Having grown up in the greater Portland area my entire life, I’m sad to say this is the second First Friday Art Walk I’ve ever been on. Earlier in the summer I remember driving through Congress on a First Friday and I never saw such a view before. Both sides of the street were filled with pedestrians, and there was no end in sight.
But that wasn’t the only spectacle in the Arts District: a fire-juggling woman displayed her skills in front of Port City Music Hall, and there were enough street musicians in every corner to fill a small music festival. The great thing about this is that those kinds of things are never listed as the main attractions.
According to a survey taken by the Portland Arts & Cultural Alliance in 2005, over 10,000 people visit the city annually for this epic event, and it can’t be the art galleries alone that attract them. Every month, some musician, some artist, or anyone who has the capacity to entertain will make their appearance on the streets of Portland and contribute to one of the best days in the city.