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First Friday Gallery Crawl

The First Friday gallery crawl is a unique opportunity for thousands of students, families and art lovers to engage with local art each month at unique locations in Downtown and throughout the city. This grassroots event continues to thrive because of the collective vision and collaboration of galleries and artists.

As the name implies, First Friday happens the first Friday of each month. Hours vary between galleries, but most are open during the core hours of 7pm to 9pm. Most galleries use First 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.

Transportation Options
Explore the core and gallery hop using the free Q-LINE Trolley shuttle service that runs up and down Douglas Avenue. Electric scooter and bicycle rentals are also available. Discover additional transportation options.

First Friday Events

This month's First Friday will occur on September 6, 2019. Participating venues will be listed on this website no less than a week before the event.

Fisch Haus
524 S Commerce 

Event: First Friday at Fisch Haus

Date: June 5 from 6 to 9 p.m.

Featured exhibition: "Sunflower Era"

Featured artist: Jamie Tabor

Event description: First Friday at Fisch Haus features "Sunflower Era," a new exhibition of paintings by Jamie Tabor. The exhibit invites guests to delight in colorful new works created to spark joy and bring warmth, creativity and positivity to the gallery experience.
Harvester Arts
120 East 1st Street North 
(316) 530-2203

Event: First Friday at Harvester Arts

Date: June 5 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Featured exhibitions: "Now for Something Totally Different," "Veil / Reveal," "Sky Garden: An Arts Partners Showcase," "Seen" and "Pocket Monsters"

Featured artists: Monte Wheeler, Robin Danks, Arts Partners, Mika Holtzinger and Katherine Conrad

Event description: First Friday at Harvester Arts features opening receptions celebrating a new lineup of exhibitions by Monte Wheeler, Robin Danks, Arts Partners, Mika Holtzinger and Katherine Conrad. Guests are invited to explore a diverse collection of creative works while enjoying shared merriment, community connection and an evening of all around good vibes.
Hopping Gnome Brewing Company
1719 Victor Street 
(316) 771-2110

Event: First Friday at Hopping Gnome Brewing Company

Date: June 5 from 3 to 11 p.m.

Featured event: First Friday at Hopping Gnome

Featured artist: Austin McKeown

Event description: First Friday at Hopping Gnome Brewing Company features artwork by Austin McKeown along with a monthly First Friday Artisan Market hosted with Haute Handmade. Guests can enjoy local art, handmade goods and dinner from Face Stuffers while supporting Wichita artists and makers throughout the evening.
Maven Gallery
3238 East Douglas Avenue 

Event: First Friday at Maven Gallery

Date: June 5 from 5 to 8 p.m.

Featured exhibition: "Babak Tafreshi: The World at Night"

Featured artist: Babak Tafreshi

Event description: First Friday at Maven Gallery features "Babak Tafreshi: The World at Night," an exhibition highlighting the pioneering astrophotography of Babak Tafreshi. Guests can hear from gallery curator Sherèe Lutz while exploring photographs that merge art, science, technique and storytelling to illuminate the beauty of the night sky alongside landmarks across Earth. Tafreshi’s ongoing project invites viewers to reconnect with the natural world and experience a shared sense of wonder through celestial imagery.
Reverie Coffee Roasters
2202 East Douglas Avenue 
(316) 201-1144

Event: First Friday at Reverie Coffee Roasters

Date: June 5 from 4 to 6 p.m.

Featured exhibition: "Shades of Me in You (and Other Empathetic Things)"

Featured artist: NymphArtistCreations (Nox White)

Event description: First Friday at Reverie Coffee Roasters features "Shades of Me in You (and Other Empathetic Things)," a special Pride Month exhibition by Wichita area artist Nox White of NymphArtistCreations. Through mixed media works created with accessible and unconventional materials, the exhibit explores themes of mental illness, queer and trans identity, trauma, oppression, body image and empathy. The exhibition invites viewers to reflect, connect and engage with interactive elements while experiencing art centered on accessibility, play and human connection.
The Enchanted Mermaid
222 North Washington Street 
(316) 796-5383

Event: First Friday at The Enchanted Mermaid

Date: June 5 from 6 to 9 p.m.

Featured exhibition: "Tanya's Pour Decisions"

Featured artist: Tanya Ratzlaff

Event description: First Friday at The Enchanted Mermaid features "Tanya's Pour Decisions," an exhibition of acrylic paint pouring and landscape artwork by Rose Hill artist Tanya Ratzlaff. Originally beginning in photography, Ratzlaff expanded her creative practice into acrylic pours and oil based landscapes. Her colorful and expressive work has been featured at local arts and craft festivals as well as through her online art presence.
WSU Shiftspace Gallery (At the LUX)
120 E 1st St N, Ste 115 
(316) 978-3555

Event: First Friday at WSU ShiftSpace Gallery

Date: Opening reception June 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. Exhibition on view June 5 through June 26, 2026.

Featured exhibition: "Color Bomb!"

Featured artists: WSU School of Art, Design and Creative Industries students and recent graduates.

Event description: First Friday at WSU ShiftSpace Gallery features "Color Bomb!," a vibrant group exhibition showcasing work by WSU School of Art, Design and Creative Industries students and recent graduates. Organized entirely by color, the exhibition transforms the gallery into a spectrum of monochrome and highly saturated works spanning red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, black and brown. The show celebrates bold chromatic expression and invites viewers to experience color as the central focus of the artwork.

Future Dates

The majority of the galleries that currently participate in Final Friday have announced plans to shift their monthly event to First Friday, beginning in September. Since there is no "governing body" that oversees Final Friday, Downtown Wichita generally takes direction from what the majority of the local galleries wish to do. As of now, Downtown Wichita plans to transition the Final Friday calendar to First Friday beginning in September as well. In order to make this transition as seamless as possible, the usual listing and interactive map for both the August Final Friday (August 30) and September First Friday (September 6) will be created.

Mark your calendars for the following 2019 First Friday dates to never miss an event:

  • September 6
  • October 4
  • November 1
  • December 6

Submit Your Event

Are you an artist or gallery owner interested in being included on the First Friday list? Contact us for more information. Since there is no designated organizing body for First Friday, all participating venues are required to do their own marketing and advertising. Downtown Wichita does provide a listing on our website of all venues that are participating for the general public and visitors to use.

Submit your Final Friday exhibit info no less than one week prior to the event in the following format to be listed on the Downtown Wichita website. Fill-out the form below or email your submission to megan@downtownwichita.org.

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