First Friday Festivals in Oakland, California

"I live in Oakland, California. It's a city of about 400,000, and one of my favorite Oakland traditions is First Friday. I live right downtown in Oakland, and on First Friday, all the people, hundreds of them, sometimes thousands, gather and listen to music and eat food and walk up and down the street, and look at art. And, what I like best is the kind of quiet carnival atmosphere, the performances, and the signing, and dancing that go on, and the wide variety of food and different people you'll see on First Friday.

I think it showcases the best of California, the kind of steady swell of diversity--the youth, the exuberance, the creative energy, technology being used in ways that are brilliant and interesting, and people having fun. So, I think that's one of the values of living in a small town. It teaches you how to have fun."

Asset ID #6751