For roughly a decade, the city of Denver has shut down a stretch of Santa Fe Drive, allowing pedestrians to flood the street for a popular First Friday art walk in August.
But the city hasn’t granted a permit to close the road for this year’s event — creating a major concern for the galleries and businesses that depend on First Friday foot traffic.
“They pulled the rug out from under us,” said Andrea Barela, the executive director of NewsEd, who has led the Santa Fe Drive Business Improvement District for years.
But the city says changes to the event are necessary for public safety.
“We want to continue to be thoughtful about how we manage these events to ensure safety and their success,” explained Nancy Kuhn, a spokesperson for the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, in an email.
Event organizers still have some time: They say they need the permit finalized by May, about three months ahead of the event.
What’s gone wrong with First Friday?
The city has a history of events that have outgrown the areas where they have traditionally taken place, she said. For example, Santa Fe Drive used to be closed for Cinco de Mayo, which no longer happens.
August’s First Fridays crowds have outgrown the stretch of Santa Fe that the city has historically shut down, Kuhn said. The city has been working with the BID, which pays for the event, for several months. The hope: negotiate ways to change how First Friday works and address safety challenges.
City Councilmember Jamie Torres says some concerns from the city include a need for more off-duty police officers and assurances that vendors will be set up in the correct places.
Possible changes the city proposed: Moving First Friday to a Saturday or Sunday, moving the event off of Santa Fe Drive, and instead using alleys, parking lanes and side streets.
“We value this wonderful event and think we can help the Arts District keep it going in some form if we work together,” Kuhn said. “We’re willing to get creative, and we plan to follow up with them to discuss the options.”
For organizers, First Friday needs to happen on a Friday night — and on Santa Fe Drive.
Last year, First Friday in August brought around 10,000 people to the strip, Barela said.
The event has become a Denver tradition.
Changing the day is not an option, Torres explained. Even if the event were moved to Saturday or Sunday, people would still come down expecting the free art walk on Friday night.
“They simply get too many people there for the street to be open to traffic,” said Torres. “That’s … everybody's concern.”
What about hosting it in the alley? Businesses won’t go for it, since it could reduce foot traffic from the event, Barela said.
“They've been pushing the alley narrative for years,” she said. “But nobody in their right mind wants to hang out in the stinky alley with overflowing trash containers and needles everywhere.”
Torres says she’s working with the city, the BID and the Art District on Santa Fe on solutions. She wants to strike a deal where the street can be shut down and the city’s worries are addressed.
Santa Fe is changing fast
With thousands of people coming to the neighborhood for First Friday, the event is a major economic driver — one she wants to preserve.
The arts district has seen big changes in recent years: more development, a road redesign and rapid gentrification.
First Friday is one event that helps keep longstanding galleries and businesses open through it all.
“One major event here keeps this corridor alive,” Torres said.
