18b The Las Vegas Arts District
The Las Vegas Arts District, or the 18b in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada was created in 1998 as an 18 block zone set aside to encourage art and artists.
The district won Las Vegas Review-Journal's Best of Las Vegas award in 2005.
Known as the 18b, the Las Vegas Arts District contains a mix of independent businesses including vintage clothing boutiques, antique stores, art galleries, hair salons, restaurants, The 18b is located halfway between the Fremont East Entertainment district and the Stratosphere Resort, clustered around Main and Charleston, bounded loosely by Commerce Street to the West, Hoover Avenue to the North, Fourth Street to the East and Wyoming Avenue at the south. It is an easy bike ride, walk or bus ride from Fremont Street. The name, "18b," represents the original Arts District area, which consisted of 18 blocks. Today, the Arts District area has grown beyond those original 18 blocks and is a classic urban mix of residential, commercial and cultural uses that will continue to grow as the hub of the arts scene in Las Vegas.
The "First Friday" Art Walk is a monthly arts and cultural event drawing up to 30,000 visitors into the neighborhood on the first Friday evening of each month. This event encourages people to flock downtown to browse, buy, eat, drink and mingle. The event is a festival environment with food and beverage vendors, music, visual performances and artists/artisans/craftspeople displaying their works.
The district hosts a First Friday art walk on the first Friday of every month. First Friday offers an eclectic group of artists as well as "entertainers of all types, including local bands, fire breathers, acrobats, break dancers, fortune tellers and performance artists."
In addition to First Friday, Preview Thursday is held preceding night before the block party. It is a subdued night of gallery openings and special events around the arts district without the crowds and chaos the main event can bring.
The district is loosely bounded by Hoover Avenue, Wyoming Avenue, Las Vegas Boulevard, and Commerce Street. The official bounds are visible on the City of Las Vegas website.
Coordinates: 36°09′32″N 115°09′04″W / 36.159°N 115.151°W
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