This is one of those events that unfortunately has taken a sharp decline in nearly all categories that one would rank such an event: fun, value, entertainment, and cultural value. When I first attended First Friday about a year ago, it was a very expansive festival covering several blocks of downtown and showcasing several local artists, local food trucks, and mom & pop retail stores. It had great live music and an eclectic mix of attendees that made for great people watching. Over the past few months, though, the numbers of participating artists has declined dramatically and the food selection has been reduced to a few overpriced food trucks.
The amount of real estate that once hosted First Friday has reduced dramatically as well and the crowd that attends the event has become a lot more shady and drunken. It's now not a lot different than Fremont Street but covering a different part of downtown. Beggars and scam Charities are there now along with a few scant artist booths and beer booths.
Parking has become a business more than anything and now everyone and their brother that owns an orange vest collects $10 for parking in any random dirt lot you can find. So sad.
First Friday used to be about showcasing local artists and spreading culture through the "Arts District." Now it's nothing more than yet another way to squeeze every last dollar out of anyone that walks by.