Located off Route 66 and Lewis Ave. sits your new favorite sandwich shop, Gambill’s Jewish Deli and Wine Bar. With an emphasis on dry-cured pastrami and oven-baked brisket, Gambill’s sandwiches are heftily stacked with meats and toppings on either seedless Jewish rye or club bread. Along with your larger-than-life sandwich comes house-made half sour pickles and kettle chips.
There are three house sandwiches on the menu, and you can’t go wrong with any of them. The Pauli, named after owner Hunter Stone Gambill’s mother, features brisket, horseradish mayonnaise and smoked provolone on club bread. The Pistol features dry-cured pastrami, house-made spicy mustard, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut on seedless Jewish rye. The Hunter is a reuben with pastrami, Russian dressing, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut on rye.
In addition to the tasty sandwiches, Gambill’s has a robust wine list, offering wines by the glass, or flights if you’re feeling indecisive. The restaurant also boasts a full Spanish espresso bar for a pick-me-up after your heavy (but delicious) meal!
With the highest-grade USDA Prime and dry-aged steaks, plus fresh, sustainable seafood, Momo’s Chophouse is one of Tulsa’s finest dining experiences. Momo’s strives to exceed expectations and provide an extraordinary experience for their guests. The elegant, high-end atmosphere is sure to leave you feeling better than when you first walked in.
The menu is delicately crafted to serve ingredients at their peak freshness, with plates rotating throughout the seasons. The aforementioned sustainable seafood is ethically sourced and flown in daily. The knowledgeable and friendly staff are sure to guide you on a delicious journey with their food and wine expertise. If you have any questions on dinner pairings, be sure to head to the wrap-around bar where you can be advised on what wine will best suit your steak or seafood.
Flo’s Burger Diner is a classic ’50s-inspired burger joint with a menu that is as deep fried as it is delicious. With two locations serving Tulsa and Catoosa, Flo’s is the stop for some of the juiciest burgers and fries in Oklahoma.
With signature menu items being the Bomb Burger, a jalapeño popper burger, the Floyaki Burger, a teriyaki mayo burger with pineapple and bacon, and the Sizzling Sizzler, a spicy pepper jack cheese and jalapeño burger, Flo is sure to bring the flavor to an American delicacy.
On top of the dish it’s best known for, Flo’s also features Frito chili pies, chili cheese dogs and loaded Polish sausage. If you’re unable to visit Flo’s in person or are hosting a large event, the diner offers all-inclusive catering for your next party.
In the foothills of Wildhorse Mountain Range near Sallisaw sits Wild Horse Mountain Bar-B-Que Company. After 50 years of business and a foundation built off the recipes of Hubert and Betty Holman, the delicious barbecue restaurant has continued to be proudly family produced after all this time. The small-town southern comfort combined with the knockout flavors of the barbecue makes for an incredibly unforgettable experience.
Wild Horse has classic barbecue offerings like sliced and chopped beef, pork ribs and hot links, sold by the pound. The true show stopper of Wild Horse is its signature barbecue sauce, served at three different spice levels: mild, medium and hot. If you’re craving Wild Horse but can’t make it to Sallisaw, their world-class sauce is sold in some grocery stores – the owners even encourage customers to share their recipes using the sauce … unless they happen to be top secret, of course.
With autumn’s welcomed arrival, there are plenty of community events for the whole family to enjoy.
In Green Country, check out the First Friday Art Crawl downtown on Oct. 6. The Tulsa State Fair is finishing out its residency at Expo Square through Oct. 8. For a bit of ghostly fun for the season, the Second Saturday Architecture Tour – starting at the Tulsa Foundation for Architecture – will have a haunting twist on Oct. 14. After your spooky tour, check out the Kendall-Whittier art festival in the district, also on the 14th. Finally, Oktoberfest is back! Bring your best lederhosen and an empty stomach to River West Festival Park on Oct. 19-22 for a memorable, or not so memorable experience (depending on how many steins you down)!
In and around Oklahoma City, the Paseo Arts District’s First Friday Gallery Walk takes place on Oct. 6. If you’d prefer to celebrate Halloween throughout the month, Frontier City will have Fright Fest through Oct. 29, and Orr Family Farm is hosting their Fall Festival through Nov. 11.
Celebrate Chickasaw culture and heritage at the Chickasaw Nation annual meeting and festival in Tishomingo through Oct. 7. If you need a pumpkin for your Jack O’Lantern or pie, check out Annabelle’s Fun Farm in Welch through Oct. 29, Chester’s Pumpkin Patch in Piedmont through Oct. 31 or the Pumpkin Festival at Shepherd’s Cross in Claremore through Nov. 4.
