Ogden City’s fine art community opened its gallery doors to the public for the First Friday Art Stroll, which takes place the first Friday of every month.

The First Friday Art Stroll is a community function that showcases local artists, music and exhibits at various business locations throughout the city.

The majority of participating business are located on or around 25th street, although it is not exclusive to businesses downtown.

Because of its growing success, the art stroll has been a part of the community for more than 10 years and continues to be a staple in Ogden’s art culture.

Lorie Buckley, the arts coordinator for Ogden City, said because the attendance has increased throughout the years, more people are interested in being a part of it.

“The art stroll is progressively getting larger,” Buckley said. “More and more people come out to support, which, in turn, helps us to gain more businesses.”

Buckley said that there are currently 26 organizations and businesses participating, although some businesses may drop off and others will add on throughout the year.

The art stroll is free to the public, and anyone interested in seeing what their community has to offer is encouraged to attend.

Buckley said the goal of the monthly art stroll is to enrich the community’s life by giving access to a variety of arts and culture.

“Our biggest hope is to add a little bit of art and culture into our community’s life,” Buckley said. “I think art definitely is something that tends to get missed nowadays, and so this way we actually get to put art back into the community.”

Buckley said each participating business or gallery is responsible for the art they display each month. Businesses are encouraged to highlight a new artist or a new musician every month.

Cuppa, an organic café and coffee shop on 25th Street, has been involved with the First Friday Art Stroll for over a year. The café tries to incorporate different forms of art, including live music, pottery and even displays from a local wood worker.

Ximen McMillan, Cuppa’s manager, said as a business, they are very invested in supporting the arts. The café’s tagline is a ‘café for creatives’ where local artists can come in and work on their pieces.

“I personally just love the artwork changing every month and getting to see new artists and new perspectives,” McMillan said. “I like helping those artists be seen and get their work out there.”

McMillan hopes the art stroll will help community members become interested in and support local artists and, ultimately, become more involved with the community.

Taylor Knuth, a resident in Ogden City, said he and his husband enjoy living in the downtown area because of the energy and vibe the area gives.

“We really love the arts, and so it’s something we try to go to as much as we can,” Knuth said.

Knuth said the First Friday Art Stroll has something to offer for everyone.

“I think that it helps create a better, more positive perception of what Ogden has to offer,” Knuth said. “People are always wondering what there is to do in Ogden, and this art stroll is a great opportunity to be involved with these cool things that are happening.”

Knuth said that not only do those who attend the art stroll take in the gallery pieces, but they walk through historic architecture as they do so, especially on Historic 25th Street.

“I also think it goes to show that Ogden has a lot of talented artists,” Knuth said. “Most of the time, the artists are local, so I think it gives our artists a great opportunity to showcase their work to a broad audience.”