An immersive art and community experience
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated: November 2, 20012

Oakland First Fridays Event

Date: December 07, 2012
Set up: Streets close to the public at 3:00 PM
Event Times: Fall / Winter Hours
5:00-10:00 PM (within the street closure)
Location: Telegraph Avenue from 19th Street to 27th Street and adjoining streets (street closure area), and Old Oakland 9th Street and Broadway (street closure area)

Participation in Oakland First Fridays Arts Festival:
Oakland First Fridays Arts Festival is an inclusive, diverse, dynamic, amazingly creative community of artists, street vendors, performers, galleries, musicians, collectives, art studios, food vendors, non-profit organizations, creative entrepreneurs, mobile art and music, inter-active art areas, collectively attracting 15.000-20,000 people per mont

Community Organization Meetings:
We invite you as a participant to join us every Wednesday from 6:00-8:00 PM  at the Oakland First Fridays Community Organization Meetings so we can get to know you and all of us work together to make Oakland First Fridays a continuing and amazing success for one and all.
Location: Uptown Studios, 1738 Telegraph, Oakland (please check the website for updates).
The weekly meetings are for everyone that participates in or benefits from First Fridays—or would like to in the future.

What is the difference between Art Murmur and Oakland First Fridays?

Art Murmur is an organization of 40+ brick and mortar visual arts organizations, galleries, and collectives.
They are a cultural partner with First Fridays and an integral part of the art experience of Oakland First Fridays.
Find out what is happening in the Art Murmur Galleries http://oaklandartmurmur.org/

Oakland First Fridays is everything else - An amazing, eclectic, creativly diverse, immersive Arts Festival including over 200 artists, performers, musicians, art shows, interactive art exhibits, art creation, non-profits, poets, writers, makers, mobile music and art venues, art cars, street vendors, independent food vendors, and food trucks taking place on Telegraph Ave. from 27th to 19th Street and throughout Oakland.

Official Oakland First Fridays and the Street Closures:
Due to the size of the crowds along some areas of Telegraph Avenue during First Fridays the city has decided to help us and support us (the artists, performers, street vendors, food vendors, street entrepreneurs, galleries, mobile art vehicles, inter-active art exhibits, non-profit organizations, etc that participate in First Friday) by legally closing the streets so that all pedestrians and participants in the most crowded areas are safe from moving vehicles.

This month, the official street closure will go from Telegraph and 27th to 19th Street with 26th, 25th, 23rd, and 22nd being closed to through traffic between Telegraph and Broadway. Cross Traffic will be on West Grand, 20th Street, and 19th Street and below.
No moving vehicles or public transit will be allowed into the street closure area from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM

First Fridays is happening throughout Oakland. It is not limited to the street closure areas. It is everywhere. There is always something incredible, creative, and amazing happening somewhere in Oakland.

Media / Press:
If you are writing an article, doing a show, or want to do interviews with some of the stakeholders of Oakland First Fridays please contact the Communications Team / PR at the email below.
Contact: media@oaklandfirstfridays.org

Photos/ Videos/ Writing:
If you have photos, videos, or any creative writing on Oakland First Fridays. Please
send them to us for us to post on the website and our Facebook page;
Contact: media@oaklandfirstfridays.org

Public Parking:
 1) The multi-story garage at 19th & Franklin (entrance on 19th or Franklin) will be open until 12midnight.
2) The two-story garage at 21st & Telegraph will be open until 12midnight with entrance from off of Broadway.  
Both lots will be $10 per car for the night.
 3) For additional parking click on the link below:
 http://oaklandartmurmur.org/images/stories/docs/parking.pdf

Public Restrooms:
- Telegraph at 19th St. (in front of Sears) (ADA)
21st and Telegraph Ave (ADA)
-  23rd at Telegraph Ave
-  24th at Telegraph Ave
-  25th at Telegraph Ave.
-  26th at Telegraph Ave

Pedestrian Safety:
Pedestrian Safety is our number one concern during First Fridays.
Please keep the designated Fire Lanes clear at all times.
 
Bike Valet:
A bike valet for everyone to check-in their bikes as been relocated to the Taco Bell Parking Lot at West Grand and Telegraph.                     
 
Trash:
We will have cardboard trash cans down the center of the Telegraph from 27th to West Grand and from West Grand to 19th.
Plus KONO will put out some additional plastic trashcans.
We ask everyone to pick up their trash and the trash around them.
Food Truck Vendors who leave trash may not be invited back.
We also understand Safety First will be distributing trash bags to all vendors to help out around where they are.
One Dumpster will be located at 21st off Telegraph and should be there on Saturday morning
One Dumpster will be located at on the corner of 24th and Valley or close there and should be there on Saturday morning as well
Safety First will be passing out trash bags to vendors and others who are participating with some form of set up event/ performance / music etc

Securing a space within the official street closure areas:

Participant Spaces: street vendors, music, artists, and performers, interactive, art creation, mobile art/ music / maker people (non-food vendors).
At the moment all the vendor / artists /performer spaces are on a first come first serve basis. Please check out the Artist-Vendor map on the website for a look at the working map draft of the layout and contact the Block Coordinators of the block (s) you are interested in advance and when you get there.

