LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley is addressing the decision to pause First Friday since a deadly shooting claimed the life of a 15-year-old in the Arts District.
Speaking with FOX5’s Talia Kirkland, Berkley called the decision to halt the monthly community festival “very wise,” confirming it was a direct response to the Oct. 2 violence that stemmed from an altercation.
First Friday operates as a coordinated effort between the First Friday Foundation, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the City of Las Vegas. Berkley stressed that safety remains the city’s top priority as officials reevaluate how the event is managed.
“First Friday is a partnership between the First Friday Foundation, Metro, and the City of Las Vegas. We are all working together to ensure what happened last First Friday never ever happens again,” Berkley said. “The Arts District and First Friday was never intended to be a gathering place for gangs and bad behavior. It’s a place for people to come and eat and wander all the galleries and go to our fabulous pubs.”
MORE ON FOX5: First Friday pauses downtown Las Vegas events following deadly shooting of teen
Organizers and city leaders are reviewing safety protocols and operational changes before welcoming crowds back to the Arts District. Berkley said she hopes the hiatus will be brief, pointing to a potential return toward the end of the year or in early 2027.
“We’re going to make some changes. I don’t know what they are now, and then once we are confident that we will be able to keep people safe, we will reopen First Friday,” Berkley said. “I’m keeping my fingers crossed for December, might be January, but whatever it is, when we open up… people are going to be able to come back, feel comfortable, and make sure that what happened… never, ever happens again.”
Berkley noted that she has also been in discussions with local Arts District business owners regarding the impact of the pause and future security measures.
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