First Friday Macon logo.

February is the shortest month of the year. The 28 days seem to fly by, and before one even realizes four weeks have passed, March arrives. In Macon, the beginning of the month brings one of the community’s most treasured events—First Friday. The event, held on the first Friday of each month, is a celebration of community and culture with music, art, food and fun. As the end of February quickly approaches, it’s important to remember that the First Friday of March is only days away.

Gallery openings in downtown Macon are a staple of the monthly event, and March is no exception. The Gallery at Macon Arts Alliance (a Knight Arts grantee) will present “Kirk West’s Playlist,” an exhibit of music photography by the legendary Kirk West. He was the longtime photographer for the Allman Brothers Band and a former owner of “The Big House,” the home which eventually became the Allman Brothers Band Museum.

Even before West joined forces with one of Macon’s most famous acts, he was living in Chicago and photographing Blues acts in local clubs. Over the years, Kirk befriended and photographed musical legends such as Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, The Rolling Stones, Muddy Waters and Etta James. “Kirk West’s Playlist” will be on display March 1-30, 2013 at The Gallery at Macon Arts Alliance. An opening reception will be held March 1 from 5-8 p.m. Admission is free and refreshments will be served.

Albert Collins by Kirk West.

Bibb County Schools Student Art Exhibition at The 567 Center for Renewal (a Knight Arts grantee) also opens on Friday. The exhibit, held in honor of Youth Art Month, will feature works by students in local middle and high schools in order to “celebrate the creativity and hard work of the students.” The opening reception will be held from 6-9 p.m. on March 1. Admission is free and refreshments will be served. The exhibit will be on display through the end of March.

Visual arts may be a focal point of First Friday festivities, but the performing arts are also well represented. The Grand Opera House will host a live performance of “Hot on Broadway,” part of the Butler Lexus Broadway Series, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. The show features song and dance numbers from audience favorites like “Hairspray,” “Les Miserables,” “Rent,” “Grease” and many more. Tickets start at $38.

Other events on the agenda include: Open Artist Studios at the Contemporary Arts Exchange, above Michaels on Mulberry; “First Friday in the Alley” in Mulberry Street Lane with music by The Danger Zone; and Freddy Cole at The Douglass Theatre at 8 p.m. Want more details? Visit MaconFirstFriday.com or Facebook.com/MaconFirstFriday for complete details and a chance to win a family four pack of season passes to Wild Adventure theme park in Valdosta, Ga.

The Gallery at Macon Arts Alliance: 486 First St., Macon; 478-743-6940; www.maconartsalliance.org The 567 Center for Renewal: 533 Cherry St., Macon; 478-238-6051; www.the567.org