Music / amplified performance spaces:
There are a limited amount of areas for amplified music. It is recommended that you contact the block coordinators as the best place to set up. Be prepared to share the space and available time with other musicians. Be respectful of your FF neighbors and event collaborators and do not play too loud or face your speakers at residential buildings. Contact the Block Coordinators in advance and when you get there for placement.

Food Truck / Food Vendor spaces:
There are a limited number of Food Truck spaces.
Please check with the block coordinators for location and make sure you are on the approved food vendor list ahead of time. (See below). Contact the Block Coordinators in advance and when you get there for placement.

Space Locations: Find a space and contact the block coordinator.
Please check the artist-vendor map draft on the website to see what the footprint will be for the official street closure area. At the moment all spaces are first come first serve.  It can change from month to month as First Fridays continues to grow.
Please check The Blog on the website or the Participation Page for a list of Block by Block coordinators and contact the coordinators for the block (s) you are interested in participating as a street vendor, musician, artist, performer, community non-profit organization, food vendor, or food truck. (see below for more info)

Electricity:
There are no shared generators or grid provided by the arts festival at this time. If you need power you need to bring your own whisper generator, solar generator, or a regular generator that is totally soundproofed.
Please do not bring a noisy generator that is not sound proofed or in an enclosure of some kind

Street Closure Event Hours:
At the moment, the event goes from 5PM until 10PM. Please check the website for any changes.
www.oaklandfirstfridays.org

Load-In: 3:00 PM
FOOD VENDORS: All food vendors are required to enter Telegraph from 27th.
ALL OTHER PARTICIPANTS: street vendors, music, artists, and performers, interactive, art creation people are recommended they enter from West Grand.
You may drive in at pre-designated points of entry, unload, and then park your vehicle elsewhere off Telegraph. - There is No Parking within the event footprint during the event.
Be sure to contact the block coordinator for your placement on their blocks.

Load-Out: Fall / Winter Hours: 10:00PM
When the streets are re-opened at 10:00 PM to traffic, you can then bring your vehicle back in to load-out.

Music / Loud Amplified Performers:
According to the FF community’s input in this weeks community meeting and the stipulations of the Special Event Permit issued for Oakland First Fridays for Fall  / Winter Schedule, the “last songs” should be started at 9:45 or earlier- with a hard stop at 10:00 PM.
It is up to all of us who participate in First Fridays to make this work. We need everyone’s heart and soul into the FF collective whole for everyone’s and Oakland’s success.
 
Please respect your fellow artists and neighbors and try not to play to loud as to drown out your neighboring performers. In addition, please try to share your “stage” area with other musicians limiting sets to 45-60 minutes per performer. There are not enough spots that are good for amplified music for every musician or amplified performer to accommodate everyone as a solo performer.

For overall music questions contact Amber McZeal at "evolutionmuse@gmail.com from the music team and always contact the block coordinator of the block you wish to perform on. You can also check in the music forum.

Food Vendors:
If you are an independent food vendor or food truck and you wish to vend at Oakland First Fridays, you must follow the guidelines established by the City of Oakland and Alameda County.

To confirm your registration for next Oakland First Friday on December 7th- you will need to get confirmation from a block coordinator for your location by November 27th- and  you will need to provide the following documents to Nancy Marcus by December 4th, 2012 by 12 noon.
 
It is suggested that you contact the block coordinators to see if they have space for your food truck, tent, or cart being on their block.

Documents Required:
1) Sellers Permit
2) City of Oakland Business Tax Certificate
3) Health Department Certificate or Temporary Event Permit issued by the Alameda County Health Department
Please send your proof of documents required to Nancy Marcus at NMarcus@oaklandnet.com and CC info@oaklandfirstfridays.org.

Nancy Marcus
Administrative Assistant
Special Activity Permits
Office of the City Administrator
One Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 11th Floor
Oakland, CA  94612
Phone: (510) 238-3294
Fax: (510) 238-7084
Email: NMarcus@oaklandnet.com

Non-Profit Organizations seeking places to table:
There is a good spot on 23rd Street at the end where it meets Telegraph that has historically been a good spot for table-ing. Please do not block any entrances to open businesses.

Oakland First Fridays.org website membership:
Membership is free for ALL participants in First Fridays- artists, performers, musicians, street vendors, food vendors, and merchants.
Just go to the website and sign up.

Every member can post unlimited events and announcements for free to the FF.org website “Buzz Section and the calendar section.
They show up on our website in The Buzz section on the home page and in the calendar section, on the CBD websites, and in the East Bay Express.

