Seasonal events fuel OKC's end-of-year economic engine
- Kenton Tsoodle
- 19 minutes ago
- 1 min read
As featured in the Journal Record
The holiday season represents one of the most economically important periods of the year. The events that fill our December calendars attract thousands of residents and visitors, and these gatherings play a meaningful role in strengthening the local economy.
Citywide tourism data helps sow why this period matters. In 2024, Oklahoma City welcomed 24.5 million visitors who generated a total impact of about 4.6 billion dollars, supporting more than 35,000 local jobs. These numbers reflect year-round activity, but holiday programming is concentrated during the months when retail, dining, entertainment and travel habits peak. Holiday events help sustain and elevate the economic gains.
Seasonal attractions carry particular weight. Downtown in December brings more than 30 recurring activities into the city center, ranging from the tree lighting festival to the Devon Ice Rink and pop-up shops. Even a single event can draw significant attendance. The tree lighting alone routinely brings in more than 2,800 people, and the surrounding restaurants and retailers benefit from the added foot traffic.
Pop-up shops provide small, local businesses with access to shoppers who otherwise may never have discovered these small retailers. And we know how impactful end-of-year spending is for small businesses in particular, accounting for up to half of annual sales for up to 60% of small business owners.