From foodie fests to Indigenous events, here are 34 ways to celebrate fall in Oklahoma
With summer finally loosening its sweltering grip on the temperatures, it's at long last feeling a little like fall, y'all.
And there are plenty of ways to get out there and enjoy it all across Oklahoma. The Sooner State boasts a veritable cornucopia of ways to take part in the joys of autumn, from haunted happenings and beloved seasonal celebrations to Indigenous Peoples Day events and yearly foodie festivities.
Like an arrangement of pumpkins carefully plucked out of an overflowing patch, here is a list of 34 autumnal events around the Sooner State you can put on your calendar this season:
1. Myriad Garden's Pumpkinville
When and where: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 7-23, Myriad Botanical Gardens.
Information: myriadgardens.org/pumpkinville.
A fundraiser and membership drive for the Myriad Gardens Foundation, the beloved downtown Oklahoma City festival recently was named Best Pumpkin Patch in a USA Today poll. This year's theme is "Witches and Wizards," so attendees can look for games, decorations and those signature pumpkin murals that will cast a spell, along with face painting, crafts, storytimes, pumpkin painting, lawn games and more. Special Pumpkinville activities include a happy hour Oct. 14, the Spooky Pooch Parade Oct. 16 and sensory-friendly night Oct. 19.
2. Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival
When and where: Through Oct. 8, Cottonwood Flats in Guthrie.
Information: https://www.oibf.com.
The 25th annual festival brings back hall of fame fiddler Michael Cleveland and his band Flamekeeper as headliner. Other acts on the weekend lineup include Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen, The Grascals, Wood Willow and more.
3. Hispanic Fiesta
When and where: 5 to 10 p.m. Oct. 7, Scissortail Park's Songbird Plaza.
Information: https://scissortailpark.org/events.
A free celebration representing multiple countries, the event will celebrate Hispanic music, dance, food and more.
4. Firefly Art Festival
When and where: Oct. 7-9, LaJeanne's Plants 'N Things in Kingston.
Information: https://www.facebook.com/fireflyartfestOK.
Explore an Enchanted Woods Art Gallery with children's art, face painting, goodie bags and more at this free event, which also will include 80 arts and crafts vendors as well as food booths and musicians.
5. Watonga Cheese Festival
When and where: Oct. 7-8, Main Street Watonga.
Information: https://www.facebook.com/watongacheesefestival.
The 45th annual festival will feature a parade, cheese and wine tastings, craft vendors, kids' zone, live entertainment, quilt show and The Great Rat Race.
6. Haunt the Zoo for Halloween
When and where: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Oct. 8-30, Oklahoma City Zoo.
Information: www.okczoo.org/HTZ.
The OKC Zoo is hosting its 39th annual trick-or-treat trail for families, along with a spooky version for thrill-seekers ages 21 and older called Haunt the Zoo: All Grown Up from 7 to 11 p.m. Oct. 28.
7. Magic Lantern Star Ball on Paseo
When and where: 5 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 9, north end of Paseo Arts District.
Information: https://www.thepaseo.org.
Theatre Upon a StarDanceSwan's longtime autumnal tradition returns. Children are invited to come in costume and then embellish their outfits so they can meet a Wish Finder, venture into a star labyrinth and dance to otherwordly tunes by Steve McLinn of Ojas Music. The theme of this year's event is "A Star Tale Told Upon Tiptoe" and is inspired by celestial images from the Webb Telescope. The event is free, but donations are accepted.
8. Indigenous Peoples Day
When and where: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 10, First Americans Museum.
Information: https://famok.org.
The celebration will include hands-on art activities, stickball games, a youth art contest, storytelling and an array of performances, from stomp dance to folk music. Admission is free to the event, with $5 discounted admission to the museum's galleries.
9. Fall Y’all
When and where: Oct. 13-15, Oklahoma Hall of Fame's Gaylord-Pickens Museum.
Information: https://www.facebook.com/oklahomahof.
Along with free museum admission, the three-day family festivities include games, art projects, crafts and storytimes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., plus a free outdoor screening of Disney's "Lilo & Stitch" at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15.
10. Chomp and Stomp
When and where: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 14, OKC Zoo.
