Editor’s note: This page was updated April 4, 2022, with a new attendance figure for the event.
Westwood Village came to life with entertainment March 3 as more than 5,000 students, staff, alumni, faculty and local residents came together for an evening of game-themed activities, art, music, food, giveaways and other attractions. The festivities were part of UCLA’s First Thursdays, a new monthly event series designed to highlight the village’s offerings and strengthen the historic ties between the campus and the neighborhood.
Along Broxton Avenue, partygoers were immersed in the event’s “game on” theme, competing at esports stations outside Barney’s Beanery, checking out Air Jordan sneaker art created by students and watching as alumna artist Lily Breeze and her assistant created a spray-paint mural dedicated to UCLA’s basketball teams. The athletics-tinged activities were complemented by music from KCRW DJ and alumna Valida and a range of dining options, from food trucks to local eateries. Attendees received free T-shirts, basketball stress balls and coupons to encourage their return to Westwood businesses.
The nighttime activities followed an afternoon Mentor Café at the Westwood farmers market, where students explored the UCLA Alumni Association’s mentoring and career offerings and chatted with alumni from the fields of business, law, entertainment and technology about career opportunities.
The next First Thursdays event will take place April 7.
