It would be nearly impossible to match, let alone top, last month's Downtown art orgy, but the First Friday crew and completely ethical Mayor Goodman are making sure June 4 will be a close second.
Only Colorado Avenue between 3rd and Main streets will be closed off this time, making room for artists booths, live music by surf band Vista Four, barbecue by Sweet Georgia Brown, and wine and beer sales by Dino's Lounge. Standard free valet parking will be available to the lucky early-birds.
There also will be additional free shuttles, courtesy of the City, running to the Funk House, Arts Factory, Red Rooster and Icehouse every 15 minutes.
All activities run from 6-10 p.m. and are free, unless otherwise noted. Maps can be found at www.whirlygiglasvegas.org and the Funk House, and on the night of the event at S2Art Center, the Icehouse, and Arts Factory.
The free raffle also continues, with prizes like a $50 gift certificate to the Las Vegas Premium Outlets, a Guggenheim Hermitage Museum annual pass for two, and highly valued, only-available-on-the-black-market First Friday T-shirts. You may enter three times: once at the Funk House, Icehouse and S2Art Center. Winners are notified by phone.
The rest is up to you. Get out there and buy some art! All that wine and cheese don't come cheap, y'know.
Cameron Grant, corner of Charleston Boulevard and Casino Center, across from the Arts Factory, hard techno DJ, 7-10 pm. Ask him about Meatstock. Go on, we dare you.
Capital h, in the Arts Factory, High Noon, paintings and drawings of Downtown's hotel and motel signage at midday by Brian Henry. Kind of like Monet's Rouen Cathedral series, only different. Artist reception 6-10 pm, with drinks and hors d'oeuvres. 101 E. Charleston Blvd. 696-9636.
Casa Don Juan, food and drink specials. Su casa es su casa. 1202 S. Main St. 384-8070.
Chicago Joe's, food and drink specials. Whachu lookin' at? 820 S. Fourth St. 382-5637.
Contemporary Arts Collective, Lost Vegas, see Vegas through an outsider's eyes with photos of residents and landscapes along East Fremont Street by LA photographer Greg Segal. Also, Found, color landscape photography by Ana Maria Rodriguez. Artists reception, 6-10 pm. Rodriguez discusses her work at the First Sunday Brunch, noon-2 pm, June 6. 101 E. Charleston Blvd. 382-3886.
Cricket Studio and Face Up Gallery, upstairs in the Arts Factory, ongoing Face Up, The Art of Recognition by Dar Freeland, ink and watercolor on paper, acrylics on canvas, originals, prints, T-shirts and more; ongoing Flatline exhibit by Dar Freeland; Drawings From The Boneyard, illuminated line drawings on paper by Brian Swanson; also works by special First Friday artists. And, yes, those pieces on the floor were all fitted, not carved in place. 107 E. Charleston Blvd., Suite 203. 366-9077.
Cube Gallery, upstairs in the Arts Factory, digital photography turned into modern art; ongoing showcase of work exclusively from Tony Tompkins and Christopher Scott studios. The dogs' names are Tobey and Taylor; their cats are camera-shy. 107 E. Charleston Blvd., Suite 205. 250-5150.
DiCandilo Gallery, in the Arts Factory. If you're lucky, the otherworldly organic sculpture is still there on the back table. 109 E. Charleston Blvd., Suite 102. 363-9452.
Dino's, Live music, 10 pm-12:30 am, followed by karaoke with host Danny G. Life doesn't get any better. 1516 Las Vegas Blvd. S. 382-3894.
D'Loe House of Style, Vintage clothing and accessories from the '40s to the '80s. When did the '80s become vintage? Refreshments, open late. 220 E. Charleston Blvd. 382-5688.
Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery, Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition 11, 7-10 pm. Food, drink and reallly good art for all! And bachelors! Did we mention bachelors? Alta Ham Fine Arts Building, north end of UNLV campus. 895-3893.
Dray's Place Fine Art Gallery, Open studio and gallery. Also possibly the coolest gallery space this side of Lake Mead. 1300 S. Casino Center Blvd., Suite 5, across from the Funk House. 255-9674.
Dust, Paint Draw, continuing show featuring local and New York and Los Angeles artists. Note the new location and spacious digs. 1221 S. Main St. 880-DUST.
5ive Finger Miscount, in the Arts Factory, open studio featuring the work of Dray, Mark Zeilman, Iceberg Slick and KD Matheson. Also Dale Mathis unveiling his Iron Torso. Ladies, bring your $1 bills. 103 E. Charleston Blvd. 380-3223.
