Outdoor opportunities in OKC

Enjoy Oklahoma City’s (mostly) beautiful spring weather with some outdoor events that support local artists and merchants and promote a strong local community culture.

Scissortail Park will host Allied Arts’ 50th anniversary every evening March 11 through April 10. “GLOW” is a free, outdoor event with two large, interactive works that will light up the night sky and encourage visitors to enjoy sound, light and music. In addition to the exhibition, Allied Arts will host a community celebration April 8 featuring a hot-air balloon night glow, a synchronized drone light show, glow-in-the-dark art from local makers, live performances, food trucks and more.

Factory Obscura is hosting an outdoor musical festival featuring local female musicians and poets from 3-9 p.m. March 12. Visitors can hear six live bands and two poets with original work. Don’t miss the indoor experience either with the exhibit Mix Tape and 6,000 square feet of hand-crafted immersive art.

The Midtown District is bringing back the Midtown Walkabout on April 16. Midtown merchants will provide specials, discounts and pop-up events and activities. Their Make Ready Market outdoor shopping event will be held every fourth Saturday starting March 26. Midtown will also be the starting point for the Run Lucky 5K and fun run on March 13 to benefit AutismOklahoma.

Oklahoma City is host for the Congress for the New Urbanism flagship event CNU 30.OKC | Resilient Together March 23-26. Through 27 years of advocacy, CNU has changed the development conversation from a debate over sprawl to a discussion on how to reinvest in our cities and towns though public-private collaboration, preservation, adaptive use and successful cultural and commercial districts. Oklahoma has much to share and a big part of the conference is focused on walking, bus and streetcar tours of key Oklahoma City destinations, districts and neighborhoods.

The Innovation District is hosting another Walk Over where the public is invited to stop by Stiles Park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 16. There will be food trucks and an introduction to Urban Bridge, a community development organization that bridges the poverty gap in traditionally under-represented communities.

These events entertain, support local artists, create community, promote culture and give back in ways that help to promote and build Oklahoma City.