First Friday

Join Poster House on the First Friday of every month for free admission and extended hours! Explore the museum’s latest exhibitions and get in on the fun by attending a tour, workshop, or activity throughout the day. This month, the museum is thrilled to partner with Welcome to Chinatown for a series of programs that celebrate the culture, community, and resilience of Chinatown. Stop by and learn more about Welcome to Chinatown and how you can support the organization’s recovery efforts. 

2-5:30pm Pengyou Zine Making Workshop
Kick off Asian Pacific American Heritage Month by joining artists Renee Chang and Echo Chen of PENGYOU in a zine-making activity using paper goods from around Chinatown, prints of posters from the Poster House archives, and any art supplies that inspire you! Attendees will be encouraged to engage in parent-child dialogue and/or self-reflection on family history, identity, and shared stories as they craft their zines. All materials will be provided, but participants are welcome to bring any personal ephemera to contribute to their creation.

3pm- 4pm DIY Blind Box & Buttons with Christina C Young Founder of The Bao Bae Shop
A blind box is a type of packaging that conceals its contents, creating a fun surprise for yourself or a loved one! In this beginner-friendly workshop, participants will decorate and construct their own blind box packaging as well as a custom button pin. They’ll then blind-swap the button pins with fellow workshop attendees and seal them in their own boxes so everyone will go home with a mystery surprise!

5:00pm Happy Hour
Enjoy complimentary cocktails courtesy of our friends at Jumo in the Café des Affiches. 

6:00pm Read Out Loud: What in the World Is Ezra’s Art? with Emigrate followed by Q&A with authors Eric Toda & Shay Fan
Join legendary drag queen Emigrate for a reading of Eric Toda & Shay Fan’s latest children’s book What in the World is Ezra’s Art? Ezra is a seven-year-old boy who likes cheese-flavored ice cream, flying off the couch with his superhero cape, and peeling dried glue off his fingers. And he LOVES making art. Every day at Braddock Elementary, he doodles, draws, paints, and crafts with abandon. But there is one problem: no one understands it. Ezra questions whether he should continue to make art when nobody seems to get, or even like, his creations. What in the World Is Ezra’s Art? explores the question: can he feel good about his art when no one else does? 

Eric Toda is a tech executive who has held brand and digital marketing leadership roles at Fortune 100 companies including: Gap Inc., Airbnb, Snapchat, and Nike. His work has garnered Cannes Lions, Webbys, Clios, and Shortys. Eric wanted to tell a story that encourages children, including his own, to be creative without fear of judgment. He lives with his family in the Bay Area. 

Shay Fan writes family-friendly comedic adventure stories featuring Asian American protagonists that want to change their world. She has consulted for technology and healthcare companies including YouTube, Microsoft, Roche, and AbbVie. This is her first book. She lives with her family in Los Angeles.

6:00p- close Mini-Night Market curated by Pengyou x WtC
What better way to close out First Friday than with a Night Market? Join Welcome to Chinatown and Pengyou for a curated selection of design and craft pieces from the heart of Chinatown. A percentage of all proceeds will be donated to Welcome to Chinatown. Featured vendors include the Bao Bae Shop, Backbend Studio, Mola Mola, and Tzu Ching Chen.