Upcoming Tulsa Festivals
Spring is finally here and with it come a rash of festivals and outdoor fun. Mark your calendars for these great events coming soon.
Spring Market Fest
April 24-25, Edison Preparatory School, 2906 E. 41st St.The Spring Market Festival is technically a festival, but you’re more likely to find a rash of vendors with all sorts of goodies for sale. Look for specialty items and food throughout Edison Preparatory School.
Features: Arts and crafts, jewelry, garden items, home decor.
Herb and Plant Festival
April 25, Main Street in Jenks
The Jenks Garden Club delivers on its herb and plant festival, which has expanded to the town’s Main Street to accommodate a growing list of vendors dealing in food, entertainment, lectures on gardening and, of course, plants and plant-based products.
Features: Fair food, gourmet items, Celtic fiddlers, Jenks schools choirs and plants of all varieties.
Festival Israel
April 26, Charles Schusterman Jewish Community Center, 2021 E. 71st St.
Jewish culture is celebrated in an event big on Jewish art, traditional food, klezmer music and all things Holy Land-derived. It’s positively bazaar.
Features: Fresh-baked kosher goods, Turkish coffee, the work of 20 Israeli artists, Rebecca Ungerman, Israeli food and spices, camel rides and petting zoo.
Germanfest
May 1-3, German-American Society of Tulsa, 2301 E. 15th St.
Do you hear polka music? It won’t be long before the beer starts pouring again at the German-American Society of Tulsa. This entree into spring includes folk dancing, food and all the schnitzel fixings.
Features: Tom Bordner’s strolling accordion, German collectibles and souvenirs, German food.
Down On Main Street
May 2, Ollie’s Station Restaurant, 4070 Southwest Blvd.
If you’ve never heard of the RedFork Main Street Project, let this tradition be your introduction to a little west Tulsa history. Events include a farmers’ market, live music, art show, inflatable kids’ stations and more.
Features: Pie baking contest, Travis Kidd and Jay Falkner, Ollie’s Blue Plate Special.
Rooster Days
May 7-10, Central Park, 1500 S. Main St., Broken Arrow
Broken Arrow’s sons and daughters return to the growing suburb’s biggest event, which got its start nearly eight decades ago as farmers brought their roosters to town to sell for extra money, which was unheard of during the Great Depression. Now, the festival boasts festival food, lots of live music and plenty of hometown rootsy warmth.
Features: Petting zoo, carnival rides, the crowning of Miss Chick of Broken Arrow, arts and crafts vendors, corn dogs, fried ice cream, A parade with free candy thrown to the kids.
Bixby BBQ ‘n Music Festival
May 8-9, Washington Irving Park, Bixby
Officially sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, the festival draws more than 90 teams competing for titles, prize money and a little prestige. But visitors benefit, too, munching taster kits to the sounds of Red Dirt music.
Features: Children’s play area, Red Dirt Rangers, Mid Life Crisis Band, Ben Kilgore, $5 taster kits from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Tulsa International Mayfest
May 14-17, Main Street in downtown Tulsa
What else needs to be said? The big Tulsa spring festival features the wares of artists and artisans as well as interesting foods, art galleries, a KidZone area and music acts on two stages and at Bartlett Square.
Features: Pottery, photography, indoor art exhibits, Old ’97s, Sister Hazel.
Boots & BBQ Festival
May 15-16, Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs, Claremore
Roll the dice and take a chance sampling some barbecue for this sanctioned Kansas City Barbecue cook-off event with $12,000 in cash and prizes at stake.
Features: Live entertainment, horse racing, arts and crafts, food vendors, Taster kits and a dice run (think poker runs).
Blue Dome Tulsa Arts Festival
May 15-17, Blue Dome District, Elgin Avenue and First Street area in Tulsa
Tulsa artists are the priority for this annual event running concurrent with and down the road from Mayfest. Blue Dome, however, boasts a decidedly local focus with a Cain’s Ballroom festival stage.
Features: Local arts booths, live music, nearby restaurants and bars.
Bixby Green Corn Festival
June 25-27, Charley Young Park, downtown Bixby
Every town has its annual warm-weather blowout. For Bixby, it’s the Green Corn Festival, a family-oriented event that goes back to World War II as a reward to farm workers for bringing a bounty of sweet corn. The fun keeps going with plenty of activities.
Features: Music, arts and crafts, bingo, carnival, food, parade, Ears and ears of roasted sweet corn on the cob. Butter optional.
[ Via Tulsa World ]
