Christmas traditional Cranberry Mimosa cocktail for Xmas party. Copy space. Generative AI.
Christmas Cocktails
Want to spice things up at your next holiday party? Tired of the same old spiked eggnog? We’ve got a few ideas. (Oh, and for the kiddos and non-drinkers, any of these would be great sans spirits!)
Christmas Punch
Mix rum, tart cherry and cranberry juices, simple syrup, seltzer water or ginger ale with spices like ginger and nutmeg. Fruity, tart and boozy, this is a win for those looking for a lighter option.
Boozy Hot Chocolate
Whether you add rum, a cream liqueur or even tequila, spiked hot chocolate is a festive libation for anyone with a sweet tooth. If you’re in a pinch, hot chocolate mix works just fine – but consider creating your own if you have the time.
Irish Coffee
A perfect after-dinner drink or brunch cocktail, an Irish coffee includes fresh brewed coffee, brown sugar, Irish whiskey and some whipped cream. Add a cream liqueur if you want it extra rich.
Cranberry Ginger Mimosa
For those looking to keep things simple, the cranberry ginger mimosa is just the ticket. Top your bubbly of choice with cranberry juice, ginger beer and sugared cranberries. This one is especially great for big groups – pour it all in a punch bowl and go wild!
Tom & Jerry
This one was created over two centuries ago in England, but it’s still just as enjoyable today. Combine eggs, dark rum and vanilla extract with boiling water, cognac and whole milk. It’ll warm you up in no time!
Top Dishes
While someone will probably look at you funny if you eat anything other than turkey on Thanksgiving, Christmas comes with a bit more leeway as it pertains to the mains, sides and desserts. Which do you think reigns supreme in each of these categories? Does your family have a unique culinary tradition? Tell us on our Instagram – @oklahoma_mag!
Entree:
Prime rib
Roast turkey
Barbecue
Honey-glazed ham
Beef Wellington
Roast duck or goose
Pork loin
Sides:
Stuffing
Cranberry sauce
Mashed potatoes
Biscuits
Cornbread
Macaroni and cheese
Sweet potato casserole
Green beans
Scalloped potatoes
Dessert:
Christmas cookies
Pie
Gingerbread
Christmas tree brownies
Holiday Sweet Treats
If you’re aiming to hop in the kitchen with family and friends this season, or just need to bring a sweet treat to a gathering, try the following:
Gingerbread Christmas cookies – from snowmen to trees and Santa Claus himself
Apple pie
Peppermint bundt cake
Christmas tree cupcakes
Pumpkin rolls
Oreo balls
Peppermint milkshakes
Decor Galore
Looking to get into a festive mood whilst dining around town? You’ll find holiday cheer in spades at these restaurants:
No matter your interests on the stage, December has a performance for you.
Kick off the month in Tulsa with How the Grinch Stole Christmas, presented by Tulsa Symphony. The event, which runs Dec. 1 at the Tulsa PAC, follows the beloved Christmas story with rousing live music. Other goodies at the PAC include the Festival Bell Ringers on Dec. 6; and American Theatre Company’s A Christmas Carol and Tulsa Ballet’s The Nutcracker from Dec. 8-23. Signature Symphony returns to the TCC Van Trease PACE on Dec. 15-16 with its Christmas in Tulsa concert, too.
In OKC, the Civic Center Music Hall is the place to be for performances galore. Start with OKC Phil’s A Very Merry Pops on Dec. 1-2, followed by Canterbury Voices’ presentation of Handel’s Messiah on Dec. 3. OKC Ballet’s The Nutcracker returns Dec. 8-17, and you can finish out the month with OKC Broadway’s Tina – The Tina Turner Musical from Dec. 26-31. Paycom Center also beckons with Adam Sandler on Dec. 9; Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey on Dec. 15-17; and Jeff Dunham on Dec. 28.
Around the state, enjoy: Pauls Valley Opry, Dec. 2 at the Pauls Valley Junior High School Auditorium; Miami Little Theatre’s presentation of A Christmas Carol through Dec. 3; and Pollard Theatre’s A Territorial Christmas Carol through Dec. 23 in Guthrie. Winstar World Casino in Thackerville also welcomes comedians galore – Adam Sandler on Dec. 8 and Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish and Chelsea Handler on Dec. 15.
Photo credit: Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, photo courtesy OKC Broadway
Sick of holiday events? No? Good! There are plenty to be found this month.
In Tulsa, enjoy the Tulsa Christmas Parade on Dec. 9 across downtown. Other goodies include Tulsa Winterfest by the BOK Center through Jan. 2. Don’t miss the Philbrook Festival, running through Christmas Eve, along with Botanic Garden of Lights at the Tulsa Botanic Garden through Dec. 30. Other holiday goodies include the Rhema Christmas Lights event, through Jan. 1 at the Rhema Bible College, and the Broken Arrow Ice Rink, through Jan. 7 at 418 S. Main St.
