25th Anniversary of Old City’s First Friday Fête

Guests enjoyed passed hors d'oeuvre and a delicious cake by Swiss Haus, which was decorated with the new First Friday logo.

Tonight marks the 25th anniversary of Old City’s most popular event: First Friday. Local galleries have been keeping their doors open late night for the past quarter century to welcome art patrons, students and anyone else looking for something different to do on the first Friday of every month. Earlier this week, a celebration reception was held at La Peg to mark the 25th anniversary. Several owners of art galleries that have been partaking in First Friday since its beginning celebrated the occasion and posed with Old City District Executive Director Job Itzkowitz, Councilman Mark Squilla, and Sheila Hess, city representative, with a city citation. Each of the owners received a copy for themselves. “Through the efforts of those individuals who helped organize the first First Friday and the Old City Arts Association, Old City, 25 years later, is now Philadelphia’s premier arts district,” said Job Itzkowitz, executive director of Old City District. Guests then enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres and a delicious cake by Swiss Haus, which was decorated with the new First Friday logo.


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HughE Dillon covers parties, events and more for Philadelphia magazine’s The Scene. You can afollow him on Twitter at @iPhillyChitChat and visit his daily online social diary PhillyChitChat.com.