UCLA First Thursdays

UCLA’s award-winning community building program

UCLA First Thursdays is an award-winning event series that takes place in Westwood Village on the first Thursday of select months throughout the academic year. Each event has a theme with many food selections, entertainment and fun games for guests to enjoy. To learn more about UCLA First Thursdays, click on the link below.

First Thursdays kick-off the academic year in October and are held for every month until May, with the exception of January as many students are at home for the winter break. Each event has two parts: daytime activities at the Westwood Farmers’ Market and evening thematic block parties. 

Daytime activities take place between 12-4 p.m. at the Westwood Village Farmers’ Market on Broxton Avenue, and the activities change every month. Past activities include mentorship cafés, mindful awareness instruction, financial literacy coaching and live poetry. 

Evening thematic block parties run from 7-10 p.m and feature acts from local musicians, free food and games. Make sure to visit the UCLA First Thursdays website linked above to view upcoming events and check the locations for evening block parties as they vary from month to month.

UCLA First Thursdays was created to revitalize Westwood Village and restore the longstanding link between the campus and the neighborhood following the COVID-19 pandemic.​​ According to an article from UCLA Newsroom, UCLA Strategic Communications designed the program with experiential marketing firm Manifold during the 2021-2022 academic year as part of a larger “Return to Campus” campaign. 

Not only has First Thursdays continued beyond the 2021-2022 academic year and become an iconic monthly event for UCLA students and Westwood community members alike, the program was recognized with a Gold Titan Business Award in the area of university public relations and communications in 2023.