Holiday offerings in OKC can be found at Downtown in December, a district-wide holiday extravaganza with free ferry rides, lights, ice skating and holiday markets, running through January. Don’t miss the OKC Community Chanukah Festival, Dec. 10 at Scissortail Park, along with Polar Express rides at the Oklahoma Railway Museum through Dec. 27. Other events include Red Earth Treefest at the BancFirst Building through Dec. 29; Winter Glow through Dec. 30 at RiverSport OKC; and the Edmond Ice Rink at Mitch Park through Jan. 15.
Around the state, holiday offerings include: Olde Tyme Christmas, Dec. 7 at E. Grand Ave. in Tonkawa; the Poinsettia Festival, Dec. 8-9 at 223 W. Main St. in Wilburton; the Sleigh Bells Market, Dec. 9 at the Southeast Expo Center in McAlester; and the Chickasha Festival of Light, through Dec. 31 at Shannon Springs Park.
If you’re burnt out, non-holiday offerings include downtown Tulsa’s First Friday Art Crawl on Dec. 1; the Tulsa Farm Show on Dec. 7-9 at Expo Square; the Cowboy Cup event, Dec. 8-9 at Expo Square; the Minco Honey Festival at Minco High School on Dec. 2; and Neuro Night, Dec. 16 at the Museum of the Great Plains in Lawton.
December. So many movies. So little time … and so little space on the page. Here we go.
For your kaiju (Japanese media involving giant monsters) fix, check out Godzilla Minus One. Set in post-World War II Japan, the titular monster rises to the surface, causing the country’s economic state to dip into the negatives. With arresting visuals, a wholly unique setting and a memorable central figure, the film has massive potential to be one of the best of the year when it drops on Dec. 1.
For pure action, look no further than Silent Night. Directed by John Woo (Mission: Impossible 2), his first American film in twenty years, the story follows Godluck (Joel Kinnaman, Easy Money) as he descends into the underworld on Christmas Eve to avenge his son’s death. The trailer indicates heavy action, explosions and an all-around good time for the whole family … if the whole family is over 17, of course. It also releases on Dec. 1.
If you need a thriller, check out Eileen. Based on the book of the same name, it follows Eileen (Thomasin McKenzie, Jojo Rabbit), a secretary at a Boston prison, and her interactions with a newly arrived counselor named Rebecca (Anne Hathaway). Twists and turns are in full swing as their parasitic relationship grows to a fever pitch. You can try and unravel it yourself on Dec. 1.
For those with a love for animation, don’t miss The Boy and the Heron. The latest film from legendary director and animator Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away), the story follows Mahito Maki, who discovers an abandoned tower in his new town. Lauded for its beautiful animation and themes surrounding coming of age and coping with loss, the film has been a monumental success in Japan. It was released with almost no information or trailer and although one exists now, I strongly advise against watching it. Go in as blind as you can when it releases in the U.S. on Dec. 8.
Poor Things; photos courtesy Searchlight Pictures
For a weird time, check out Poor Things. A surrealist science fiction film, the story concerns Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) being brought back to life by Dr. Goodwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Unattached to the prejudices of the time, she roams the world with Duncan (Mark Ruffalo) as a woman in search of liberation. Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite) and based on the 1992 novel of the same name, the film is sure to be out of the ordinary and a perfect combination of strange and science when it hits theaters on Dec. 8.
For your biographical sports drama, take a look at The Iron Claw. The story focuses on the Von Erich family, a dynasty of wrestlers, and their highs and lows both inside and outside of the ring. Zac Efron leads the film, supported by Jeremy Allen White (The Bear), Holt McCallany (Mindhunter) and Lily James (Pam & Tommy). Released by A24, it looks to be a superbly made drama with stellar performances. It hits theaters on Dec. 22.
Lastly, if you want to watch folks go real fast and enjoy a splash of family drama, don’t skip Ferrari. Starring Adam Driver as Enzo Ferrari, the film follows his personal and professional struggles after the death of his son and the impending collapse of his company. This is director Michael Mann’s (Heat) first film in eight years, it looks to be a sleek return to form for the 80-year-old director. It releases on Christmas Day.
Rob Ward is the fifth president and second alumnus to serve the Oklahoma Arts Institute at Quartz Mountain, a private, non-profit organization with a mission to provide exceptional multidisciplinary arts experiences that develop individual talent and inspire a lifelong passion for the arts.
Originally from McAlester, Ward was a three-time chorus student with institute, in addition to serving an additional 15 summers as a counselor, counselor coordinator, technical director and faculty member. In addition to receiving degrees in vocal music education and choral conducting from Oklahoma State University, Southern Methodist University and the University of North Texas, Ward has taught middle, high school and university choirs. We caught up with Ward and picked his brain on …
Photo courtesy Rob Ward
… the unique perspective he brings to this role.
There is no substitution for having experienced the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute firsthand. I wish we could get more supporters to Quartz Mountain to see what we do! I wonder if people roll their eyes sometimes when we say things like: “This experience may change your life,” but I’m proof of that statement. I met one of my greatest mentors at OSAI, who then recruited me to Oklahoma State and later to the University of North Texas. OSAI put me on a path to becoming a professional musician and conductor and I’ve never forgotten that.
