Friday, July 2 is the July First Friday celebration.

First Friday Raleigh, presented by the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, is a free, self-guided walking tour that takes place on the first Friday of each month. The initiative was started over 15 years ago by Downtown art galleries as a way to celebrate Raleigh’s diverse art scene + unique businesses.

Every month is different, but art galleries and studios often stay open late and feature rotating exhibits, ranging from studio art, photography, music, and more. Retailers and restaurants may also offer discounts and specials. Basically, there's something for everyone.

One exhibit we’re excited about this month is Movement in Color by local artist Bob Rankin at the City Market Artist Collective (located at 300 Blake St.) Bob won the Raleigh Medal of Arts in 1992 + was inducted into the Raleigh Hall of Fame 2015. CMAC will also showcase the works of its resident artists in its Forward Gallery, as well as 6 additional gallery spaces.

More of this month’s events include live poster printing at Red Rabbit Prints Studio and an art display by local artist Chris Evans at The Haymaker. Start planning your First Friday here. ProTip: Click the heart on events you're most interested in to save your very own personalized list — find it at the top of the page.

While navigating downtown is easiest by foot, individuals are also recommended to take the bus. Plan your route ahead of time using GoRaleigh’s trip planning tool.

If the bus isn’t for you, there are also 70+ places to park downtown. An interactive map of downtown parking is available here.

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