Last Updated on April 25, 2023, 8:10 PM | Published: April 25, 2023
OKLAHOMA CITY — On a rainy Tuesday at Bicentennial Park in Downtown Oklahoma City, the 57th annual Festival of the Arts officially opened to the public.
Crowds gathered around at 11:00 a.m. on the second floor of Civic Center Music Hall for the official opening ceremony that kicked off the 2023 Festival of the Arts.
Each year, folks look forward to this beloved and free annual event put on by Arts Council Oklahoma City, dedicated to organizing free or low-cost cultural events and arts outreach activities impacting underserved populations.
This iconic celebration has been an Oklahoma tradition since 1967, and this year is bigger than ever featuring a wide variety of visual artists, musicians, dancers, performance artists, and culinary artists.
The Festival of the Arts is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm and Sunday from 11:00 to 6:00 pm, and artist booths and tents stretch East from Lee Avenue to City Hall and North from Colcord to Couch Drive.
Oklahoma’s Mecca for visual art
This year, 144 artists from across the country are represented across mediums like jewelry, photography, sculpture art, ceramics, oil painting, watercolor, wood carving, fiber art, printmaking, glass art, and mixed media. Artists were selected through a jury process from a pool of over 400 applicants.
Whitney Batres huddled in her artist booth under a blanket Tuesday morning, braving the cold Spring rain along with fellow art vendors.
Batres’s art is inspired by the German “Bauhuas” movement with bright colors and geometric shapes. Batres said she dove into her art during the COVID-19 pandemic, looking for an opportunity to bring some joy into the world. This is her first year participating in the festival as an artist.
“It’s exciting to be a part of the artists that get to show the public their work, and mostly it’s been interesting just to have people come by and be able to connect,” Batres said.
Whether guests are drawn to woodland trinkets, detailed landscapes, Oklahoma nature photography, or personalized cartoons, there’s endless variety from which to choose.
Performing arts
Performers of all types will be taking on the Main Stage in the center of Bicentennial Park and the Sonic Stage on the East side of City Hall throughout the festival.
According to Arts Council Oklahoma City’s Communications Director Will Hutchison, this year’s performance art is meant to be as inclusive and varied as possible.
“Art is very inclusive, and anything can be art,” Hutchison said. “We want to make sure that what we are showcasing is showing that and that we are giving something for everyone in this community.”
The two stages will showcase musicians across genre with everything from Rock and Roll to Country to Hip Hop as well as dance groups, choirs, and even a magician. A complete schedule can be found in festival brochures and on informational displays throughout the festival.
Culinary art
One of the most anticipated parts of the festival is the incredible variety of food.
Whether guests are craving a small snack, a hearty dinner, or a sweet treat, International Food Row has something for everyone with 22 food vendors lining the North and South sides of the Civic Center Music Hall as well as 8 food carts on festival grounds. There’s no shortage of variety to satisfy every craving whether it’s egg rolls, pizza, gyros, or a peach cobbler funnel cake.
While the rain picked up on opening day, Maura Baker kept guests warm, serving up hot cups of coffee and Surati Chai tea. She’s the owner of Zero Tolerance Chocolate and Coffee, oone of many food vendors represented at the Festival of the Arts. According to Baker, everything they do is a delicate, sustainable, and ethical craft, from their coffee beans to their syrups and milks.
“We feel like food is one of the most tactile art because it’s art that you can actually bring into your body, and it can touch your soul,” Baker said.
This year, the festival has the most robust vegetarian selection in the event’s history with 20 of the 30 vendors offering a vegetarian option. A push to include vegetarian options is not the only eco-friendly push at the Festival of the Arts.
The “Go Green” committee has been around for over a decade, working to make this event one of the largest eco-conscious events in the US. Guests are encourage to utilize recycling and composting receptacles throughout the Festival grounds. There is also an opportunity to vist the “Go Green” tent and purchase a plant from the Native Plants Nursery.
Open to all
Festival of the Arts is a welcome space for all ages and has opportunities for guest across backgrounds and interests.
Hands-on crafts are available at the Children’s Art Field, and face painting is offered by City Hall. Guests of all ages can also paint their own pottery for a cost of $5 to $20, depending on the size of the pottery.
There is also a “Young at Art Mart” located near the Sonic stage, which is a “kids-only” area, selling low-cost art to guests ages 3-12 with a mission to nurture children’s love of art early on.
Young artists are also encouraged to be involved through the Youth Art Sale April 29 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, featuring art from Oklahoma’s next generation of artists between the ages of 8 to 18.
Admission to the festival is free, but there are several ways to support the artists and vendors like purchasing art and buying official Festival of the Arts merch from the booth near the main stage. Guests can see their official shirt made right in front of them with live screen printing from Oklahoma Shirt Company.
Guests can also support the Arts Council by purchasing a ticket to the “Angels and Friends” fundraiser Thursday, April 27 from 5:30 on to 8:30 pm at Bicentennial Park, where guests can enjoy an open bar, raffle prizes, and live music. Admission ranges in price from $75 to $2,500, and all proceeds go to Arts Council Oklahoma City.
Parking is available for guests in the Arts District Garage located South of City Hall and the lot at 44 West Reno. Paid parking is also available in lots and garages throughout Downtown Oklahoma City, and limited street parking is available.
The OKC Streetcar will be free of charge from April 25-30 to allow easier access to the Festival grounds.
Guests can learn more information about the Festival at the Festival Information booth at Colcord Drive, just West of Walker Ave.
Rain or shine
Artists, guests and even Oklahoma City’s mayor David Holt jest about the downpour, especially since the Festival of the Arts often falls on stormy Spring days. On opening day, Mayor Holt posted a photo of himself under an umbrella at the Festival opening day with the caption “as we know in Oklahoma City, when we need to break a drought, we stage the Festival of the Arts.”
Rain or shine, the people of Oklahoma City come together to support this annual showcase of art.
Zoe Travers has spent her career covering local musicians, artists, politicians, and everyday folks. She is also Oklahoma City’s most enthusiastic connoisseur of cheese danishes.
