Fridays are celebrated nation-wide. They mark the end of a busy work or school week and the start of the long-awaited weekend. For many, Friday afternoons are spent either holed up in a dorm or at a party nobody was thrilled to attend. What if instead of those, you could get inspired at First Friday Scranton?

First Friday Scranton is a non-profit, volunteer-supported project consisting of a Board of Directors and Advisory Council that work to promote a free art walk around downtown Scranton. As stated in the name itself, these showcases take place on the first Friday of every month and run from 5-9 PM. Artworks are both indoor and outdoor, and mostly rely on the weather to determine which setting. They offer a trolley from 6:30 to 8:30 to transport you between participating venues.

Want to be a part of it? There’s many ways to get involved in these events, artist or not.

Dozens of businesses and galleries in Scranton take part in this amazing showcase of artwork as venues. These businesses involved act as vessels to display the artworks and offer a roof over viewers. They are encouraged to display a minimum of 10 artworks and provide refreshments to patrons. It’s an outstanding opportunity for them to attract new customers interested in the arts. Who wouldn’t want an artist supporting their business?   

Are you an artist yourself, and like any artist, love any excuse to share your artwork? Then why not submit something you’re proud of to First Fridays? The website features a form artists can fill out offering information about their name, preferred mediums, and which months they’re interested in to showcase their work. It’s an amazing chance to get your art out there and seen by many.

So what if you don’t own a business and aren’t much of an artist? First Fridays are open to anyone and everyone who want to spend the evening walking around the city viewing artworks. Before every month, they publish to their website the upcoming month’s map, which outlines which galleries and artists are involved. It also details which venues are offering live music, which in my opinion, enhances any art viewing. Furthermore, they allow those who are interested to either donate to the organization or become a sponsor. Donations to the arts are never a wasted act of kindness, and help boost artists in any community.

By the time this blog is posted, September’s First Friday will have already came and went. Not all is lost, however, because the Board of Directors host these year-round, every single month. So, if interested, find a way to get involved in the next one, or the one after that, and so on and so forth. Art-focused events are exactly what not only Scranton, but every town or city needs to keep a thriving, creative atmosphere alive.

Thanks for reading,

Phaedra