Information: https://www.facebook.com/okczoo.
Visitors can watch as an array of animals — from Sumatran tigers and California sea lions to Galapagos tortoises and Asian elephants — play with a plethora of pumpkins as part of the zoo's ongoing enrichment program for its denizens.
11. Chickasaw National Recreation Area Candlelight Tour
When and where: 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 14-15, Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Sulphur.
Information: https://chickasawcountry.com.
More than a thousand candle luminaries will light up the trails along Flower Park, illuminating moments in time from the park’s history.
12. Poteau Balloon Fest
When and where: Oct. 14-15, LeFlore County Fairgrounds in Poteau.
Information: https://www.facebook.com/PoteauBalloonFest.
Hot air balloons, tethered balloon rides, motorsports, a carnival and more are planned for the annual festival.
13. Robbers Cave Fall Festival
When and where: Oct. 14-16, Robbers Cave State Park in Wilburton
Information: http://www.robberscavefallfestival.com.
The 35th annual event will include 200 arts and crafts vendors, festive food, live entertainment, amusement rides and the Oct. 15 classic car Fall Foliage Cruise. Free shuttle buses will run between downtown Wilburton and the park during the festival.
14. Stockyards Stampede
When and where: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 15, OKC's Stockyards City.
Information: https://www.stockyardscity.org/#!event-list.
A parade of longhorn cattle will launch the free event, which will also feature a chuck wagon camp, live music, Kids Corral, Charros Del Roble roping demonstration, beefed-up cooking contests and more.
15. Oklahoma Folklife Festival
When and where: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 15, Oklahoma History Center.
Information: https://www.facebook.com/okhistorycenter.
The free and mostly outdoor event will showcase music, crafts, food and dance demonstrations by Mexican, Venezuelan and Southeast Asian performers.
16. Tenttober
When and where: Oct. 15-16, Mitch Park in Edmond.
Information: https://www.edmondok.gov/337/Parks-Recreation.
Planned during Edmond Public Schools' fall break, this family camping event includes dinner on Oct. 15 and breakfast Oct. 16. In between, campers can partake in campfires with s'mores and storytelling, an outdoor movie, fishing, kayaking and more.
17. Chisholm Trail Festival
When and where: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 15, Mollie Spencer Farm in Yukon.
Information: www.yukonok.gov/ChisholmTrailFestival.
Admission is free to this family-friendy celebration of Western history, which will include gunfighters and other historic re-enactors, chuck wagons, food trucks, a Kids Korral and the 1st Infantry Division Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard.
18. Red Earth FallFest and Parade
When and where: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 15, Myriad Gardens.
Information: https://www.redearth.org/events/fall-fest.
For the second year, OKC's venerable Red Earth Inc. is marking Indigenous Peoples Day in downtown Oklahoma City with a free event, including its beloved Red Earth Parade, a youth powwow, Native American arts and crafts market, gourd dance and food trucks.
19. Silent Sundays: 'The Phantom of the Opera'
When and where: 6 p.m. Oct. 16, Rodeo Theatre in the Stockyards.
Information: https://www.facebook.com/RodeoCinema.
As part of its ongoing series of silent films shown with live organ accompaniment, the nonprofit movie theater will screen Lon Chaney's "The Phantom of the Opera," with organist Christian Pearson performing an appropriately eerie score for the 1925 classic that inspired Universal's monster movies.
20. Tulsa Oktoberfest
When and where: Oct. 20-23, River West Festival Park in Tulsa.
Information: https://tulsaoktoberfest.org.
Marking its 43rd year, the festival will feature local and international German bands, arts and crafts, games, children's activities, the Dachshund Dash and, of course, Bavarian delicacies and beer.
21. Oklahoma Highland Gathering
When and where: Oct. 21-23, Choctaw Creek Park in Choctaw.
Information: https://unitedscotsok.com/festival.
The United Scottish Clans of Oklahoma's two-day event will feature Highland games, pipes and drums, Celtic bands, Scottish and Irish dancing, Gaelic lessons, Viking reenactments, food trucks, whisky tastings, sheep-herding demonstrations, Highland cattle and more.
22. Braum's An Affair of the Heart
When and where: Oct. 21-23, OKC Fairgrounds.