With October comes show-stopping performances throughout the state.
In Tulsa, start the month with Aladdin presented by Celebrity Attractions on Oct. 1 at the Tulsa PAC. Masquerade, presented by Tulsa Symphony, will take to the PAC stage on Oct. 7. On Oct. 13-14, head to Studio K and join the Tulsa Ballet as it presents the classic fairytale Jack and the Beanstalk. At River Spirit Casino and Resort, enjoy the legendary illusionist duo Penn & Teller on Oct. 20. If comedy is more your thing, join Nate Bargatze on Oct. 20 at the BOK Center.
Presented by OKC Philharmonic, Gothic Midnight presents an evening of stunning, spooky music on Oct. 7 at OKC’s Civic Center Music Hall. The Myriad Botanical Gardens hosts the recurring Sunday Twilight Concert Series on Oct. 8. Presented by OKC Broadway, To Kill a Mockingbird runs from Oct. 10-15. Lastly, be sure to check out Hamlet, presented by OKC Ballet, at the Civic Center from Oct. 27-29.
The Pauls Valley Opry takes the stage at Pauls Valley High School on Oct 7. On the same day, the Cement Opry is happening at 410 N. Main in Cement. At Edmond’s Armstrong Auditorium, VOCES8 offers high-class a cappella on Oct. 24. And on Oct. 31-Nov. 1, patrons can enjoy Pretty Woman: The Musical at Stillwater’s McKnight Center.
Sports abound this month. FC Tulsa is taking to ONEOK field for a soccer match on Oct. 7. At the University of Tulsa, watch some of the top tennis athletes compete at the ITA Men’s All-American Championships through Oct. 8. At the BOK Center, WWE Smackdown takes to the ring live on Oct. 13. On Oct. 14, Nitro Circus Live also revs into the BOK Center. The TU Golden Hurricane football team hits Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium on Oct. 19. If you’re more into all things equine, the U.S. National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show gallop into town from Oct. 19-28.
At State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, the Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show visits town Oct. 7-14. On Oct. 21, Nitro Circus Live skates their way to the Paycom Center. The University of Oklahoma Sooners football team plays at the Palace on the Prairie– Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium – on Oct. 21.
Around the state, the Oklahoma State Cowboys football team plays on its home turf, Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, on Oct. 6, 14 and 28. At Star Skate in Midwest City, join Twister City Roller Derby for its bout on Oct. 15.
October is here! Don’t worry; we’ve got one spooky film this month as well as some other great looking heavy hitters.
Starting strong, we have the highly anticipated Killers of the Flower Moon. The next massive film from Martin Scorsese (buckle up – it’s over three hours long!) is finally here, and boy does it look to deliver. Based on the book of the same name, the story concerns murders in the Oklahoma-based Osage Nation during the 1920s, on land where heavily desired oil was recently discovered. With an all-star cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone (Certain Women) and Jesse Plemons (Breaking Bad), the movie looks to be Scorsese’s next masterpiece, with early reviews indicating a colossal triumph. It hits select theaters on Oct. 6 with a general release on Oct. 20.
For your thriller fix, check out Anatomy of a Fall. The story follows Sandra, a German writer, who is arrested in France for allegedly murdering her husband. The circumstances are murky and the only witness to the crime is the couple’s blind son, so Sandra must work to clear her name. Directed by Justine Triet, who won the Palme d’Or (the highest prize) at Cannes for the film, the movie stands to be a wonderful foreign film to add to your must-see list when it hits select theaters on Oct. 13.
For a spooky, jump scare-filled time, hold hands with your partner for Five Nights at Freddy’s. Based on the popular video game franchise of the same name, the plot follows Mike Schmidt (Josh Hutcherson, The Hunger Games) as the newly minted night shift security guard at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a once thriving but now massively declining family entertainment center akin to Chuck E. Cheese. (Side note: Chuck’s government name is Charles Entertainment Cheese – don’t ever forget this.) The trailer has lots of nods to the source material and seems to be doing a decent job of capturing what the games are about. Prepare to never want to be around animatronic animals ever again when this releases in theaters on Oct. 27.
For a much lighter comedy-drama, make sure to see The Holdovers. Starring Paul Giamatti as Paul Hunham, a disliked teacher at Barton Academy, the story takes place during Christmas break. While most students go home, Hunham is responsible for those who have nowhere to go, including one rebellious student named Angus. Directed by Alexander Payne (Sideways), the film tells a very personal, slow burn story about a teacher and student coming to terms with their differences. Giamatti will likely turn out an Oscar-worthy performance. The movie has a limited release Oct. 27 and a wide release Nov. 10.
