First Friday celebrates one year of supporting local businesses

ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – Friday, August 2 marks the City’s one-year anniversary of the “First Friday Initiative.” We took a chance to talk to organizers about how far the event has come since it began one year ago.

“The best thing that I have seen is that in August of last year, we had to kind of explain what First Friday was to people, and now they know, and they’re already asking, well, what are you doing next month, and how can I participate? The number of artists and vendors that approach us has been tripled since we started this, so I think that ‘s the greatest thing, is that we don’t have to describe what it is anymore. People just know if you want to go somewhere with the family or on a date night or even by yourself, come downtown on a First Friday, and you’re going to have a great experience,” said Odessa Arts Executive Director Randy Ham.

Organizers said the event has also done a lot for the local economy.

“The arts and culture economy generates 6.1 million dollars in economic activity for the city of Odessa every single year, so we are more than just the icing on the cake.
We’re more than just the fun stuff. You know, our local artists, our local musicians, we’re taxpaying citizens, we have rent, we have mortgage, we send kids to school, we go buy groceries, all of those things, so we contribute to the economy just the same way that the energy industry does or the healthcare industry does. We just get to have a lot more fun doing it,” continued Ham.

The first anniversary of First Friday starts on August 2, at 6 p.m., in Downtown Odessa. Five vendor markets will be open at the following locations:

• 5 ^th and Grant
• 515 North Grant Avenue
• 1020 East Murphy Street
• 1500 North Grant Avenue
• 415 North Grant Avenue

You can learn more about First Friday and the one-year celebration on the First Friday website her e.

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