First Friday Art Walk returning to Phoenix under new private property pilot program

PHOENIX - A major change is coming to downtown Phoenix’s iconic First Friday Art Walk. After safety concerns halted street closures and vendor markets earlier this year, city leaders just approved a new path forward.

The backstory:

Those who remember the earlier days of the First Friday Art Walk look upon them fondly.

"It’s really like evolved into, like, a staple of downtown," said Connor Moore, a Phoenix resident.

Safety Concerns:

But in the past few years, a big spike in its popularity led to crowd control and public safety issues.

"Just fist fighting, and then, screams and yells, and then the police show up. Pepper spray starts flying everywhere. And then the next month, two people got shot here right on the corner, right by our shop," said Donny Ades, co-owner of RoRo Dogs downtown.

"It has gotten out of control," added Chris Campbell the other co-owner of RoRo Dogs.

This led organizers to end street closures and halt the vendor market last spring. 

Pilot Program:

But on Sept. 9, the Phoenix City Council voted to pass a resolution to launch a pilot program to safely bring back certain vendors by moving the action off of public streets and onto private property.

"[The change] helps strengthen the arts-centered spirit of the event while ensuring it continues to grow safely and sustainably," said Vice Mayor Kesha Hodge Washington during the discussion, who represents District 8 for the City of Phoenix.

The program will allow property and business owners in the downtown area to apply for special permits to host the vendors, instead of the city closing down streets.

"It was just escalating violence, and I’m glad the city had the mind to pull back and say ‘hey, this isn’t safe for the public. We need to pull back,’" Ades said. "It allows the city to reassess and say we need a different First Friday, let’s bring it back to how it was with just the artists."

Restoring the Phoenix Focus:

The goal is to bring the focus back to locally made art and food, something locals and business owners say they would appreciate.

"It was a lot of food vendors and a lot of second-rate stuff that people didn't create, that they were just reselling here," Ades said.

"I’d like to see some type of first Friday back with vendors and more artists," Campbell said.

What's next:

The city plans for the program to kick off in October and last one year, with officials gathering feedback to see if it is something to continue long term. There will be a workshop regarding permits on Sept. 14.

PhoenixNews