Spring brings flowers, warm weather and a variety of outdoor festivals to the Sooner State. Drawing thousands of visitors annually, Oklahoma’s community events are guaranteed to deliver weeks of entertainment to all. Make the most of the season by experiencing these events before they’re gone.
Oklahoma Renaissance Festival
For six consecutive weekends, thousands of artisans, cast and crew members, and stage acts transform the Castle of Muskogee into a scene of living history for the Oklahoma Renaissance Festival. Running through May 31, the event debuts several new immersive experiences this year.
“Even though we’ve done this for 31 years, it still evolves so much from season to season that I don’t think you can ever experience the same festival two years in a row,” says Becky White, the director of operations at the Castle of Muskogee.
The latest additions include a pub crawl and the Royal Tasting of fine spirits. The festival will also unveil three new builds: a garrison, the Edelweiss stage and a pirate ship.
A family-owned operation, the Castle of Muskogee was constructed by father-son duo Jeff and Matt Hiller in 1994. Featuring a village, 16 stages and themed refreshments, the Renaissance Festival is a way for the founding family to spread joy in their community.
“It’s all the people that love this place that make this happen year after year,” says Matt Hiller. “You may come with nothing or no costume at all, but I’m pretty sure, by the time you leave, you’ll have an accessory or costume… It’s just a good time for the whole family to come out to play for a little bit.”
To check out the festival’s lineup of activities, visit okcastle.com.
2026 Paseo Arts Festival
Every Memorial Day Weekend, the Paseo Arts Festival brings live performances, local vendors and creations from 80 juried artists to the Paseo Arts District in Oklahoma City. Founded in 1976, the festival is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.
To honor this milestone, the festival will feature a Paseo Originals Tent, which will serve as a gathering place for people who participated in the festival’s early days. Free to the public, the festival attracts an estimated 60,000 annual visitors.
The Paseo Arts Festival will take place May 23-25.
To learn more about what’s in store, go to thepaseo.org/festival.
Chuck Wagon Festival
Located in Oklahoma City, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum celebrates good, old-fashioned grub at the Chuck Wagon Festival. For two days, the museum hosts artisanal demonstrations, crafts, Western reenactments and other family-friendly activities.
The focal point, however, is the food. From biscuits to cobbler to grape dumplings, the festival offers a wagon’s-worth of traditional cowboy favorites and Native American cuisine. Visitors are encouraged to come hungry.
The festival will be held May 23-24, with tickets available for purchase at nationalcowboymuseum.org.
Magnolia Festival of Oklahoma
Dubbed “the Magnolia Capitol of Oklahoma,” Durant comes to life with festivities and carnival rides every year during the Magnolia Festival of Oklahoma. This year’s festival will take place at the Choctaw Event Center on May 28-30.
Founded in 1997, the event highlights the city’s heritage with a round-up of activities, including a farmers’ market, free family entertainment and a 5K race. In 2015, the festival was recognized as a Redbud Award-Winning Event.
For more information about the festival, check out durantchamber.org.
Mayfest Road Trip
Mayfest is hitting The Mother Road in celebration of the Route 66 centennial. Despite facing initial setbacks, the organizers behind the event are delivering free arts programs to the public all month long.
“All of these people that have come together [for Mayfest] are volunteers who do not get paid,” says Jen Alden, who serves as the treasurer on Mayfest’s steering committee. “They just really care about each other and Tulsa as a community.”
To kick off the festival, the Campbell Hotel will host Mayfest’s student art show every Saturday in May. The Local Art Market will also return May 15-17 at a new location: the Mother Road Market on 11th and Lewis.
For its final sendoff, Mayfest will sponsor a lineup of music acts at two stages located at the Expo Square and the Meadow Gold sign in the Pearl District. The performances will coincide with the centennial Capital Cruise – a world-record attempt for the largest classic car parade ever – on May 29-30.
The new committee is also laying the groundwork for Mayfest 2027, with plans to bring the festival back to the Deco District.
“It’s a festival for Tulsa, from Tulsa,” adds Alden. “Being in the community and bringing the festival and artists back together is what I’m most excited about.”
For a full list of Mayfest activities, tulsamayfest.org.
Main image cutline: At the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum’s Chuck Wagon Festival, guests enjoy traditional Western fare alongside hands-on demonstrations and family-friendly activities. Photo courtesy the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