Lastly, please watch the television series The Bear as soon as you can. Starring Jeremy Allen White (Shameless) as Carmen Berzatto, the series focuses on him and his kitchen crew at his late brother’s Italian sandwich shop. You’ll see their daily struggles to keep things running and their own personal issues. The show is full of stressful moments – both in and out of the kitchen – and the buzz of seeing them succeed and fail is as thrilling as it is heartbreaking. Both seasons are streaming now on Hulu.
Jeremiah Matthew Davis, the inaugural director at OKC-based Oklahoma Contemporary, serves in the primary leadership role for the institution and is helping to grow it into a new, central location downtown. With seven years under his belt at the art center, Davis has overseen a variety of curatorial programming while working to strengthen youth and adult education programs.
Originally from Oklahoma, Davis completed his undergraduate studies in theater and social science at Bennington College in Vermont, and got his graduate degree of dramaturgy from Columbia University in New York. Prior to joining the Oklahoma Contemporary team, Davis focused on immersive theatrical production and worked with highly accomplished artists throughout the country. In addition, Davis’ career has been steadily grounded in education, with teaching roles at New York University, Barnard College and Columbia University. He continues to serve as a tenured faculty member at the Todoroff Conservatory in New York. We caught up with Davis and picked his brain about …
… what brought him back to Oklahoma.
Oklahoma Contemporary. After leaving for college, I never imagined my career path would lead back to Oklahoma. Upon learning more about the vision for the arts center’s future from our founder, Christian Keesee, I was inspired to return and help to establish a new cultural organization that could propel the state forward and help retain creative talent here.
… how his background helps his career.
Professional theater provides an excellent training ground for any number of fields. So many seemingly disparate disciplines are contained within a single production. Immersive performance adds additional complexity to audience logistics and the dynamics of storytelling. The experiences I gained through collaborating with artists, technicians and businesspeople across disciplines and industries helped inform my approach to collaboration, institution building and the importance of transdisciplinarity.
… his goals as inaugural director.
In the near term, my goals are to continue to build awareness in our community of the incredible cultural resource available to them in their backyard. In any given month, we have multiple exhibitions on view, music, theater or dance performances, dozens of classes and workshops for adults, and family-friendly programs and events. And admission is always free. Long term, through our commitment to collaboration, community partnerships, radical hospitality and artistic excellence, we need to become the indispensable center for art and culture that Oklahomans of all backgrounds and visitors to OKC could not imagine living without.
… the importance of education in this role.
One of the great privileges of this job is the abundance of learning opportunities I enjoy every day. I consider myself a lifetime student, and Oklahoma Contemporary has been an incredible professor. As a teacher, I begin with the question. I hope to continue posing exciting questions for our staff, trustees, stakeholders and our audiences to consider and explore. By asking the right questions, we can learn anything.
… what guests can look forward to.
We just opened our latest project in Campbell Art Park, Eva Schlegel: Multiple Voices, an architectonic installation inspired by our building and the Oklahoma skies, which represents the European artist’s first public artwork in North America. This month, our theater company in residence, OKC Rep, kicks off its season with the wild new play The Antelope Party. And this coming February, we open Home1947: Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, an immersive exhibition exploring the experiences of the partition of the Indian subcontinent into the independent nation-states of India and Pakistan. Obaid-Chinoy is an Academy Award winning filmmaker and is slated to direct the next major Star Wars picture, so this exhibition is not to be missed!
… what he wants to emphasize about Oklahoma Contemporary.
If you haven’t visited Oklahoma Contemporary yet, this is your arts center – and admission is always free. Drop by to connect with the community, experience art and enjoy some delicious pastries and scratch cuisine at our Café Contemporary. Everyone is welcome here.
… his favorite activities outside of work.
I live near the Paseo, so much of my time is spent enjoying the walkability of Uptown, the Asian District and the Paseo. With so many galleries, shops, cafés, restaurants, venues and parks, the area is one of the most dynamic parts of the city. I’m also a fan of downtown, Automobile Alley, Deep Deuce, the Plaza District, EastPoint on NE 23rd St. and the great parks and lakes in the metro. I visit my family in Tulsa and Osage County whenever I can, and I travel the country and the world with my wife as much as time and budget allow.
The $2 billion dollar American Heartland Theme Park will be on par with popular parks like Disneyland and Universal Studios.
Renderings courtesy Mansion Entertainment Group
One of Oklahoma’s latest developments is a $2 billion theme park that will contend with major amusement parks like Disneyland and Universal Studios. Named the American Heartland Theme Park, the 1,000-acre development centers around a nostalgic Americana theme, paying homage to the budding nation’s entrepreneurial and adventurous spirit.
