Tulsa hosts a wide array of festivals that feature music, dance, songs, sports and, of course, culinary treats. 

Each January, community leaders gather to march in one of the largest Martin Luther King Jr. Day parades in the nation and participate in a week’s worth of special activities. The parade proceeds through Tulsa’s historic Greenwood District in honor of the civil rights activist who helped change the perspective of our nation.

In February, the Tulsa Indian Art Festival showcases fine art, dance and culture honoring the spirit of the American Indian at the Greenwood Cultural Center in Tulsa (918.838.3875).       

A taste of the Orient comes each April with the Asian Festival, where people from Vietnam, China, Korea, the Philippines, East India, Pakistan, Japan and Cambodia come together to celebrate their cultures with food, dance, and martial arts events (918.234.7431).

In May, musicians play both indoors and outdoors at the venerable Cain’s Ballroom at 423 North Main and the Brady Theater’s village stage green as part of the Oklahoma Blues Festival (918.582.7239). Names like Susan Tedeshci, B.B. King, George Thorogood, Dr. John, the Nakota Indian Blues Band, and Indigenous serve up a smorgasbord of blues, from the Delta sound to the spicy rhythms of New Orleans Zydeco.

No sooner do the Blues performers put down their instruments than Tulsa’s International Mayfest , a four-day downtown street fair, kicks into high gear. Mayfest typically features the works of more than 100 visual artists, theatrical performances, an international gallery, and interactive activities at Kidzone (918.582.6435). 

Music and cultural events are the order of the day in June at the Oklahoma Music & JazzFest (formerly Juneteenth on Greenwood).

Eyes turn skyward in late July and early August at the Gatesway International Balloon Festival, when nearly 100 hot air balloons float across Tulsa’s open skies. Landlubbers can enjoy music, food, crafts and entertainment beneath a spectacular aerial display.

Diversafest (Dfest), the most comprehensive music festival in the Midwest takes place in mid-July. Dfest has quickly become a widely known venue for local and national musicians, rivaling the South by Southwest festival held in Austin. More than 100 well-known and emerging artists come to the city to attend workshops and clinics, and provide entertainment for enthusiastic concert-goers over the two-day festival.

A respite from the sizzling Oklahoma heat is available in July at the Performing Arts Center’s Summer Stage Festival, a six-week invitational featuring musical theater, drama and dance on the three lower stages of the PAC and the always-popular Light Opera Oklahoma (LOOK) Festival held each June-July.        

In mid-August, the Intertribal Indian Club of Tulsa brings tribes together at the Powwow of Champions at Expo Square (918.744.1113).

In September, Oklahomans of Scottish heritage test their skills at the Scottish Games and Gathering (918.499.2585). Highland dancing, pipe bands, athletic competitions, sheep dog contests, a clan parade, and Scottish foods and wares make up this unique celebration. The Greek Holiday Festival, another longtime September favorite, features authentic cuisine, dancing, music and more (918.583.2082).

The crisp fall weather brings thousands of visitors and Tulsans alike to one of the nation’s most popular Oktoberfest (918.744.9700) celebrations. Inspired by the famous celebration of the same name, held in Germany, Oktoberfest brings to the River West Festival Park the sounds of European folk bands as well as the aromas and flavors of delicious German dishes. 

Thanksgiving night, Lights On! at Utica Square shopping center is a Tulsa tradition, as thousands of lights all over the square are lit simultaneously. And not long after the lights come on, the holidays come to life every December during the PSO Parade of lights in downtown Tulsa. This visual wonder is one of the most highly attended parades in the state and attracts roughly 10,000 spectators in the crisp late evening. Visitors enjoy the sights of the season with bands, giant helium balloons, floats and millions of lights during this spectacular evening parade.

There are events in Tulsa designed to reflect the particular charm of the area in which they are held. Tulsa’s Brookside district hosts Boo Ha Ha every year, bicycles, floats and antique cars travel up South Peoria from 49th Street to 33rd Street. The Brookside Business Association accepts parade entries from families, schools, organizations, politicians and businesses.

In addition, several runs and races are designed around different areas of Tulsa: Tulsa Tough is a three-day cycling event designed to promote physical fitness and showcase the city at the same time. The Tulsa Run is an October tradition, winding its way through Downtown and along the Arkansas River. The newer Tulsa World Route 66 Marathon features multiple race lengths to please just about any runner, and the routes travel along different parts of the Tulsa metro area, including Route 66—the Mother Road. The race is also a Boston Marathon qualifying race.