Dragon Street in Dallas to start hosting First Thursdays

by Laura Seewoester

As of March 5, businesses on Dragon Street will be keeping their doors open until 8 pm on the first Thursday of every month. The free events are presented by the Dragon Street Association, a "casual group with a serious mission,” says Cameron Gallery director Tamara Paquee. Paquee, whose former gallery Carlyn Galleria D'Arte in McKinney participated in a similar "Second Saturday" event in Downtown McKinney, gathered a few business owners on Dragon Street and they all decided to stay open later one night out of the month. The event is intended to get people used to coming out on a week night and reinforce Dragon Street as a destination location.

First Thursdays isn't just galleries with extended hours, there are other businesses involved as well, many of which were open only to design-industry folks in the past but now open to the public.

"Right now we want to get our feet off the ground and start reinforcing that Dragon Street will be the place to come to on a Thursday night,” Paquee said. They hope it will grow every month and possibly add an element of music or possibly a charity event to First Thursdays. They are also hoping to expand the celebration to the greater Dallas Design District area as the event grows.

Dragon Street is not the first neighborhood in Dallas to host a First Thursday, with the Bishop Arts District businesses also staying open later on the first Thursday of the month. Despite any possible competition for warm bodies, Paquee said, "We believe it's a synergistic environment, that the more people that are used going out the better." The Bishop Arts District First Thursday also continues until 10:00, so do not rule out going to both.

The businesses on Dragon Street are also hoping First Thursdays will help keep the art scene alive during these tough economic times and keep art on people's minds. They want to offer a fun place for people to come with no dues or formalities to "build a camaraderie so we can all succeed and flourish," Paquee said. "It's nice to have an outlet to come and relax and enjoy the art during the doom and gloom and take some stress out of people's lives."