The Xroads First Friday Thread...

[KCPowercat]

I like the crossroads neighborhood kind of shying away from this. If this city thinks it's such a great event then quit putting all the cost onto the neighborhood.

[DaveKCMO]

It's back!

https://www.thepitchkc.com/dish-drink-k ... surprises/
https://kccrossroads.org/this-first-friday/

[earthling]

^Great way to get back to its roots.

[DaveKCMO]

^Great way to get back to its roots.

Yup. And it tries to resolve the two biggest complaints from more recent events: Sidewalk clutter from street vendors and food truck noise/trash.

[normalthings]

Did anyone go? How was it?

Art and food trucks too far away from each other to be one event. Art was a bit hard to find, lots of people wandering around lost.

[kboish]

But, there was a good crowd. which was fun to see

[DaveKCMO]

You’re supposed to wander… and go to the galleries. There’s really no reason for us to spin up this big event if you don’t go to the galleries — specifically the commercial ones that sell art by working artists.

If you want to be spoon fed art, September is right around the corner.

[UrbanKC]

Did anyone go? How was it?

Art and food trucks too far away from each other to be one event. Art was a bit hard to find, lots of people wandering around lost.

Agree with that assessment. The food trucks need to be closer to the art exhibits.

You’re supposed to wander… and go to the galleries. There’s really no reason for us to spin up this big event if you don’t go to the galleries — specifically the commercial ones that sell art by working artists.

If you want to be spoon fed art, September is right around the corner.

Agreed with wandering. That’s one of the fun parts about it. The problem we have right now, is that most galleries I saw either had no events, or closed at 7pm, which is too early in my opinion.

I do wish the event can eventually be expanded again to what it was prior to the tragic shooting in 2019. You could go to many different galleries, see street artists, visit local shops and bar hop. Sometimes the local architecture firms would also have their studios open for events.

[DaveKCMO]

We don't force the galleries. FF is not a big money maker for them. Recovery will take time.

[WoodDraw]

The problem is people don't know where to go or what to do.

There's also a very vocal, powerful group of the crossroads that don't want first Fridays to be a thing again.

For them the post shooting changes and pandemic changes are great and they don't want crowds back.

[DaveKCMO]

The problem is people don't know where to go or what to do.

There's also a very vocal, powerful group of the crossroads that don't want first Fridays to be a thing again.

For them the post shooting changes and pandemic changes are great and they don't want crowds back.

Again, if by "thing" you mean a full-on street festival (rather than gallery crawl) that costs a lot of money to manage with an all-volunteer neighborhood association, then yes.

[beautyfromashes]

The art has never been the star of FF, it's always been the Crossroads. People want the atmosphere and to explore a part of the city that many who attend have never been immersed in. If it needs funds to cover street cleaning or other costs, have the city pay for it or raise a tax in the Crossroads to pay for it. I'm sure the bar and restaurant businesses would be happy to do so as they get lots of business on those days.

[DColeKC]

The art has never been the star of FF, it's always been the Crossroads. People want the atmosphere and to explore a part of the city that many who attend have never been immersed in. If it needs funds to cover street cleaning or other costs, have the city pay for it or raise a tax in the Crossroads to pay for it. I'm sure the bar and restaurant businesses would be happy to do so as they get lots of business on those days.

The bars and restaurants are the biggest benefactor of having several FF’s each year. They should get together, organize and manage the entire deal and pay for it.

[FangKC]

First Fridays does more than introduce people to art, and benefit restaurants and bars. For many, it is an introduction to Kansas City, and urban living. It allows residents and visitors to people-watch, and socialize with new people they might otherwise come in contact with. Modern life in many ways has isolated people in their homes and offices and this is one activity that gets people out physically mixing with each other -- as humans have done for thousands of years.

What is shocking is the need to do this at all once a month -- for a few months of the year -- where this is a daily occurrence in many urban centers the world over.

[TheLastGentleman]

What is shocking is the need to do this at all once a month -- for a few months of the year -- where this is a daily occurrence in many urban centers the world over.

It's always a shock to me how vacant downtown can be. There are supposedly 30,000 people living there, right? Where are they hiding?

[DaveKCMO]

What is shocking is the need to do this at all once a month -- for a few months of the year -- where this is a daily occurrence in many urban centers the world over.

It's always a shock to me how vacant downtown can be. There are supposedly 30,000 people living there, right? Where are they hiding?

In their well-parked units! It should be no shock to anyone that the overabundance of free parking on site for everyone doesn't generate street life.

[earthling]

The art has never been the star of FF, it's always been the Crossroads.

I don't recall the year FF started but in the late 90s to early 2000s it was about the art. The galleries need to get back to interesting installations. I recall one I think late 90s with handmade lampshades merged into steampunk contraptions, like bouncing on cable/pullies/springs with old school mechanisms. The vibe of entire room with bouncing lampshades was a very cool effect. Loading dock jazz at the back alley. Great experience.

[Eon Blue]

It's always a shock to me how vacant downtown can be. There are supposedly 30,000 people living there, right? Where are they hiding?

That's the number for Greater Downtown, IIRC. So that includes neighborhoods like Westside, Beacon Hill, Union Hill, Longfellow, and others that aren't "downtown core" areas. Anecdotally, I've noticed a marked increase in street life over the 10+ years I've lived in the downtown core.

[flyingember]

The art has never been the star of FF, it's always been the Crossroads.

I don't recall the year FF started but in the late 90s to early 2000s it was about the art. The galleries need to get back to interesting installations. I recall one I think late 90s with handmade lampshades merged into steampunk contraptions, like bouncing on cable/pullies/springs with old school mechanisms. The vibe of entire room with bouncing lampshades was a very cool effect. Loading dock jazz at the back alley. Great experience.

Clearly those pieces didn't sell or you would see a lot more like it.

[normalthings]

The problem is people don't know where to go or what to do.

There's also a very vocal, powerful group of the crossroads that don't want first Fridays to be a thing again.

For them the post shooting changes and pandemic changes are great and they don't want crowds back.

That is exactly what I saw. People in the art area wondering around because they couldn’t find the food trucks and couldn’t find art booth alley. Art galleries closed very early and didn’t do much to attract passerby’s even when open.

For most, FF is about getting to go downtown and experience the Crossroads with art as a general theme. Crossroads is a different neighborhood than it was 20 years ago so why shouldnt FF be too. logistics and funding is an issue that needs to be addressed. How does the west bottoms do their event every month?