Santa Fe Drive to close in Art District for August First Friday

DENVER ( KDVR ) — Heads up: Your Friday night commute might be a bit tricky if it’s anywhere near the Santa Fe Art District. On the bright side, if you enjoy art and food, you have the perfect event to kick off your weekend.

The Art District on Santa Fe is holding its August First Friday Art Walk this Friday from 5:30-11 p.m.

While First Friday Art Walk happens on the first Friday of each month, August is the only month when Santa Fe Drive completely closes to vehicle traffic. The event is free to attend.

Which streets will be closed?

Santa Fe Drive will be closed north of 6th Avenue to 11th Avenue.

The street will start to close at around 3 p.m. and the event will begin at 5:30 p.m. and last until 11 p.m.

The event organizers said some side streets may also close.

How can you get there?

Event organizers suggest that people avoid driving to the area if they can, as parking may be limited. There is street parking in the neighborhoods nearby, but with at least 30,000 people estimated to attend, those spots may fill up quickly.

Street parking will be entirely closed on Santa Fe from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. on the day of the event.

There is an RTD light rail station a few blocks away from the festival at 10th Avenue and Osage Street. The station serves the D, E and H lines. There are also a few RTD buses that serve the areas.

According to the organizers, there will be three designated lots where people can park for a fee. This includes lots at West High School, Su Teatro Cultural and Performing Arts Center and Adco General.

What will be included?

Several vendors will be opening up on the closed-off streets, including small businesses, exhibitions and food vendors. The businesses with brick-and-mortar locations on Santa Fe Drive will also likely be open for the event.

According to the organizers, several exhibitions and other events will also be happening. A list can be found on the Art District on the Santa Fe website .

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