Arts, Beats and Eats Theme Highlights Artist Alley at Kokomo’s First Friday

# What happened Kokomo's First Friday for September carried the theme "Arts, Beats and Eats." The event focused on three elements: public visual art, live music, and food offerings downtown. Organizers used the night to unveil the newest pieces that will occupy Artist Alley through the coming year.

# Where the art is and what's new Artist Alley in downtown Kokomo is the central display area. New works installed for this cycle include:

• "Green Sea Turtle" by Patrick Redmon
• "Erosion" by Elliot Chapman
• "Octopus Escape" by Sandra Villafana
• "This Little Light of Mine" by Tammy Roe
• "See no Evil, Speak No Evil, Hair no Evil" by Shailyn Nash
• "Color Me Crazy" by Martia Barber

These pieces are now visible in Artist Alley and will remain on display until next year, giving residents and visitors time to see the new collection.

# Music and food The event blended live music and food vendors with the art displays to match the "Beats" and "Eats" parts of the theme. The coverage focuses on the community atmosphere created by combining visual work with performances and food options to draw people downtown.

# Timing and seasonal pause The article notes that there are only a couple more First Friday events left before the City of Kokomo pauses the series for the winter. The program will take a break and resume next spring, so this month's unveiling is one of the final opportunities this season to see the rotating public art and attend the block-style event.

# Coverage and photographer Kaitlynn Myers of the Kokomo Tribune covered the event and provided photos of several pieces in Artist Alley. The Tribune published the story on Sep. 3, 2026.

# Why this matters locally First Friday functions as a monthly cultural draw for downtown Kokomo: it creates space for local artists to show work publicly, brings live music to the area, and supports downtown restaurants and vendors. The newly unveiled artworks extend the visibility of local creators through the coming year.

# Practical details The new artworks are already on public display in Artist Alley. Since the First Friday series will pause for winter, residents who want to see the new pieces in person should plan visits before the season ends or wait until the series resumes next spring.