First Friday Art Tour Survival tips

First Fridays (FF) have become special in many cities across the land.
The great arts revival is happening right before our eyes...

Eastern Prom Sunrise ; Elizabeth Frasier studio Monjoy Hill

As Portland Maine locals we count our art blessings, because we understand the electricity and voltage the the Maine College of Art brings to the local art scene.  It has fueled & fanned the art flames and turned this FF thing from a hot happening to a rucus burner of an evening!  Currently thousand will hit the streets for and art-social-imbibe experience that has become legend. The cool thing about FF is you control the evening.  If you want art experience that has way more social than most can handle go Congress St Arts District,  If a more intimate experience is desired you will have to stay to the fringes: Upper Congress Longfellow block, Addison Woolley on Monjoy's Washington st, or the famed FF Cocktail tour of upper Exchange & Middle streets.  Which ever you choose these FF survival tips will enhance your experience:

1.Plan your attack 
    This one though so blatantly obvious is usually over looked.  Have an idea what kind of night you would like and plan the tour accordingly.  The First Friday Art tour web site is great for listing whos-what-where so check it out, understand it's not your mother, it will not tell you what where and how to go do it (see below for some suggested tours)
2.Get there Early & Keep moving - stay with the plan ( other tack is to flow which has it's merits)
   Again it doesn't sound like rocket science but you would not believe how easy it is to get off track if you start late or get hung up in one venue.
Then again you may like getting hung up at one venue...
3.Graze & Imbibe 
   Free consumables that's part of the fun, nuff said
4.Meet Friends, before-during or after
  A great excuse to get together with the peeps you love but haven't seen for'eva

5.Be the Port City Art critic
  This is the cool part go get a beverage of choice in one of the over 200 eating and drinking establishments in the downtown area. Talk the art up,  vote on the MVP Gallery, Best Art Piece, Weirdest, Coolest winter HAT that you spotted, what ever, you make the rules.  Stay tuned I'm developing  a FF night interactive bingo game that will really enhance the night even more, but that's part of next month story... 

Here are a few suggest tours, several of the galleries are hyper-linked so you can check out what artists are showing and what is going on :
Art District CONGRESS STREET Tour: (pros-lots of art, cons-lots of people) This is the keep it moving nobody gets hurt tour, Start at Library's Lewis Gallery- cross street to -->Whitney-cross back over street to Maine Histerical Society (only time you can get in free) go back across congress --->check out Window Display at Port City Music- MECA/Fitzpatrick Gallery ---> SPACE GALLERY ---> Cross to GLEASON stay on this side to SALT & Susan Maasch cross back head to the mac-daddy Portland Museum for a crowded but enlightening experience then drop down to Dogfish Cafe for beverage & brisk critique of the evening viewings.

Upper CONGRESS ST -Longfellow Sq Tour  (pros-lots of great art not a lot of walking, cons-start early!)  Start Early 5:00pm on the dot at Portland Museum of Art (hit it before the free Friday crowd swells in) cross High st to upper congress on left Green Hand bookstore gallery (eclectically weird an I like it) then right next door before Mesa Verde go in the double doors up a couple flights of stairs to the Daunis Art & Jewelry Gallery (talented wonderful Metal Art you can wear/salt of earth folks) cross street to 9 Hands gallery  (clay-fiber-metal-wood-stone talent in all mediums)  end  tour with discussion at (now the hard part ) go to Blue for local ale or Mesa Verde for a Margarita or down to One Longfellow for drinks & music.  You can not miss with any selection - all good choices.

Upper Exchange -Middle street Imbibe tour: (pros: intimate galleries -great bars - less people, cons-none)   Start at Aucocisco Gallery upper Exchange incredible art with 60's beatnick cool vibe - Grill Room for Cocktail Art order a Screaming Viking! - Trinket & Fern (new cool coop artist joint) corner of Middle & something? - Sebago Brewery  for a Boathouse Brown - --> Cordoury Gallery & Boutique (surfer-snow rider righteous vibe)---> Heron Point Gallery (Swanky Jewelry & fused glass Art)  then down to Fore street to review the art & sample the Local  Craft beer Art at Gritty McDuff's?

Monjoy Madness Tour: (pros laid back-intimate serious art - not crowded, cons: car transport between galleries nice in winter)   Start Addison Woolley Gallery on corner of Washington & Fox (serious art-beautiful people you love'em) - -->Portland Glass Blowing Studio (back of the Nissan Bakery nice and warm in winter) - Elizabeth Frasier Studio/Gallery up congress near the tower - -->St Lawrence Arts Center - then end with food & cocktail art at the Front Room for the evening art critique.



Why head out for the First Friday Experience?

Because your good mind needs good art!





Gallery Talk receives no endorsements from WMPG, the Art Galleries or eating & Drinking establishments listed, I will admit that I have test driven these tours and they work, try them with your friends and send me the results from your evening critiques.
Also send me your suggestion for favorite tours, love to hear about'em. 

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