Page 68 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2020- Online Magazine

FRIDAY NIGHTArts

by Lindsey Maestri

Every month is a great
month to visit FFAT,
but a few stand out races, socioeconomic backgrounds,
throughout the year. As the and abilities. At the art trail, visitors
last month before Texas Tech will see young families pushing
students leave for the summer, strollers, groups of high school and
FFAT in May always features college students, older couples and
a great variety of student friends of all kinds converging to
art exhibitions. September enjoy the arts. FFAT helps define our
is also a busy month, with community as a vibrant, creative, and
TTU students and faculty diverse place and brings a sense of
returning, and the evenings pride and belonging to our residents.
irst Friday Art Trail (FFAT) is cooling down enough to enjoy
a free, self-guided public art live music at stops with outdoor LHUCA and all the First Friday Art
Fevent that has taken Lubbock to stages. In November, select venues Trail venues appreciate the incredible
the forefront of the Texas art scene. on the trail participate in the annual amount of community support there
Held predominantly in the Lubbock Día de los Muertos Procesión, an is for this monthly event. Venues
Cultural District, this event brings educational and engaging cultural include: A Beautiful Mess and Co,
together collectors, artists, and event. In December, a variety of Art for Goodness Sake, Bad Axe
community friends for an evening holiday traditions found throughout Raider, Bentley Arrow, Bo Tan Fine
of art, music and fun. Featuring a our community are highlighted in Art Studio and Gallery, Buddy Holly
variety of art centers, museums, activities on the trail. Center, Charles Adams Gallery,
galleries, and businesses, FFAT offers CASP, Caviel Museum of African
an ever-changing array of art exhibits A free trolley service is provided American History, GlassyAlley Art
in all media, live music, and other for visitors to easily get from venue Studio and Gallery, J&B Coffee,
performances. Whether an avid art to venue. The trolley has six stops: Legacy Event Center, LHUCA,
lover, cultural connoisseur, or just LHUCA/Charles Adams Studio Lubbock Municipal Garden and Arts
looking for an evening out in a fun, Project (CASP), Buddy Holly Center, Center, Rooster’s Texas BBQ, Sugar
family-friendly environment, First Tornado Gallery, GlassyAlley, Browns Coffeehouse, Therese Barrett
Friday Art Trail offers something for the Legacy Event Center, and the Fine Art Photography, Tornado
everyone! Caviel Museum of African American Gallery, TTU Press, Two Docs, and
History. Attendees’ trail experiences Urban Tech.
First Friday Art Trail is managed can be started from any of these
by the Louise Hopkins Underwood stops; all trolley stops have parking Keep up with new happenings and
Center for the Arts (LHUCA) and available at their location or nearby. venues on the First Friday Art Trail
takes place on the First Friday of Trolleys pick up at these locations by visiting ffat.org, lhuca.org, and
every month from 6 – 9 pm. Now every 10 – 15 minutes between 6 – 9 LHUCA’s social media channels
in its 16th year, this event averages pm. Most other venues are easily including Facebook, Instagram, and
3,000 plus visitors each month, with walkable from these stops. Twitter.
a peak month seeing over 5,000 FFAT maps, with event
in attendance. For the 20 venues listings for each venue,
on the trail located in downtown can be accessed using the
Lubbock, this means vital foot traffic FFAT app, website, or by
and visibility. Each venue offers picking up a paper map at
art experiences that are specific to LHUCA.
their mission or business. These
experiences often change monthly, so First Friday experiences
there is always something new to see a unique diversity in its
or do on the trail. attendance, serving South
Plains residents of all ages,

68 Lubbock Senior Link