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First Friday. It’s one of Philadelphia’s coolest traditions. But let’s face it: Old City can get pretty crowded and stuffy on those first Friday nights of every month. Plus, Philadelphia’s got a whole lot more arts and culture that just doesn’t fit into the Old City vibe.

Why not head a few blocks north and check out Kensington’s Frankford Ave. First Fridays? If you haven’t checked it out before, May 1st is the perfect time to start. As the weather gets better and better, Frankford’s First Friday will have more outdoor events going, beginning with some outdoor seating at the green lot by The Cycle Garage, with local music and art performances to follow. Another outdoor space, aptly named The Caterpillar (Frankford and Susquehanna), will host guitarist Jose Diaz this Friday.

You can also check out Frankford’s newest gallery, 2424 Studios, which is hosting the University of the Arts 2009 MFA Thesis Exhibition for book arts and printmaking. Other galleries include Proximity, Goldfish, Highwire and Perpetua, all of which feature a new artist every month (Click here for a complete list of venues and events).

After taking in some art, you can catch some acoustic jams at Walking Fish Theater or some swing music at Memphis Flats, or grab some coffee and more art at The Rocket Cat Cafe.

In an ideal world, it’d be possible to hit up Old City’s First Friday events and Frankford’s happenings, but it’ll take more than one Friday to get through everything Frankford has to offer. Luckily the whole summer is ahead of us.

Frankford First Friday
Frankford Ave., Kensington
www.frankfordavearts.org