Anyone who was around during the beginning of First Fridays likely remembers it as a quaint gathering for arts and culture. The few galleries and shops in the area stayed open. The Funk House with its monthly art exhibits in the back was a stopping point where you’d see a musician or two out front, some art displayed on the sidewalk and New York City poet Gregory Crosby, then a Las Vegas resident, writing poems. At the Arts Factory, visitors mingled casually in and out of galleries, absorbing art in a relaxed environment.

Then things changed.

First Friday turned into a huge street festival with bands playing on multiple stages, art tents, vendors and thousands of people flooding the Arts District. A fence went up at Colorado and Casino Center Avenues, locking in the festival. To some of the early participants, it had grown into a nightmare, an out-of-hand event that lost its original appeal. When Whirlygig Inc., the nonprofit organization managing the street festival, announced it would be putting First Friday on a two-month hiatus while it sorted out the organizing issues, business owners who came to rely on First Friday crowds were concerned that the original news reports would bring the night to a standstill. The public relations fiasco, however, brought even more attention to the area.

On Friday night a constant stream of people flowed on the sidewalks of Casino Center. Businesses and galleries had a smaller, but steady, influx of visitors. Skin City Studio & Boutique, which held its grand opening that night, was busy selling merchandise and drawing crowds. Retro Vegas had a flow of customers, and Casa Don Juan had its usual line-up at the outside bar, guests snapping up $10 margaritas. Inside, the restaurant was packed. Shop owners said it wasn’t as busy as usual, but that visitors loved the suddenly ample parking that came without the street closures. Food trucks fed the crowds; Metro officers stood around chatting and street vendors sold their usual wares. A band outside the Bar+Bistro created a standing-room only ambiance. The drum circle on the other side of the building had its usual crowd of dancers and the Mark Corbin Quintet created a relaxing scene out back while folks shopped for jewelry, T-shirts and art.

“I was worried,” said Gina Quaranto, owner of Blackbird Studios on Commerce Street. “But it’s been quite busy. We have a loyal following of people who come here every month.”

Michelle Brinkley, who sells jewelry First Fridays inside Blue Sky Yoga, said there definitely weren’t as many people and that those who turned out were the die-hard visitors, who come every month. “It’s been nice,” Brinkley said. “People can actually look at the art.”