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RiNo Art District expands First Friday into summer festival series
ColoradoBiz Staff //April 28, 2026//
Courtesy of the RiNo Art District.
Courtesy of the RiNo Art District.
RiNo Art District expands First Friday into summer festival series
ColoradoBiz Staff //April 28, 2026//
In Brief:
- RiNo Art District launches free summer festival series
- May 1 event features Denver group Chouette performances
- Local vendors include TacoNation and Black Knife Bakery
- Three festivals planned for 2026 with additional city partnerships
DENVER — The monthly First Friday art walk in RiNo Art District will expand into a free festival series starting May 1 at RiNo ArtPark at Arkins Park, 1900 35th St.
The event runs from 4 to 9 p.m. and adds live music, food vendors, art exhibitions and hands-on activities to the district’s regular lineup of gallery openings and studio tours.
The May festival includes performances by Denver group Chouette, with sets scheduled for 6 p.m. and 7:10 p.m. Organizers said the music programming is presented in partnership with Think 360 Arts for Learning.
Visual art programming includes “In the Studio” at Truss House Gallery, featuring artists working in RiNo’s subsidized studio spaces, and interactive workshops led by Courtney Ozaki-Durgin of Japanese Arts Network and AKAIYA Productions.
Local vendors scheduled to participate include TacoNation, Black Knife Bakery, Ghosttown Glazed pottery, Mactzil Mexican Artisan Boutique, Stay Foolish vintage clothing and Pardon My French & Co. cosmetics, along with several visual artists.
First Friday events will continue across the district, with additional programming listed on RiNo Art District’s website.
“The RiNo Art District exists to support the artists, makers, and creative businesses that shape this community,” Executive Director Daisy Fodness-McGowan said. “With our First Friday Festival series, we’re inviting people to gather at RiNo’s ArtPark and experience the depth of creativity that lives here.”
The May 1 event is the first of three festivals planned for 2026, with additional dates scheduled for Aug. 7 and Sept. 4. The district will also partner with the Denver Fringe Festival on June 5 as part of the citywide event running June 3-7.
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