First Friday to cool August visitors with polar theme, re-emphasis on the arts

The monthly First Friday arts festival is scheduled from 5 to 11 p.m. Aug. 2 at venues throughout the Arts District in downtown Las Vegas. Admission is free, and free parking with shuttle service is available at the Clark County Government Center, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway.

Live entertainment, artists’ booths, food vendors and more are planned.

August is among the outdoor event’s hottest months, but organizers are encouraging visitors to think cool with an AntARTica polar theme featuring dry ice mist, glaciers and papier-mache penguins and other polar life between Charleston Boulevard and Colorado Avenue.

Organizers also plan a push to re-emphasize the arts and de-emphasize the street festival. Some vendors that patrons are accustomed to seeing in the streets are to be moved out of the center of the festival and into the surrounding 18b neighborhood.

Representatives from Animal Planet’s television show “Tanked” are set to have an aquarium photo booth on Casino Center Boulevard near Charleston.

Large-scale art is expected to stretch along much of Casino Center. Volunteer artists are slated to contribute projects under the direction of artists such as Miguel Rodriguez and Michael Wardle. Wardle is looking for volunteers to help paint a giant mural along Casino Center starting at sunset July 31. Volunteers are also needed to help with event setup from 5 to 9 p.m. July 30 through Aug. 1. To volunteer, email volunteer@firstfriday
lasvegas.com.

For information on shuttle services, artists, music and more, visit firstfridaylasvegas.com. Many downtown art galleries also open from 6 to 8 p.m. for Preview Thursday.

Galleries planning to participate in August’s First Friday include:

Downtown Contemporary Art in Art Square, 1025 S. First St., is set to show oil paintings by Michael Foulkrod. Visit downtown-contemporary.com.

RTZvegas inside Art Square, 1017 S. First St., plans to show “After, Closer, Still,” a collection of University of Dayton associate professor Jeffery Cortland Jones’ enamel on acrylic panel works curated by artist Scott Grow. Visit rtzvegas.com.

Amanda Harris Gallery of Contemporary Art, 900 Las Vegas Blvd. South, is scheduled to show Exchange Summer Group featuring works by six artists from across the U.S. and Canada. Visit amandaharrisgallery.com or call 702-769-6036.

Gainsburg Studios, 1039 S. Main St., is set to have stone sculpting demonstrations by Sharon Gainsburg from 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 2. Guests are invited to try their hand at stone carving. Visit gainsburgstudios.com or call 702-249-3200.

Jana’s Red Room in The Arts Factory, 107 E. Charleston Blvd., is slated to show works by Glynn W. Galloway, a Las Vegas artist who uses wet-molded leather, hand-hammered copper, gourds and found objects to create sculptures, wall hangings and bowls. The gallery is also set to host a sneak preview of masks to be auctioned at a fundraising event in October for Innovations International Charter School of Nevada. Visit janasredroom.com or call 702-454-3709.

Sin City Gallery in The Arts Factory, 107 E. Charleston Blvd., is set to show erotic paintings by Nancy Peach. Visit sincitygallery.com or call 702-608-2461.

The Trifecta Gallery in The Arts Factory, 107 E. Charleston Blvd., is set to show “So Sorry,” a collection of dioramas of fictional murder scenes by Abigail Goldman. Visit trifectagallery.com or call 702-366-7001.

The Contemporary Arts Center in The Arts Factory, 107 E. Charleston Blvd., is scheduled to show “Older and Overwhelmed” by Sam Blanchard. The show is a mixed media exhibition that includes a plywood roller coaster. Visit lasvegascac.org or call 702-382-3886.

The Brett Wesley Gallery, 1112 S. Casino Center Blvd., plans to show photos by valley photographers Francis + Francis featuring a giant woman placed into Las Vegas settings. Visit www.brettwesleygallery.com or call 702-433-4433.

Blackbird Studios, 1551 S. Commerce St., is set to show works by six emerging local artists. This will be the first public exhibit for them. Visit blackbirdstudioslv.com or call 702-782-0319.

City of the World, 1229 S. Casino Center Blvd., is slated to show work from its Summer Days Art Contest. Visit cityoftheworld.org or call 702-409-7549.

303 North Studio inside The Arts Factory, 107 E. Charleston Blvd., plans to show “Richter-Eight Works” by Jeffery Richter. Call 702-742-6241.