Starting in 1986, First Thursday in the Pearl is a district-wide celebration on the first Thursday of each month. Originally a gathering of art collectors and dealers, the celebration has grown to a monthly event of over ten thousand people, including art enthusiasts, wine aficionados, and scenesters looking to see and be seen.

Art galleries in the district are open late into the evening for receptions and new show openings. Many galleries offer food and drink, while the artists showing are available to meet and discuss their work. On pleasant evenings, the streets are packed with artists selling their creations and musicians and bands playing live music on many of the closed-off streets.