The Paseo Art District has invited us to set up on First Fridays at Paseo again. We’re going to start again on Friday, 6 Feb. This will be in addition to First Friday Public Observing Night at Arbor Gardens in Moore. Several members on the north side that don’t usually go south to Moore said they’d support a north side event on the same day.
So we’re going to be returning to Paseo on First Friday!
The galleries will be open until 2100 (9pm). The Paseo Art District has no real start time for their First Friday events, but I’m going to make our event from 1800-2130 (6pm to 9:30pm). Sunset is at 1804 (6:04).But you can come any time during that period. Be aware the parking might be difficult the later you arrive. In times past, many of us would go early to get a parking spot, then adjourn to Sauced for some pizza before setting up. I did a reconnaissance of the area a couple of times in the last week and did a quality control test of their pizza while there. Just to ensure the quality has not degenerated the last few years of course. It hasn’t. Was delicious.
The folks at the Art District will reserve at least two, and possibly as many as four, parking places for us. The layout has changed a little bit. There’s no on street parking by the island any more. That’s now a grassy area. But I believe we’ll have the two spots in the lot to the east of, and next to, that grassy area. Plus maybe a couple around the corner to the east, or maybe to the north. We might have to rotate cars through there for folks to unload. There’s also enough room to unload from the street, as long as it doesn’t take more than a few minutes.
Sadly they have no control over the street lights. Their rep said she’d see about getting the city to turn off the two on each end of the grassy area, though I doubt that will happen. But Dave and I have both been there at night recently and we could see the brighter objects in the sky, despite the light pollution.
We can set up on either the island or the grassy area, or both. When we’re there, they will not schedule any other groups for the island. I.e., loud bands. I thanked them for that.
This will not be every month of the year. We’re going to try this in Feb and Mar. After that we’ll play it by ear, but we will definitely not have events there during the summer months. First, because if we continue daylight savings time, it won’t be dark enough to observe anything but the sun or the moon before the galleries all close. Also, they are going to schedule bands on the island when it’s warmer. For some reason the bands don’t like to play outside during the winter months. I know. Baffling.
I request that folks bringing small smart scopes, or lighter scopes, to not take the parking spots next to the grassy area. Let’s keep those for the folks bringing the bigger scopes.
I plan on attending this event rather than the one in Moore, but may alternate in the future. I’m going to try to get there about 5, then head to Sauced for dinner. If you plan on setting up for this, please post on here that you will be there.
This will be weather dependent, as with most of our events, so check back here, or the calendar, Friday afternoon before you leave for the event to ensure it hasn’t been canceled!
