The First Friday Art Walk

I attended the First Friday Art Walk on Denver's Santa Fe Drive yesterday evening for the first time in quite a while. I arrived at 5:00, which is well before the crowds usually arrive, but still had a hard time finding a parking spot. This month many of the galleries were celebrating Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Grateful Dead), which is celebrated in Mexico, but very popular in Colorado, too. I only planned to stay an hour, and so would miss a number of events, including the catrina contest and procession at Museo De Las Americas, but still found some good subjects to photograph, such as the couple in the photograph on the left.

Since the Museo De Las Americas was having the most Dia de Los Muertos events, and it was free admission last night, I headed there first, and took the photograph on the right of a colorful display. Granted, it a bit creepy, but then again, to me, having a Day of the Dead celebration is just creepy to start with. I have no idea what all those things symbolize, but frankly, if they make a good photograph, I don't care.

I knew I was going to miss the catrina contest and procession, but I still was able to get the photograph on the left of a woman in costume. At least I think she was in costume - she was standing at the entrance to the gallery and I assumed she was a greeter or something. Perhaps she was just waiting for her boyfriend. She was checking her cell phone before I snapped that shot. In any case, since I had only a limited amount of time, I didn't stick around, and headed to the Denver Art Society, which I read was also celebrating the Day of the Dead. 

The place was pretty crowded, and many people were listening to the band in the photograph on the right. As far as I could tell, the music did not seem to be traditional Mexican ballads - more like rock and roll - but the stage seemed to be decorated in a traditional way. After staying a few minutes, I headed back to the car and tried to leave the area, with mixed success - Santa Fe Drive and surrounding streets were being closed off for the event, and there were lines of cars arriving for the evening's festivities. It was a very mild night, and so I think that by 7:00 the place would be overflowing with art lovers and revelers, especially at the Renegade Brewing Company, just off Santa Fe Drive on 9th Street. Art is in the eye of the beholder, after all.