- Cathy O’Connor
Spring events bring people, connectivity
Spring in Oklahoma means changing weather, spring flowers and the start of many outdoor festivals and events. Some are ongoing throughout the summer, like First Friday in Oklahoma City’s Paseo District or Live on the Plaza in the Plaza District. These and other monthly district events feature artists, live music, local shopping and a good reason to get out with friends and family.
Other festivals and events bring our community together to celebrate, appreciate the contributions of fellow artists and entertainers and to honor and remember those lives who were forever changed on April 19, 1995.
The Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts runs April 23-28 in Bicentennial Park in front of Civic Center Music Hall. The event brings nearly 150 visual artists from across the country, features more than 300 performing artists and has an average annual attendance of over 750,000. One of the many things I like about the festival is the fact that it attracts tourists and residents alike throughout the day. It is just as accessible to businesspeople who want to take a lunch break and enjoy the sights and sounds of the festival during the day as friends and families who come during the evening or weekend.
The 2019 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon is April 28 and includes course changes that will take runners through the developing Core to Shore area, past the new Scissortail Park, MAPS 3 Convention Center and Omni Oklahoma City hotel, which are all currently well into construction. This area of the city is completely transforming and this will be an excellent first look for the more than 25,000 runners from around the world.
