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Local creatives are transforming the way Vegas does First Friday

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Union House’s First Friday party continues November 1.
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Imagine folks from all walks of life gathering under one roof, dancing and vibing together and supporting the local scene. That’s the dream for Rayce Rayos, owner of Sarap! clothing store inside the Arts District.

For the past year, Rayos has been throwing one of the biggest DIY First Friday events inside Union House, a warehouse, art gallery and studio space that’s home to a handful of other creatives in the 18b Arts District. Located on First Street around the corner from Artifice and Arts Square, Union House—along with SPCKRFT studios and the Butterfly Effect Collective—has been a hub for art, music, self-expression and community.

“Nightlife doesn’t have to be synonymous with club life and an expensive time,” says Rayos, who began throwing talent showcases in 2018. “I keep it really eclectic in terms of the music I play, be it R&B, rap or reggae. Every type of person shows up—old, young, every color of the rainbow.”

Rayos’ First Friday event has continued to grow while bringing in local DJs, rappers and other musical talents. He has even hosted yoga in the park and charity shoe drives. “Everybody has their own flavor,” Rayos says. “Allowing someone to flourish, whether they’re a graffiti artist or an R&B singer or rapper, feels great.”

There are a lot of moving parts in order to keep the community effort afloat. Union House, owned by Arts Factory owner Jonathan Kermani, is home to retail and art galleries, while SPCKRFT is a creative multipurpose studio and the hub for the Butterfly Effect Collective. Both entities come together on First Friday to empower the community to get out and have fun.

“All the things that we want to do are things that haven’t been done before,” says Butterfly Effect Collective co-founder Baby Claypool. “It’s mainly creating a collective consciousness.”

Claypool and co-founder Amber Nicole established Butterfly Effect to bring Las Vegas creatives together. The collective has hosted two successful First Friday events at the SPCKRFT warehouse, though Claypool and Nicole are taking November off with plans to come back stronger in December.

“We’re hoping to expand to other things, like avant-garde art installations,” Claypool says. And though BEC is going dark next month, Claypool and Nicole say they’ll be out supporting Rayos’ event, which is coming up on its two-year anniversary.

“Union House has come a very long way,” Rayos says. “How many times do you go to something like, ‘OK, what’s the agenda, what’s the catch?’ And there’s none of that here. It really is just a Las Vegas thing.”

First Friday at Union House November 1, 7 p.m., free. 917 1st St., 702-300-4337.

Tags: Nightlife
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