Behind this large-scale project is the Mansion Entertainment Group, a performing arts and animation studio company based in Branson, Mo. Helping conceptualize the attractions and storytelling are a handful of creative design firms, including THG, FORREC and Cuningham. Members of the project’s executive committee tout more than 500 years of combined entertainment experience.
Transforming Small-Town Oklahoma into a World-Class Destination
When developers first announced the project in July 2023, it caused a stir due to its multi-billion dollar price tag. Perhaps even more surprising than the project’s total cost was its location: Vinita, which boasted a population of only 5,189 in 2021.
Erik Neergard, chief creative officer of THG, says that the sites for theme parks are often unexpected.
“When Disneyland first started … it was a bunch of orange groves,” he shares.
So, why Vinita? The executive committee, which has kept the project under wraps for several years, went through a bidding process to determine the location. Neergard reveals that the availability of land and Vinita’s proximity to Route 66, Interstate 40 and Grand Lake ‘O the Cherokees were some of the biggest factors in selecting it as the destination for the attraction.
The support of the local community also played a part in the team’s decision.
“There’s a good population in that area that is looking for something to do beyond the lake,” says Neergard. “[The park] will offer that opportunity, and it’ll also help grow the city around it.”
Mayor Josh Lee of Vinita echoes this sentiment. When he first heard about the possibility of American Heartland coming to Vinita, he jumped at the opportunity to facilitate the bidding process.
“I want to make sure that we could always say we’ve done everything we could to get the theme park here,” he says.
Bolstering Economic Opportunity Locally
According to DATA USA, Vinita’s poverty rate is 23%, with the median property value sitting at $88,000 in 2020. The town’s largest industries are healthcare and social services, employing a total of 510 people.
Developers behind American Heartland hope to change both the literal and the economic landscape of Vinita by establishing a robust tourist industry. The Mansion Entertainment Group estimates that the theme park will draw 4.9 million visitors annually and create over 4,000 new jobs.
“This area has been ignored for a very long time and is primed for growth,” says Mayor Lee. “I’m excited to see how [American Heartland] raises up the community. And not just here [in Vinita], but for all the surrounding towns like Miami, Grove, Afton, Ketchum, Welch and even Blue Jacket. We all need a boost.”
In addition to creating jobs, Mayor Lee anticipates that Vinita will generate significantly more revenue from sales tax.
“That money is going to help with upgrading the roads, our water and sewage, and the fire and police departments,” he says. “We’re really excited about it.”
Improving Infrastructure
Leadership on the project has been working for years to develop models, raise capital and find the perfect location. Photo courtesy Mansion Entertainment Group
However, there is still a great deal of infrastructure work to do.
“If you look at the land, it’s basically just an empty field,” says Neergard. “We’re kind of building a miniature city in itself.”
Roads, energy sources and water management will all need to be expanded to successfully accommodate the estimated 15,000-30,000 daily visitors that the park will bring.
Mayor Lee confirms that the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority have been involved in plans to expand the two-lane highways to four lanes.
“The ultimate goal is to get an entry and exit point on the Will Rogers Turnpike between Vinita and Afton,” he says.
He also shares that he is helping developers explore the possibility of annexing the land where the theme park will be located, which is approximately three miles away from downtown Vinita.
Breaking Ground on Family-Friendly Fun
The American Heartland theme park will open in phases, beginning with the Three Ponies RV Park & Campground in the spring of 2025. Once opened, it will become the largest campgrounds in the central United States, offering 750 RV spaces, 300 cabins, an amphitheater, swimming pools and a general store.
The rest of the theme park is slated to open to the public in October 2026. Renderings of the park include a 4-star hotel and boardwalk, a water park, roller coasters and a man-made lake. Developers have designed the park so that visitors embark on a journey through American history by exploring its six uniquely themed lands: Liberty Village, Great Plains, Bayou Bay, Big Timber Falls, Stony Point Harbor and Electropolis.
With an estimated opening date in 2026, the American Heartland Theme Park will transform the economy and infrastructure in nearby Vinita. Rending courtesy Mansion Entertainment Group
“Electropolis celebrates Edison and Tesla and the inventive era of America,” says Neergard. “There’s a great sensibility to the park. It has heart. It really taps into that feeling of togetherness, hope, joy and the can-do American spirit.”
The developers behind the project are moving quickly to break ground on the project.
“We’re diving right into the heart of solving any issues, working through the design process and bringing on the best of the best,” says Neergard. “I hope that everyone gets to join us for the opening in October of 2026. We have a lot of work to do, but we’re really excited to do it.”
Main image cutline:The $2 billion dollar American Heartland Theme Park will be on par with popular parks like Disneyland and Universal Studios. Rendering courtesy Mansion Entertainment Group
