It was a slightly chilly Thursday night, but that didn’t stop the crowds from packing Broxton Avenue in Westwood on April 4. UCLA First Thursdays signs were everywhere. The events were told to be award-winning, so I had to check it out for myself.
The theme for April 2024 was “LA Vibes,” focused on showcasing different pieces of Los Angeles including food, street culture, sports and activities. Food trucks (a well-known LA necessity) were lined up outside, and so were people. Many of them were students who had come down to spend their Thursday night with friends, but there were also families with children and other adults all around. The music was loud, playing various versions of popular songs throughout the hours of 7 to 10 p.m. There were also string lights set up on the street and blue ones near trees, making the night bright and vibrant.
My friend and I waited in line. It took about 10 minutes or so for us to enter the actual area where all the main activities and shows were occurring. There were tons of activities going on as well as a few long lines inside. The UCLA Skate Club took turns demonstrating their skills with ongoing skate demos on one side of the main area, while roller skating took place on the other side, all surrounded by people who were either watching or engaging in other activities. People were able to roller skate themselves, and the LA Skate Hunnies had performances at 7:15 p.m., 8 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.
One of the activities taking place was a recycling competition where you had to identify what was landfill, compost or recyclable in order to win a prize. My friend and I managed to somehow tie, allowing us to both get a reward. The options were a reusable cloth bag and a small pouch to store your things. Needless to say, something that comes for free is usually a win, especially for college students.
Other students were walking around with face-painted designs, the booth for which had some people in line waiting to get theirs done, too. There was also a free raffle entry where you wrote your name down and had the chance to win free gift cards. A couple of times during the night, the music would die down and the announcer would reveal the winners before turning the music back up. Everyone had a chance to win at no cost to themselves.
People were able to make pin-on buttons as well, either using pre-made designs or crafting one themselves, which makes for a nice accessory to add to your backpack. Pre-made buttons had some version of “UCLA First Thursdays” written on them, and self-made ones could have anything that fit on the small surface.
Among other activities, there was Henna with a Heart, yoga and graffiti, each attracting a good number of different people wanting to get the most out of their experience. There was even a large version of Connect 4 in the back of the event, where you could sit on some beanbags to play the game.
The two longest lines were inside, however, and for a good reason. The first one was a line for free T-shirts with the image of a license plate on the front depicting the date the event occurred (April 4, 2024) and the words “LA VIBES” and “UCLA F1RST THURSDAYS.” There were plenty of them in multiple sizes for those waiting in line, and they started passing them out at 9 p.m. While many people stood in line to wait most of the time, I found it more beneficial to explore all the event had to offer and then come back to the line once the shirts were being passed out.
The coolest part of the event in my opinion, and the one that attracted the most people, was the photo area. There was a photographer facing a blue camper van and a couple chairs for you to take a picture with your friends. We received both a physical and digital copy! It was my favorite part because it’s a memory that you can either hang on your wall or look back at when you graduate.
Was it worth it, and would I recommend attending UCLA First Thursdays?
I wouldn’t say you need to stay the whole three hours to gain the experience, but since certain things only happened at designated times, like the raffle, shows and t-shirts, it is made to keep people around as long as possible. Overall, I would say that it is worth it, especially if you have nothing else really going on the Thursday night it is happening. Besides, it gave a good amount of free things that you could keep as souvenirs of your time there. And it is also only a few blocks walk from the off-campus apartments!
Of course there were some downfalls, like the long lines and sometimes just not being interested in certain booths that they had there, but that’s more of a personal preference than anything else.
To be honest, UCLA First Thursdays was different from my expectations. Upon first glance, it seemed like it wasn’t worth it, with too many people and too few things to do. But once I actually went in and started exploring, I realized I could have a good time there. It’s more about the people you spend it with, anyway. I would rate it about a 7/10.
If you haven’t checked out UCLA First Thursdays, I would recommend that you attend at least once during your time here. It falls on the first Thursday of the month, so make sure to plan your schedule for this upcoming school year and go to at least one! If you are thinking about going, check out this website for more specifics.
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Featured Image via Daily Bruin Archives
