 "Photo: Karen Becerra")
 "Photo: Karen Becerra")
First Friday was meant to be one day of the month when people could stroll between galleries, eyeing and buying art in Southtown San Antonio.
However, with the help of vendors selling items such as turkey legs, fajita tacos and roasted corn, First Friday has become an unwanted party.
Now the businesses along South Alamo Street and the residents of the King William District are trying to get the art walk back to its original form. Recently the city mandated that all food vendors leave the art walk, which started in 1995 when a few businesses, including some art galleries, got together to stay open later the first Friday of every month.
"If done right, it was an opportunity for the general public to have an art walk and see a variety of artwork," said Robert Hughes, owner of Robert Hughes Gallery.
Nobody remembers exactly when the vendors began to show up, but one thing is sure: They came in over time.
Hughes, who helped start First Friday, closed shop for a while to become an international wholesaler during the early years of the art walk.
"When I reopened in 2005, I took some time to walk around and see what it was like, and I was really surprised," Hughes said. "It had completely changed. It had a different flavor to it. It was like a carnival. It wasn't the same art walk that I had left. So many different things were being sold that wasn't art."
Ruth Guajardo, owner of El Sol Studios on South Alamo Street, has allowed vendors to set up shop on her property, but she has paid the price for it.
"I try not to (have vendors on my property)," she said. "If we do, we only have a couple to try to draw people back here. They are competition for me. As long as they (the vendors) have something to buy, they are not going to come back here to buy something.
"People automatically assume the vendors are cheaper than the shops behind them," Guajardo said, adding that her sales have dropped the past four months.
With the vendors in place, the art walk would draw many people. This caused South Alamo Street to become overcrowded, adversely affecting area residents.
"There was no sponsors, because of that there was no Porta-Potties; they would go to the restroom behind the shrubbery on my property," said MarryAnn Ohlenbusch, a King William resident. "Other neighbors had problems with people parking on their driveways."
Joan Grona, owner of Joan Grona Gallery in Blue Star, said the vendors created a party atmosphere.
"It has become a carnival on South Alamo with vendors selling food and jewelry," Grona said. "Even though people are looking at the art it has become more about drinking."
Hughes said that atmosphere has affected his business.
"I had one guy with a beer in both hands describing a painting," he said as he pretended to have a beer in each hand nearly spilling them on the paintings. Hughes said he's also had visitors spill drinks on delicate sculptures.
For others, it was the vendors combining with the art scene that brought them to First Friday.
"People had barbecue and food. That was the fun of it," said Kevin Thomas, a Lee High School senior. "It's the only major art thing for San Antonio."
Some art galleries in Blue Star started First Thursday three years ago to allow for a more serious art walk.
"We can't do receptions on First Friday because of the large crowds that come," Grona said.
Guajardo, who also is vice president of the newly formed Southtown Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber plans to sponsor First Friday to get more control.
"The event really lacked a sponsor," she said. "We needed somebody to set the boundaries for the vendors and organize the event."
The food vendors left First Friday this month and Guajardo said there were fewer people and it was an older crowd.
"It feels more dead with a lot less people," said Alex Ramirez, a Health Careers High School senior who attends First Friday because "it's a great art scene."
With all the all vendors soon to be gone, First Friday art walk can now return to its original state. But Grona would like one thing more than an art walk.
"We wish that all the people that come First Friday would come during the month instead of just that day," she said.
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