In addition, they are also published on the Downtown Oakland CBD site, the Uptown- Lake Merritt CBD site, and on the East Bay Express website - giving members of Oakland Fist Fridays .org much greater visibility.
Everyone’s location will show on the visitors map on www.oaklandfirstfridays.org. Visitors will be able to click on your location on the map and it will take them to your profile. You will also be able to post photos of your creations in the “inventory” part of your profile on the website.

Maps on www.oaklandfirstfridays.org
Artist-Vendor Map:
Maps of the overall footprint of the legal FF street closures are available on the website as well as recommended locations for music, street vendors, and food vendors. The November footprint is the same as October.
Visitor Map:
The Visitor map will have locations of all vendors, merchants, and galleries that are participating in First Fridays-that have signed up as a free member to the Oakland First Fridays website www.oaklandfirstfridays.org
Art Murmur Map:
The Art Murmur Map on www.oaklandfirstfridays.org is a comprehensive map of all the Art Murmur visual arts organizations, galleries, venues, collectives that are part of the Art Murmur organization. Art Murmur is a cultural partner with First Fridays. Visit http://oaklandartmurmur.org to find out what’s going on this month at Art Murmur.

Online Forums for First Friday’s Interest / Work Groups:
There are online email forums for subcommittees and other common interest groups.
http://firstfridaycommunity.forumotion.com/
 
The Oakland First Fridays Block Co-coordinators List:
(updated 11.20.12)

17th to 18th: No Street Closure
Block Coordinator: Mario
(Contact: mario@mariobproductions.com)
19th to 20th:  Street Closure
 Block Coordinator: Michael Orange (Closer to 19th)
(Contact: h2orange@gmail.com)
20th to 21st:   Street Closure and Food Pod
Amber McZeal (Contact: evolutionmuse@gmail.com)- Music Production Team
Austin Luke (Contact: austin.luke@gmail.com)- Food Contact / Food Pod/ Cuisine Team
21st to 22nd:  Street Closure
Block Coordinator: Rovel Sparkes, (Contact: sparkes@soccer4.biz)
22nd to West Grand:  Street Closure
Block Coordinator: Oliver Orzal, Open Sound Productions- (Contact: doubleo510@gmail.com
Block Coordinator:  Carlos M. Valteau, (Contact: cmvalteau@gmail.com
West Grand to 23rd: Street Closure
Block Coordinator: Malcolm Hoover (Contact: DeepCulture@Gmail.com)
Block Coordinator: Needa Bee (Contact: 510-355-7010)
"Known as the EPICENTER, This block is where 1st Friday Art Murmur started. It features all Oakland artisans, designers, and chefs who personally make their creations. No commercial or mass manufactured goods are allowed." 
 23rd to 24th:  Street Closure
Block Coordinator: Copes (Contact: oldschoolcopes@gmail.com)
 24th to 25th:  Street Closure
Block Coordinator: Russell Hilken and Daniel Dolan (Contact:  russhilk@gmail.com and danielprdolan@yahoo.com)
“24th through 25th Street of Oakland First Fridays is “Locally Made / Locally Grown”. We Support Locally made goods, and Locally grown Performers. No commercial goods are acceptable in this area. Food Vending is limited to only the designated food area”
25th to 26th: Street Closure
Block Coordinator: Matt Iglehart (Contact: misteriglehart@yahoo.com)
Block Coordinator: Felix-(Contact: Felix@artismobilus.com) PH: 415-602-6400
Featuring the “The Art Zone" and the "Artbeat" Stage- This block is dedicated to the Arts and Artists of all kinds, Interactive Art,  Performers, Musicians, Art Creation, Makers, and Mobile Art / Music Vehicles”- if you didn’t make it, design it, or  create it,  then this is not the block for you - No Food Vendors on this block  
26th to 27th: Street Closure
Block Coordinator: Edward Yoo: (Contact: yooedward@gmail.com)
Alternative Contact: Otto Herrera (Contact: oherrera140@gmail.com)

FF Side Streets:
26th Street from Telegraph to Broadway: Street Closure
Block Coordinator: Open
Open to Acoustic Music ONLY – but not blocking businesses that are open
25th Street from Telegraph to Broadway: Street Closure
Block Coordinator:  Matt Iglehart (Contact: misteriglehart@yahoo.com)
Open to Acoustic Music ONLY – but not blocking businesses that are open

23rd   from Telegraph to Valley: Street Closure
Block Coordinator: Chill Zone- no music… no vendors, non-profit tables are OK where
23rd Street meets Telegraph- not in front of the door of any open businesses
22nd Street   from Telegraph to Valley: Street Closure
Block Coordinator: Carlos Valteau ( Contact: cmvalteau@gmail.com) This is the Classic Car Zone



 

 
 
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