In our downtown, or technically a tiny bit north, first Friday started as at art gallery night. All the galleries were open late (till 8 or 9). It evolved into a street party with road closures, food trucks, artisans, bands, dance demos, and a craft fair. And of course many galleries are open. The size has waxed and waned over the years from a few thousand people to 20k people. But since it is Oakland, the crowd and businesses are super diverse, and it is a regional draw.

Even better, it totally invigorated an area on a Main Street that was a commercial dead zone for at least 15-20 years I can account for with new restaurants and such. There used to be sketchy fried fish places mixed in with adult stores. Over the past 5 years the vacancy rate in that cooridor went from about 40% to 75 or 80% full now! It turned out to be great grassroots economic development for a neglected cooridor. And bike parking is way easier than car parking. they just added a bike valet, too bad I didn't know about it before I left my bike at the train station.