Florida Cafe, food and drink specials at Las Vegas' best Cuban restaurant. 1401 S. Las Vegas Blvd. 385-3013.
Stewart Freshwater, in the Arts Factory Common Gallery, Drawings, Then and Now. 107 E. Charleston Blvd. 229-2148.
The Funk House, Visions of Home, opening reception for photography by Matt Theilen, visions of places he has called home over the years, quite possibly including Yosemite's El Capitain; refreshments, live music, fortune tellers, demonstrations. 1228 S. Casino Center. 678-6278.
Galerie Le Peep, in the Arts Factory. Expressionist still lifes and portraits by Mike Griesgraber, creator of ventilation art. 101 E. Charleston Blvd.
Gypsy Caravan Antiques, open late, 10 percent discount for First Friday patrons. 1302 S. Third St. 868-3302.
The IceHouse, Chez Bippy presents The Get Back, a funky soul dance party with local DJs John Doe and Danny Boy. Begins at 10 pm and goes until the wee hours. $5. 650 S. Main St. 315-2570.
Iowa Cafe, featuring live music by Phillip Reilly Stendek, David Quick, the Kip Fox Trio, and the Roadside Prophets; food, drink specials and free parking. 300 E. Charleston Blvd. 366-1882.
Jenn Main Gallery, in the Stephen Spann Gallery, Arts Factory. Cubist-influenced paintings and portraits by Jennifer Main. 109 E. Charleston Blvd. 889-8206. www.jennifermainstudio.com.
Michael wardle gallery, upstairs in the Arts Factory, featuring abstract expressionist paintings, both large and small. Reception 6-10 pm, with drinks and hors d'oeuvres, plus the most comfortable couch in all the Arts Factory. Artist's brunch and open house, noon-2 pm, June 6. 107 E. Charleston Blvd. 383-8633.
Modify, winner of 2004 Best Retro Furniture Store by Las Vegas Life magazine, and winner of May 2004 Best Living Window Display by the Weekly. Open late. 8 E. Charleston Blvd. 384-6555.
Nevada Arts Council, Paintings by Linda Yuroff of Carson City and Tom Holder of Las Vegas, 6-8 pm. The ultra-secretative council wouldn't say more than this, but we're sure it's worth checking out. 821 S. Seventh St. 486-3700.
Opportunity Village Thrift Shop, serving people with mental retardation, open late, half off selected merchandise until 10 pm. 921 S. Main St. 383-1082.
The Painted Couch, individually designed furniture, from art deco to contemporary and modern. Don't miss the parrots in the back. 6 E. Charleton Blvd. http://thepaintedcouch.com.
Red Rooster Antique Mall, open late, featuring the art of Alex Huerta. Not to be confused with the Vegas Red Rooster. 1109 Western Ave. 382-5253.
Red Yellow Blue Inc., in the Arts Factory. Open studio. 103 E. Charleston Blvd. 524-5244.
S2Art, The Golden Age of the Poster, featuring late 19th and early 20th century poster designs that blur the line between mass-produced and fine art, with 120 outstanding examples of works by Toulouse Lautrec, James Montgomery, Pierre Bonnard, Aubrey Beardsley, Gustav Klimt and more. Also come see demonstrations of lithography using antique printing presses. 1 E. Charleston Blvd. 868-7800.
Saab Lofton, in the Arts Factory, CityLife's communist columnist dons his Capt. Cuba costume of red underwear and bath-towel cape to sell his $1 comic book, Rufus the Black Cat, by the restrooms and soda machine. 107 E. Charleston Blvd. 871-6780.
Seat, Social Experimentation and Absurd Theater in the Arts Factory, REEL 11.5, free 7 8 and 9 pm performances. Albert Camus' Caligula, 11 pm, $10 in advance, $12 and a flogging at the door. 101 E. Charleston Blvd. 736-4313.
Steven Spann Gallery, in the Arts Factory. Large-scale modern, contemporary paintings, as big as the state of Texas. Artist reception 6-10 pm. 109 E. Charleston Blvd. 384-3860.
Sunrise Art and Sculpture Gallery, in the Arts Factory. 101 E. Charleston Blvd., Suite 101. 477-7705.
Tinoco's Bistro, food and drink specials. Taste the food the Lewis Avenue poets rave about. 1756 E. Charleston Blvd. 464-5008.
Yana's Junk, Fine Antiques, because one Yana's junk is another's ... oh, you know. Open late, 10 percent discount for First Friday patrons. 201 E. Colorado Ave. 388-0051.
Zollar Gallery, upstairs in the Arts Factory, featuring fine art paintings of Laura Zollar. We promise at least one will involve a mermaid. 101 E. Charleston Blvd.