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Phoenix's revamped First Friday is kicking off slowly

Jeremy Duda

A mural on a wall depicting a seated man viewed from behind and looking back, wearing a cloth cap with a black vest over a white shirt; the rest of the wall is pink with faint floral patterns and a blue bird perched on a ledge. Power lines extend from behind the wall. — A mural near Roosevelt Row. Photo: Apolline Guillerot-Malick/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Only one business submitted an application for Phoenix's new vendor program for this month's First Friday, per the city.

Why it matters: It's been five months since the city and organizers ended the street closures and roadside vendor stalls that had long been hallmarks of First Friday, in response to a string of "ugly" and violent incidents.

Catch up quick: Last month, the council approved a one-year pilot program to bring back those vendors, though street closures remain things of the past.

Under the program, vendors will be allowed to set up shop in parking lots, landscaped areas, patios and other outdoor sections businesses control.

State of play: The city expects to complete its review of the October permit application in time for the Oct. 2 First Friday, spokesperson Saneeya Mir tells Axios. It'll be approved as it long as it meets the city's requirements.

Another vendor applied for December's First Friday.

Zoom in: The city has received a lot of inquiries about the new vendor program, but because the City Council approved it only about three weeks ago, people haven't had much time to get their applications prepared, Mir says.

The city is hoping to see more applications come in as the program gets more established.

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Phoenix's revamped First Friday is kicking off slowly

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