Festival of Arts returns to downtown OKC: What you need to know about the 'rite of spring'

Brandy McDonnell, Oklahoman
·6 min read
1

The tents are going up, the artists are getting set up, and the food vendors are stocking up.

It's almost time for the Festival of the Arts, downtown Oklahoma City's long-running "rite of spring."

"It's a tradition in Oklahoma City, and this is the 57th year of that tradition. So, it's absolutely gratifying to be a part of it," said Festival of the Arts Co-Chair Susie White.

The flagship event for the nonprofit Arts Council Oklahoma City, this year's festival will showcase 144 visual artists, more than 100 performers and 30 food vendors April 25-30 in and around Bicentennial Park, Colcord and Couch drives and City Hall lawn.

Launched in 1967, the Festival of the Arts annually draws more than 650,000 visitors from around the world. Admission is free.

"It takes over 5,000 people to put this festival on, and it's amazing," said co-Chair Farooq Karim. "We are so grateful for all the volunteers."

Here's what you need to know about the 2023 Festival of the Arts:

More: Oklahoma springs to life with colorful and artistic festivals

Dancers perform April 19, 2022, during the first day of the Festival of the Arts in downtown Oklahoma City.
Dancers perform April 19, 2022, during the first day of the Festival of the Arts in downtown Oklahoma City.

How many stages will be showcasing performers at this year's fest?

In one of the most noticeable changes, the 2023 festival will boast just two stages.

"Historically, we've had three stages ... and after COVID, what we discovered was we really liked having that main stage in the middle of festival grounds. Then, we've moved what used to be the kids' stage to the east side of City Hall," Karim said. "So, the stages aren't really competing with each other now, and both stages are much more visible."

Last year, Arts Council OKC started paying all its festival performers, and he said paring down the number of stages and entertainers allows the organization to pay the acts more.

"Some of the more primetime performances are a little bit more curated, so I think you're going to see some really nice, fun stuff and some variety," Karim said.

The lineup of Oklahoma entertainers includes Americana singer-songwriter Carter Sampson, Heartland rockers Beau Jennings and the Tigers, rockabilly band The Vibro Kings, funky local favorites Shortt Dogg, big band Talk of the Town, guitarist Edgar Cruz, acoustic trio Kyle Dillingham and Horseshoe Road, jazzy folk duo Miss Brown to You, cellist Sam Kahre and soulful R&B act Ckai Dawson and Elevation Band.

More: What to expect from Festival of the Arts as downtown OKC 'rite of spring' returns to April

"This is the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, so we wanted to make sure we had ... interesting hip-hop performers," Karim said.

That includes locals like Jabee, Finite Galaxy and Original Flow.

Along with musical acts, the festival will feature dance groups like the Lynda Tarpley Tappers, Yumare Mexican Folkloric Dancers and Aalim Dance Academy.

Artists show their work in tents April 22, 2022, along the west side of the Festival of the Arts in downtown Oklahoma City.
Artists show their work in tents April 22, 2022, along the west side of the Festival of the Arts in downtown Oklahoma City.

What types of visual arts will attendees see at the festival?

The event's signature white tents with their colorful trim will showcase 144 visual artists from across the country working in a variety of media, from jewelry and glass to ceramics and fiber.

Artists were selected through a jury process from a pool of 400-plus applicants.

Oklahomans who will show their work at this year's event include 3-D mixed-media artists Rick and Tracey Bewley; photographer Jason Wallace; oil painters Roger Disney and Sharon Sudduth; ceramicist Katy Nickell; illustrator Dorshak Blok; and watermedia artists Jason Wilson, Chelsea Holcomb, Thomas Stotts, Christopher Westfall and Dean Wilhite.

Among the artists who are traveling to OKC for the fest are paint swatch portraitist Jennifer Lashbrook, of Dallas; 3-D metal artists Jackie and Charles Nipper, of Queen Creek, Arizona; jeweler Michael Bonardi, of Columbus, Ohio; fiber artist Janvier Ngamijiyaremye, of Lewsville, Texas; photographer Steve Wewerka, of St. Paul, Minnesota; glass artist Sharon Fujimoto, of Amherst Junction, Wisconsin; and ceramicists Rebecca and Gint Sabaliauskas, of Evergreen, Colorado.

The Festi-First program allows collectors who commit to spending at least $250 on art to enter from 8 to 11 a.m. April 25, before the event opens to the public. Participants also can get complimentary breakfast, mimosas and parking.

Children line up to apply glaze to pottery April 21, 2022, at Pottery Place during the Festival of the Arts in downtown Oklahoma City.
Children line up to apply glaze to pottery April 21, 2022, at Pottery Place during the Festival of the Arts in downtown Oklahoma City.

What children's activities will families find at the fest?

Along with boasting the Sonic Stage, the space surrounding City Hall serves as the children's area, featuring favorite attractions like Creation Station, a collaborative community sculpture project; Pottery Place, where festivalgoers can buy and glaze their own raku pot; and the Young at Art Mart, a no-adults-allowed tent where youngsters can buy art without parental input.

"Getting young people involved is so very important to the future of the arts," White said.

The Youth Art Sale from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 29 will spotlight work created by Oklahomans ages 8 to 18.

"They get the experience of having to jury in and submit all the paperwork," Karim said. "Not only are they getting to be at festival and be festival artists, but they get to interact with patrons. ... I was just blown away by this year's artists."

Festivalgoers sit on a wall to eat April 22, 2022, during the Festival of the Arts in downtown Oklahoma City.
Festivalgoers sit on a wall to eat April 22, 2022, during the Festival of the Arts in downtown Oklahoma City.

What will there be to eat at this year's festival?

The festival's International Food Row definitely lives up to its name this year. The 22 food vendors lining the streets on the north and south sides of the Civic Center will dish up an array of tempting treats, including gyros, hand-pulled noodles, rice bowls, ceviche, pizza, strudel, fried plantains and more.

"We have a lot of vegetarian options this year at the festival," White said.

More: Crowd favorites, global flavors return to plates at this year's Festival of the Arts in OKC

While nine food vendors are making their festival debut, attendees also will find several longtime favorites on the culinary arts menu, including Indian tacos, Strawberries Newport and Bodacious Burritos.

The eight food carts sprinkled across the festival grounds will serve up Boom Town Creamery ice cream, Rodney & Lisa’s Fancy Apples, Split Top Dogs, Wondervan Pops, Dippin' Dots and more.

Where can people park and can they take the streetcar?

When traveling to the festival, patrons should note that Walker Avenue is closed between Main Street and Robert S. Kerr Avenue.

Parking will be available in the Arts District Garage just south of City Hall, as well as in the lot at 444 W Reno.

Paid parking also will be available in lots and garages throughout downtown Oklahoma City. Limited street parking can be found around the perimeter of the event.

Rides on the OKC Streetcar will be free April 25-30. The library stop on the downtown loop faces the east entrance to festival grounds.

Festival of the Arts 2023

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. April 25-29 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 30.

Where: Bicentennial Park, Colcord and Couch drives, and City Hall lawn.

Admission: Free. Pets are not allowed.

Information: https://www.artscouncilokc.com/festival-of-the-arts.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Festival of Arts returns to downtown OKC: What you need to know