OKLAHOMA CITY — The 25th Annual Plaza District Festival drew residents and visitors to Oklahoma City Saturday. The district is already known for its murals and eateries. And, their festival showcased local businesses, artists, musicians, and restaurants.
Rachael Crawford, Plaza District Executive Director, reflected on the event’s growth in an interview with Free Press.
“I saw a photograph of one of the first Plaza Fests, and it resembled what a typical day in the Plaza District looks like now,” she said.
Crawford noted this year’s festival had the most artist vendors yet, offering more opportunities for local talent. She emphasized the significance of the festival’s positive impact on local tourism.
“Cultural tourism is very real, and it’s very impactful economically,” Crawford told Free Press, “When they could go anywhere else in the city, they’re choosing us, and that feels really good.”
Support for the festival comes from donations, volunteering, and purchases of exclusive merchandise by Jarrod Lovick, with proceeds benefiting the Plaza District Association to fund free public events.
Festival highlights: Music and dance light up the Plaza
A major highlight of the festival is the music, featuring local performers on two stages: the Main Stage and the ACM@UCO Stage. Artists like Original Flow and the Wavvez and The Muffled Sirens added diverse sounds to the lively atmosphere.
Crawford noted Plaza District’s collaboration with Tower Theatre’s Chad Whitehead to identify artists like Skating Polly, who have deep roots in the Plaza District.
Another highlight of this year’s live music is the student-curated ACM@UCO stage.
“We provide the students with a budget and expect them to handle everything from bookings to stage management,” Crawford told Free Press.
Crawford stated the festival aims to showcase popular artists while introducing attendees to emerging talents, providing local musicians a platform to reach wider audiences and secure more bookings.
“It always feels really good when we get to be the first to do that and serve as a stepping stone in someone’s career,” Crawford said about their booking process.
Dance performances were a high note of this year’s festivities. Expanding on the Plaza’s Calderon Dance Festival, the Plaza District introduced a street dance battle area with cash prizes to showcase local talent. Organized by Groovemeant and other Oklahoma performing arts groups, the event featured youth and adult dance battles, drawing crowds throughout the afternoon.
Hui, a dancer and choreographer, founded RACE Dance Company and developed UCO’s Jazz Department while advocating for fair dancer compensation in the Plaza District and was very excited to see dance at the forefront of the festival.
“When you bring people together where there’s music and vendors, that’s great, but the other thing that roots a community is the ability to watch dance and freestyle,” she told Free Press in an interview. “The fact that they come together and do this essentially as entertainment for other people is incredible.”
Art and community at the Plaza District Festival
Families enjoyed a kids’ zone with coloring, face painting, balloon animals, a bouncy house, and an appearance from the OKC Ghostbusters. James and his son Evan said they were having a great time in the kids’ area.
“There’s all things for all ages,” James told Free Press.
Over 30 artist vendors showcased a range of creations, from jewelry to collage art, with 40 local artists featured this year, including two tents for visual arts students from Classen School of Advanced Studies (SAS) middle and high schools. Crawford highlighted the intentional selection of artists and musicians.
“There’s a lot of thought that goes into the artist vendor selection committee,” she told us. “It’s not just any kind of vendor. You have to be a local artist.”
Eighth-grade art major Trinity Petron from Classen SAS made her Plaza Fest debut, selling her “realistic-unrealistic” animal-themed artwork and attracting festival-goers eager to discover young talent.
“This is my first year working in this booth, and it’s been really fun so far,” Petron said in an interview.
The festival promoted community engagement by partnering with organizations like Let’s Fix This and Rock the Native Vote. Let’s Fix This facilitated voter registration, while a civic engagement panel at OKC Improv discussed the importance of voting.
The Plaza District also implemented a ZERO Waste Policy with Fertile Grounds Cooperative and partnered with Embark and Bike Lab to offer affordable public transportation and free bike valet services for easy district access.
Celebrating nine years of creativity — Plaza Walls
Another highlight of this year’s Plaza District Festival was the Plaza Walls, a collaboration with the Oklahoma Mural Syndicate featuring over 48 local and national artists painting live. Attendees explored alleys to witness the creation of vibrant murals. Since its launch in 2015, Plaza Walls has produced over 300 murals across Oklahoma, transforming ordinary spaces into dynamic canvases.
This shift in public perceptions of street art, driven by education and community engagement, has allowed the district to enrich its cultural landscape.
A record number of muralists participated this year, with some boasting over 100,000 Instagram followers. Kristopher Kanaly, Oklahoma Mural Syndicate President, emphasized the project’s significance in showcasing diverse artists and creating a rotating gallery that encourages exploration of local creativity.
“We wanted to create an immersive art experience,” Kanaly told Free Press in an interview.
This initiative supports artists of all experience levels, from newcomers to seasoned professionals from cities like LA, New York, and Toronto. Modeled after the Welling Court Mural Festival in Queens, Plaza Walls aims to enrich the local arts scene and drive economic growth.
“We created an attraction that brings people in,” Kanaly said. “Studies show that the average attendee to an arts-related event spends about $40, and we estimate that about 100,000 come just to see the murals, contributing to an economic impact of around $4.1 million.”
Plaza Walls is allocating $73,000 to artists this year, with stipends based on the square footage of their murals.
Nhi, known as “Pretty Nice Murals,” expressed her excitement about participating in Plaza Walls in a Free Press interview. Based locally, she found the experience enjoyable, emphasizing the collaboration with artists from San Francisco to Miami and the unifying power of art.
“It almost feels like a summer camp,” Nhi said about the camaraderie that develops among the artists. “At the end of the day, we’re all artists, and we all enjoy making and creating.”
Experiencing local together — Spotlighting local food and art
The Plaza District’s motto, “Experience Local Together,” captures Plaza Fest’s spirit. Crawford noted the festival’s impact on the area’s 60 shops, noting many organized their own events, including an album release at Grand Royale and DJ performances at Rad Bar.
As night fell, Plaza Fest festivities continued until 2 a.m. at local restaurants and venues, keeping the community spirit alive.
“The festival is the single largest revenue day of the year for many businesses, and they really look forward to it,” Crawford said.
This free festival featured diverse cuisines from top food trucks like Big Biang Theory and Let’s Do Greek, while limiting vendors to promote exploration of local shops and restaurants.
“We used to book a lot of food trucks, but now we’ve reduced it to just seven,” Crawford said.
The festival offered ways to support local food, art, and businesses, plus unique experiences like seeing “Once on This Island” at Lyric Theatre, running until October 6. Michael Barron, Lyric’s Producing Artistic Director, emphasized the festival’s importance.
“It’s been incredible to see how much it’s grown in terms of the variety of businesses,” Barron told Free Press in an interview. “It was always an exciting festival, bringing thousands of people together to celebrate independent business. It nurtures talent and businesses here in Oklahoma.”
Zoe Elrod covers events and happenings around Oklahoma City for Free Press bringing her skill as a reporter and photographer. Zoe has spent her career covering local musicians, artists, politicians, and everyday folks.
