In need of a good art show? Every first Friday of the month you’ll find just that at Railroad Square Art Park in Tallahassee. Dozens of artists come together to showcase their newest collections and inspirations to make this once-a-month festival come to life. Although many breathtaking exhibits can be found in Railroad Square at all times during each month, the “First Friday” of each month is much more anticipated because an all-out festival helps to bring out the spirit of each artist’s gallery. Complete with complementary wines, snacks, food venders, live music, and dancing, the art truly becomes interactive as many of the exhibits contain sound and live performances in addition to actual paintings and sculptures. There is fun for people of all ages, as well as dogs of all sizes. With the mellow mood music of Jim Crozier playing this past Friday, the environment was very much a small vacation from the every day Tallahassee life. With the inside Tallahassee Rock Gym and Ken Sharpe Photography providing portraits in the heart of the festival, all guests are assured to be more than entertained. All religions and belief backgrounds are also welcomed and incorporated into First Friday, as exhibits such as the Tallahassee Buddhist Community and Ving Tsun Kung Fu demonstrate sneak peaks of their crafts. Nearly all of the beautiful pieces of art that you will find at Railroad Square are also for sale, whether it be a mirror “plywood sculpture” in Robert Hargrave and Meredith McMackin’s truly unique wood furniture gallery, or a “mixed media map quilt” made by Valerie Goodwin and inspired by various ancient architects and predominantly female-influenced cultures. Any piece of art, whether it is no bigger than a dime-sized incense burner or the size of an entire wall mural, is guaranteed to bring a one-of-a-kind atmosphere into your home, garden, or work place. Many exotic plants and flowers that are just as unique as the art are also sold at First Friday, and can be used and displayed as part of your family’s First Friday “tailgate” area. Many families and groups of friends bring picnic tables and good food to enhance the experience of the night. A variety of shops and boutiques also participate in this once-a-month Tallahassee spectacular. A cute little shop named Athena’s Garden offers over two hundred bulk herbs used for both medicinal and culinary uses. Dozens of one-of-a-kind teas, incenses, soaps, candles, and jewelry await all who attend First Friday.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter.