotPolishChick: Are you there?
LikeYouCouldAffordTHIS is currently idle
HotPolishChick: Well my friend called and I am going to Art After Dark.
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What was I thinking? Oh I know, I was thinking that me and the fam could check out local art, hear some music, and hang out in Chinatown. :/
It definitely wasn’t family/​child friendly. It wasn’t stroller or wheelchair accessible (some galleries had stairs — I understand that the buildings are older and don’t have elevators but it just sucks when you’re SOL). I liked some of the art pieces but couldn’t really enjoy them because the galleries were too crowded or inaccessible.
Positive: The one spot (don’t know the name but was across the street from Little Village Noodle House) had a courtyard area with a musician catering to children (cool) and photography featuring children and families battling cancer (powerful).

It was my first time at the event last night and I was surprised by the large crowd of people in Chinatown with the drizzling rain. I had a good time just hanging out with friends and checking out a few small art galleries and exploring local artists’ works.
However, I felt that I needed to go with people who have been before or something to know where to go, what bar/​galleries to check out. so, go with friends!