Last November, an aerialist and electric violinist named Razz performed on a hoop-like ring outside AquaBlue Spa at 229 Main St. and stopped people in the middle of the sidewalk. Monterey County NOW described the scene in its report on the relaunched First Friday Salinas. AquaBlue was one of many businesses that stayed open late that night. A Día de Muertos altar stood at the door of ArtWorks@Salinas, 262 Main St.
Tomorrow night, Friday, Nov. 6, the event returns with the same theme, one day shy of a year after that relaunch. This time, the grant window that helped pay for the relaunch closed in August, so how the night goes depends on something different.
What the First Night Looked Like
The City of Salinas and the Arts Council for Monterey County relaunched First Friday on Nov. 7, 2025. The aim was to fill three blocks of Main Street. Arts4MC estimated that about 400 people came downtown for the music, art, vendors and late shop hours.
It started at 5 p.m. sharp at One Main Street, the newly renamed venue in front of the Steinbeck Center. The Boronda DIAS Tonatitos danced baile folklórico. Monterey County Poet Laureate Rachelle Escamilla and Monterey County Youth Poet Laureate Mya Pop read poetry.
The rest of the evening happened in the storefronts:
- ArtWorks@Salinas, 262 Main St. filled up with artists who talked with visitors about their work, plus a musician and the altar at the entrance.
- Old Town Antiques, 202 S. Main St. had steady traffic, and some of those customers were there for the first time.
- Alliance on Aging, 247 Main St. stayed open with a senior art exhibition and an ornament-decorating table for families.
- House of Blends, a barbershop, was a surprise. Arts4MC Communications Director Nelly Otsu told Monterey County NOW that every seat looked taken and "it felt like a party inside the shop."
None of those four places was there because of a grant. They opened their doors because people were walking past.
The Plan for Friday, Nov. 6
The Arts Council for Monterey County is again listed as the organizer, and the event is free. Its listing for the Nov. 6 edition runs from 5 to 8 p.m. across the 100 to 300 blocks of Main Street.
- 5:00 p.m. The opening ceremony starts at the One Main Street Stage in front of the Steinbeck Center and runs until 6.
- After 6:00 p.m. The night spreads up the street. The Arts Council's program page names two featured stages, one on the 100 block at One Main Street and one on the 300 block across from the Cherry Bean.
- Until 8:00 p.m. Shops open late and street activity winds down at the listed end time.
The Salinas City Center Improvement Association announced the night on Oct. 14 in English and Spanish. It calls the evening one "centered on remembrance, community, and Día de los Muertos traditions," with altars, live music, cultural performances, local art, food and activities in different spots along Main Street. A walk from the opening stage to the Cherry Bean covers both ends of the program.
Why This Anniversary Is Different
The relaunch money came from two sources. Arts4MC got a $40,000 sponsorship from the City of Salinas to expand First Friday. It also got a $66,000 grant from California Jobs First/Uplift, set to be used through August 2026.
The money had a specific goal. Monterey County NOW reported that the purpose was "to build a cultural district downtown and then apply for the Cultural District Distinction award with the California Arts Council." The grant had an end date from the beginning.
Here's how the two November nights compare:
| Nov. 7, 2025 | Nov. 6, 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Organizer | Arts Council for Monterey County, with the City of Salinas | Arts Council for Monterey County |
| Start | 5 p.m. at One Main Street | 5 p.m. opening ceremony at the One Main Street Stage |
| Footprint | Three blocks of Main Street | 100 to 300 blocks of Main Street, with stages at each end |
| Theme on the street | A Día de Muertos altar at ArtWorks@Salinas | A full Día de los Muertos program of altars, music and performances |
| Grant period | Set to run through August 2026 | Past its August 2026 end date |
| State cultural district status | A stated goal | Not yet designated |
The listing on the Arts Council's site still says "Every First Friday of the Month." On paper, the schedule is still monthly.
Where the Cultural District Effort Stands
On Dec. 12, 2025, California Cultural Districts announced ten new state-designated districts. Salinas wasn't one of them. The program doesn't look closed to newcomers, though. In the same announcement, California Arts Council Executive Director Danielle Brazell said, "We fully anticipate to move into a semi-annual cycle with robust technical assistance for all future applicants to this program."
That means Salinas could get more chances, more often. The plan was always to build the district first and apply second. So a year of First Fridays isn't a box that's already checked. It's the groundwork the application would describe.
The Real Program Is Which Doors Stay Open
After the relaunch, Arts4MC Executive Director Jacquie Atchison told Monterey County NOW that the event "will always be a work in progress, as we make plans to add more businesses to invite entertainment into their space and stay open until 8pm." She also described plans for more art activities for kids, more entertainment inside businesses, and possibly using empty storefronts for performances and pop-ups. She named Downtown Book and Sound and the craft and culture market run by Artists Ink as partners she hoped to work with more.
Each of those ideas depends on shopkeepers more than sponsors. That's why one line at the bottom of the City Center Improvement Association's Oct. 14 announcement matters: "Downtown businesses, reminder: let us know what you'll be offering during First Friday!" A grant can pay for a stage and a performer. Whether a block feels alive at 7:30 p.m. comes down to whether the antique store, the gallery, the nonprofit and the barbershop keep their lights on. Last November, those were the places that set the tone of the night.
On Friday, that's easy to see from the sidewalk. Walk from One Main Street to the Cherry Bean and count the open doors. Look for the altars in shop entrances, and notice which storefronts that were dark last fall now have something going on inside.
If the monthly schedule holds, the next First Friday will be Dec. 4.
At Carmel Valley Realty Company, we spend a lot of our working lives around restaurants, inns, galleries and the people who run them, so a night like this on Main Street means something to us. If you own or run a downtown business, or you're thinking about a space on one of these blocks, we're glad to talk through what a busier evening street could mean for you.
