If you’re looking for a fun and exciting way to kick off the first weekend of the month in Raleigh, North Carolina, look no further than First Friday!
This popular Raleigh event is a great way to explore the city’s vibrant arts scene, sample delicious food and drinks, and connect with your community.
You don’t need to be an art expert or have a lot of money to participate. All you need is a sense of adventure and a willingness to explore the city.
Whether you’re a lifelong resident of Raleigh or a first-time visitor, First Friday is a great way to discover new places and experiences.
What is First Friday in Raleigh?
Held on the first Friday of every month, the event is a celebration held once a month of Raleigh’s arts and culture.
Since 1990, First Friday has been a popular monthly event in downtown Raleigh. It’s certainly not unique to Raleigh – city art walks are something we’ve seen in many places on our travels across the USA.
Local businesses and galleries open their doors to the public for free showcasing creative work from local artists. Small retail stores, bars, and restaurants may also participate offering unique experiences to add to the celebration and help bring the community together.
From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., visitors can stroll through downtown Raleigh, stopping at various participating venues to enjoy live music, art exhibits, food and drink specials, and more.
First Friday will often reflect different seasons and celebrations happening in Raleigh like Halloween, Restaurant Week, and the Holiday Season. See the schedule here.
Where is Raleigh’s First Friday?
The First Friday event takes place throughout downtown Raleigh, with many businesses and galleries located in the historic Warehouse District.
Some popular Raleigh art venues to check out include the CAM Raleigh, an innovative contemporary art museum, Artspace, a non-profit visual arts center and working studios, and any of the bars in downtown Raleigh. Don’t miss these wine bars in Raleigh as well!
But the fun doesn’t stop there! During First Friday, you’ll also find street performers, food trucks, and other outdoor activities. It’s a great opportunity to mingle with other Raleigh residents and meet new people who share your interests. Support these black owned businesses and female-owned businesses in Downtown Raleigh too.
Here is our guide to the Warehouse District – Use First Friday as an opportunity to explore it more.
First Friday Events for May 3, 2024
Here are the events planned for May’s First Friday in Downtown Raleigh.
Keep an eye and ear out for what your favorite local Downtown Raliegh businesses may be doing as some don’t announce too well on their websites and socials!
- Moore Square. FREE 5-9pm It’s May the Fourth Themed!
- Free screening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens under the stars at 7:30pm
- Photo ops with Star Wars cosplayers (costumes encouraged!)
- Star Wars caricature drawings (5-7pm) and crafts
- Vendor market curated by Get2Know Raleigh
- Food trucks
- Pop-Up Carolinas will also celebrate with a May the Fourth themed movie night with Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith at Halifax Mall. There’ll be live music by Michael Daughtry, games, photo ops, vendor booths, food trucks and more. 5pm FREE
- Artspace has several events on for Women’s History Month edition of First Friday (6-10pm)
- Exhibition with work by Morgan and Eric Graham in Gallery 1
- Exhibition with work by Isabel Lu in Upfront Gallery
- Meet and shop with 30+ studio artists
- The new Arts Access Gallery in Downtown, which is dedicated to showcasing work of artist with disabilities will have an exhibition of “Woven Strangers,” – a collection of dimensional acrylic paintings on wood -by artist Jean Gray Mohs.
- CAM Raleigh will have music, food, and vendors. It’s a fun community connection experience.
- First Friday at CoLab: This month’s theme will be investigating and expressing the concept of… REUSE. Come see how local artists reuse so-called “waste” to find beauty in the discarded & inspiration in the overlooked. Paint with us, meet folks & check out the $5 sketch wall! Glenwood Ave. 6-11pm
- City Market Artist Collective will have “Eyrie One” an exhibition of paintings by Scott Eagle. e works in a wide variety of medias including digital and is especially interested in the idea of the creative act as thinking through making. 6-10pm
- Glenwood Fine Art Gallery: Always has a First Friday party and exhibitions of new art and new artists. This month will their 1 year anniversary celebration with live music and small bites. 6-8pm
- Buriel Beer Co will have a Gallery Opening Night: local artist Alex Stone and enjoy a VISUALS Tasting. Alex’s impermanent works of art are inspired by the loss of her father who died in a car accident when she was only fifteen. Alex creates sigils and intentional flower arrangements to honor roadkill in hopes of bringing awareness to our skewed view of the imbalance of our surrounding ecosystem and to remind us of the beauty in Death.
- The Mecca Restaurant will have “Kocktails & Karaoke with half off mimosas* and $3 beers 6-9pm
- Current Wellness will have a special event: SPARK: Live Cello Reimagined – an interactive, wellness focused performance with Jean Gay. 6:30pm $35
- Gallery C will have a Best of Carolina 2024 exhibition which will include landmark pieces by influential North Carolina artists. Some of the biggest names and most important North Carolina art from the 20th century are included in this year’s show.
- The Raleigh Wine Shop will be welcoming to the shop artist, Alan Stewart! Enjoy the art and a drink on the patio.
- Green Monkey will feature a queer-owned small-maker from Asheville, Hemlock Pointe Soap & Candle Co. Their soaps, lotions, and candles are MonkeyFan favorites.
- Copperline Plant Co will have their opening party in their new location with giveaways, prizes, freebies, and tons of happy plants for your homes. 5-9pm
- Sip n’ Stroll Raleigh Public Art Tour. See some of Raleigh’s incredible public art while enjoying an adult beverage on this 60-minute tour! Pay what you want.