Information: https://www.aaoth.com.
Get ahead on holiday shopping at the long-running arts, crafts and boutiques show, where the wares range from jewelry and furniture to clothing and gourmet foods.
23. Automobile Alley’s Art of Beer
When and where: Noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 22, Campbell Art Park outside Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center.
Information: https://www.automobilealley.org/art-of-beer.
This free, family-friendly event will include lawn games, a community mural wall, make-and-take art projects, beer for sale from local breweries and music by Oklahoma Contemporary’s DJ school students and local bands.
24. Arcadia Lake's Storybook Forest
When: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 23-30, Spring Creek Park at Arcadia Lake in Edmond.
Information and tickets: http://storybookforestok.com.
This annual event provides youngsters with a chance to walk a well-lit path in the woods to collect candy and visit life-size scenes from classic storybooks.
25. Oklahoma ShakesFEAR in the Dark
When and where: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 25, a secret OKC location.
Information: https://www.okshakes.org.
A spooky cocktail party for adults, the fundraising event for Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park will take place at a secret location in Quail Creek. Seasonal festivities will include music, performances, food and drink and a costume contest.
26. Fort Washita Ghost Tours
When and where: Oct. 25-29, Fort Washita in Durant.
Information: https://chickasawcountry.com/events/fort-washita-ghost-tours.
Explore by candlelit the historic site of a military post built in 1842 to maintain peace for the Chickasaw and Choctaw nations and later occupied and largely destroyed by the Confederate Army during the Civil War.
27. Arcadia Route 66 Neonfest
When and where: Oct. 28-30, off Old Highway 66 near Arcadia.
Information: https://www.facebook.com/ArcadiaNeonFest.
Get your kicks at this event, which features neon displays and campfires, a film festival and a Halloween costume contest.
28. OktoberWest
When and where: 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 28, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
Information: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/oktoberwest.
The second annual event for people ages 21 and older will include German music, dancing, food and beer, along with lawn games and a costume contest.
29. National Weather Festival
When and where: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 29, National Weather Center in Norman.
Information: https://www.facebook.com/NationalWeatherFestival.
The free event will include weather balloon launches, children's activities and food trucks.
30. Festival de Vida y Muerte
When and where: Noon to 8 p.m. Oct. 30, Scissortail Park's Love's Travel Stops Stage and Plaza.
Information: https://scissortailpark.org/events.
Celebrate the Day of the Dead with music, oferendas and dancing.
31. St. Elijah Food Festival
When and where: Nov. 4-5, St. Elijah Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church.
Information: https://www.facebook.com/StElijahAnnualFoodFestival.
Lebanese cuisine, baked goods, Arabic dancing and church tours are featured at this annual OKC favorite.
32. Honey Springs Visitor Center Grand Opening
When and where: 11 a.m. Nov. 5, Honey Springs Visitor Center near Checotah
Information: https://www.facebook.com/honeyspringsbattlesite.
From an immersive 3-D theatrical video performance to exhibits highlighting firearms, ammunition and artillery, the grand opening will celebrate the debut of all permanent exhibits inside the visitor center at the Honey Springs Battlefield. Fought on July 17, 1863, the Battle of Honey Springs was the largest of about 107 documented Civil War military engagements in present-day Oklahoma.
33. Beavers Bend Folk Festival & Craft Show
When and where: Nov. 11-13, Beavers Bend State Park in Broken Bow.
Information: https://www.facebook.com/forestheritagecenter.
The free fest annually brings big crowds to the "Wood Art Capital of Oklahoma" to check out turn-of-the-20th-century crafts and demonstrations, live folk music, food trucks, a barnyard petting zoo, children’s activities and more.
34. 'It's Corn!'
When and where: Through Dec. 31, Philbrook Museum of Art's Spotlight Gallery and Mezzanine.
Information: https://philbrook.org/exhibitions/its-corn.
Centuries before "The Corn Kid" became a viral sensation, First Americans knew corn was a beautiful thing. Featuring items from the Philbrook's Native American collection, this exhibit looks at how corn has influenced artists through pottery, jewelry, paintings and more.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: 34 Oklahoma festivals celebrating fall with music, animals and scares
