38th Annual Tulsa International Mayfest

Mayfest has something for everyone.

The 38th annual Tulsa International Mayfest, an outdoor tribute to the arts and music, will take place May 13-16 in the heart of beautiful downtown Tulsa. Mayfest is a family-oriented event created to promote a broader knowledge of and appreciation for arts and humanities among serious as well as casual art lovers. Mayfest is nationally renowned for presenting the very best in art and entertainment.  

Mayfest has something for everyone. The outdoor area includes fine arts, crafts, three stages of performing artists, KidZone – a children’s hands-on art activity area, and, of course, great festival food. Over 100 artists come from around the country to showcase their artwork at their outdoor booths. You’ll find some of your favorite artists returning, as well as many new artists. Three outdoor stages of performing artists feature over 75 local, regional and national acts over the four days of the festival. Be sure to check out the headliner, Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, on the Williams Green Stage on Saturday, May 15 at 9:30 p.m.

In addition to the outdoor space, Mayfest features four indoor galleries: the Invitational Gallery for Tulsa area artists in the Williams Towers Lobby; the Youth Art Gallery, featuring artwork of Tulsa area students in LaFortune Studio at the Performing Arts Center; The Center Gallery, featuring artwork of clients of The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges in the Downtown YMCA; and new for 2010, the “Green” Gallery, showcasing artwork created with reused, recycled and repurposed materials in the Park Centre Building. There will be over 650 local artists represented in the Mayfest galleries this year!

KidZone will once again be located on the H.A. Chapman Centennial Green at 6th and Main and will feature hands-on activities for children of all ages, as well as family-friendly entertainment. 

The KidZone stage is going to be bigger and better than ever, thanks to a partnership with Tulsa Children's Museum and the Tulsa City-County Library. Several national acts, including Funky Mama, Lunch Money, Buffalo Fitz, Founders Chorus and Prairie Dawgs, will be performing on Saturday while children create art projects and play in the park. As always, there will also be some very talented local artists performing on the KidZone stage. 

The Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis will be hosting their Bear Clinic from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 15. Children will be given a free teddy bear that they decorate and then take through the clinic for a “check-up.” The program is intended to ease any fear a child might have about hospitals and doctors. 

A partnership between Tulsa Girls Art School Project, Inc., and Tulsa Transit will bring “Art in Motion” to KidZone. The purpose is to raise awareness of Tulsa GAS and Tulsa Transit, and to inspire people to find art and beauty in everyday objects. The students at Tulsa Girls Art School will turn a Tulsa Transit bus into moveable art by painting a vinyl wrap that will cover the 35-foot bus. The theme for this first “Art in Motion” bus is “Downtown Tulsa.” The bus will be painted on site at Mayfest by students from Tulsa GAS on Saturday and will be displayed on Sunday. The finished bus, with its newly decorated exterior, will be in service after Mayfest and will be seen transporting riders throughout the city.

All KidZone activities are provided at no cost, thanks to sponsors The Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis and Williams. “We believe that all children need to experience and be familiar with art throughout their lives, and we’re pleased to offer such a variety of art activities at Mayfest,” said Erin Velez, KidZone chair. This year WaterWorks Art Center, YWCA Tulsa, tTownMoms and Tulsa Shock will also be hosting activities at KidZone. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, May 13-15 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 16.

Tulsa International Mayfest will take place Thursday through Saturday, May 13-15 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday, May 16 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in downtown Tulsa on Main Street between 3rd and 6th Streets. And, as always, admission is free. Mayfest sponsors include presenting sponsor MidFirst Bank, Williams, The Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, Hille Foundation, Metropolitan Real Estate Investments, LLC, Corona Extra, T.D. Williamson, Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism, Oklahoma State University – Tulsa, The Gelvin Foundation, Waste Management, Crowne Plaza and The M.e.t.

For more information, including schedules, artist listings and parking information, please visit www.tulsamayfest.org or call (918) 582-6435. Be sure to check out our Facebook facebook.com/tulsamayfest, Twitter twitter.com/Mayfest and MySpace myspace.com/tulsamayfest. We hope to see you at Tulsa International Mayfest 2010!

For more information, contact

Tulsa International Mayfest

(918) 582-6435

www.tulsamayfest.org