Regular First Friday experiences not to miss
Events and experiences can change month to month, but typically there are a few regular events that happen for First Friday that we recommend you explore.
Way back in the early days, many of the studios had free wine and crackers, which made art crawling loads of fun!
You may still find some wine here and there – but mostly it will come at an affordable price. It’s just too popular now for these small spaces to sustain free wine and art!
Artspace
Our First Friday experience – and most since – was wandering the halls and working art studios within Artspace. This is a non-profit visual arts center in City Market that has more than 35 artists working in their studios. They hold frequent events, exhibitions, and classes.
On First Friday, you can wander the halls of Artspace and see the studios, meet some of the artists, and look at any specific exhibitions they may have.
City Market Artist Collective
On the other side of Artspace is City Market Artist Collective, another art gallery in Raleigh we like to visit on First Friday. Inside are eight gallery spaces filled with the work of resident artists including paintings, sculpture, and mixed media. Artists are usually present on First Friday!
Plant lovers may want to pop next door to Copperline Plant Co. They often have events on for First Friday – and one can never have too much oxygen!
311 Gallery
Another working art studio is the 311 Gallery on Martin St in the Warehouse District.
This art gallery has 12 artist’s studios as well as a gift shop in the front and an exhibition gallery out front, which changes every month with the First Friday opening reception. Its small shop front window belies just how big this gallery is.
CAM Raleigh
It wouldn’t be a Raleigh Art Walk event without CAM, that is the Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh being involved.
This art gallery in the Warehouse District displays new and emerging work by local and national living artists. It’s only a small gallery with exhibitions across two levels and is free to enter. We love how inclusive and modern the art exhibitions are.
During First Fridays, they usually have special exhibitions, free art classes, pop up markets, and live music.
Designed for Joy
Raleigh’s favorite non-profit, Designed for Joy offers tours of their show on First Fridays. It’s also a perfect opportunity for shopping their brand of leather handbags, jewelry and home decor.
They provide women in crisis with stability through immediate employment (living wage) and support. It’s gratifying to know your purchases are supporting local. Read More: Designed for Joy’s annual Evening of Giving
Vita Vite Wine Bar & Art Gallery
Wine bar AND art gallery? Yep, that’s Vita Vite Art Gallery and Wine Bar in the Warehouse District. Another favorite of ours on First Friday (we also love their location in North Hills).
At Vita Vite you browse the gallery of handpicked local artisans and vendors while enjoying a glass of wine, and then curl up in a cozy chair by the fire (in the cooler months).
Moore Square Markets and Movie Nights
Every First Friday, Moore Square hosts a community artisan market and movie night. It’s usually related to the season or special events of the month in Raleigh. They also have live music, games for the kids, and food trucks.
Other First Friday Local Businesses
The Warehouse District is usually buzzing with people during First Friday moving from gallery to gallery, boutique store to boutique store and popping into bars and restaurants in between.
Taverna Agora
It’s not just expression of self through paint, textures, and mixed media on First Friday in Raleigh, it’s also expressions of body and taste that we celebrate.
Every First Friday, Taverna Agora – home of our favorite restaurant patio in Raleigh – has a fun filled entertainment night with belly dancing, and bouzouki music, all while having an authentic Greek dinner! Do I hear an Opa? Read our full review of Taverna Agora here.
Current Wellness
A huge supporter of First Friday in Raleigh is Current Wellness located in East Raleigh near the Transfer Food Hall Co.
The team there always seems to have some First Friday event usually relating to the season or specific themes happening in the city such as Black History Month etc. and fun experiences like yoga with drumming!
Curate Raleigh
Curate Raleigh on E Hargett St is a favorite place to visit with my teen. It’s also a spot I pick up some welcome gifts for our clients who buy homes in Raleigh with our partner realtors.
They have a cute collection of local Raleigh and NC products as well as jewelry, plants and home decor. On First Friday, they do fun events like craft classes with complimentary drinks.
Clyde Cooper’s Barbecue
Not only does Clyde Coopers have some of the best BBQ in Raleigh, on First Friday they have some kind of music event from music bingo to live blues. Video below:
how to make the most of your First Friday experience
Here are a few tips to make the most out of this fun monthly event.
- Wear comfortable shoes: You’ll be doing a lot of walking, so make sure you’re wearing shoes that won’t leave you with sore feet.
- Bring a friend: First Friday is more fun with company, so invite a friend or two to join you.
- Take a date: First Friday would be a fantastic date night experience in Raleigh. What a great way to get to a future potential long-term partner.
- Plan your route: Take a look at the First Friday map ahead of time and plan out which venues you want to visit. We typically look at a few galleries then choose somewhere to have a drink or dinner.
- Be open-minded: First Friday is all about exploring and trying new things, so be open to whatever the evening brings.
Whether you’re an art aficionado, a foodie, or just looking for a fun night out, First Friday in Raleigh is the perfect way to kick off the weekend. So, mark your calendar, grab a friend, and get ready to explore all that this exciting event has to offer!
Looking for more stuff to do in Raleigh? Check out our post on the top 25 Raleigh attractions, and 90+ things to do in Raleigh (bucket list) and the best art galleries in Raleigh NC.