…what makes Quartz Mountain so special.
My wife will tell you that Quartz Mountain is my ‘happy place,’ which is to say OAI is my ‘happy place.’ Having participated in the Summer Arts Institute, and now the Fall Arts Institute, in so many different capacities, the thing that amazes me is that it’s equally special, in each of those roles. I think the crux of it is that it’s rare to have the opportunity to set aside all of life’s demands to focus on something that feeds you. There is also something more, something intangible, that comes as a result of the many ways our programs and participants are supported.
We are lucky to call Quartz Mountain home because of our partnership with the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department. The setting alone is an inspiration, but it’s the folks who work at Quartz Mountain and Lookout Kitchen who make us feel at home. Then, to think that some of our participants are able to attend on scholarship due to the support of the State Legislature, State Department of Education, Oklahoma Arts Council, NEA, as well as a long list of foundations, corporations and private donors, amounts to this vast community of supporters who are lifting up some of Oklahoma’s most gifted artists and arts educators and saying: “We’ve got you, we’re proud of you and keep going!”
… his day-to-day.
I’m fortunate to work alongside some tremendous friends and colleagues, as well as a board of directors who care deeply about our organization and our mission. They are the ones who turn the wheels. What I find myself considering often is what our role to play in the larger arts/education community is. As we continue to run our programs, I see opportunity to connect with other organizations across the state. I want to know what others are doing so that I can lift them up when I have the opportunity. So aside from the day to day, I’d say I spend a fair amount of energy having conversations with stakeholders around the state to educate them about our programs, but also to get them thinking about the economic and cultural impact the arts can have in their communities.
… OAI’s other programming.
A program we piloted last year is the OAI Quartz Previews. These are short workshops we hold in various locations around the state to introduce students to the kind of work they would do at OSAI, while educating them about the audition process. Human nature tells us that we aren’t good enough or aren’t ready when it comes to auditioning for a program like OSAI. I tell students all the time that, “Yes, you are good enough, right now!” The reality is not every person who applies will be accepted, but that’s no different than a college application or job interview. Every time we put ourselves in that situation, we improve, we learn something about ourselves and we gain confidence for the next time we apply.
… what he wants to people to know about OAI.
I’m disappointed when I talk to an adult artist who grew up in Oklahoma who says, “I had no idea this opportunity was out there when I was young.” The thing I want everyone to know about OAI … is for them to know about OAI! Tell your friends, children, the teachers and administrators in your schools about this opportunity that is singular to Oklahoma! There are other programs around the country that are similar, but I’ve yet to find one that is just like the Oklahoma Arts Institute. We’re often told that Oklahoma has something truly special and unique in OAI.
… what he enjoys most about his role.
Prior to working for the Arts Institute, I was an educator, and the thing I most enjoyed were those lightbulb moments when the elements of your lesson came together in a moment of understanding. It’s not that different working for an arts institution where you plan and fundraise, negotiate and engineer a moment for others to be inspired or to find their purpose. Those moments seem so distant much of the time, but when you consider the thousands of moments over the last 47 years of the Arts Institute, you feel pretty special being part of that legacy.
… OAI’s offerings.
Along with the Summer Arts Institute for students ages 14-19, we hold a Fall Arts Institute for adults. OFAI is a series of all-inclusive, four-day workshops held over three different weekends in October at Quartz Mountain State Park. Any adult can attend these workshops, but scholarships and discounts are available for Oklahoma educators and Summer Arts Institute alumni.
… where we can find him outside the office.
My vice is golf, no doubt. But I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, going to great restaurants, attending arts, cultural and sporting events, cooking and, when time allows, travel.
There’s a popular saying in the homesteading movement: it all starts with chickens.
“Chickens are the first thing,” confirms Brandi Farnsworth. “We had them even when we lived in town.”
Brandi and her husband, Sean, own about 40 acres near Salina and are just down the road from Kevin and Rachel Pritchett, owners of Hidden Heights Farms and their partners in the Okie Homesteading Expo.
Both couples have ample followers on their YouTube channels, where they showcase the antics of fluffy animals and offer instruction on such topics as how to butcher a quail and how to trim goat hooves.
Brandi says her husband developed an interest in self-reliance while serving in the U.S. Marines.
“He wanted to raise children who would be able to take care of themselves,” she says. The couple has three daughters. “He’s a great girl-dad, and he wants them to be prepared in life.”
Homesteading these days differs from the traditional definition, where people obtained free land from the government and were required to make improvements. But it’s not a lifestyle that requires strict self-sufficiency.
“Modern homesteading is a good term to use,” Brandi says.
Rachel continues: “People have this idea that you have to make all your own clothes or whatever. We don’t live off the land 100%. You don’t have to do everything. There are all kinds of ways to be a homesteader.”
Homesteading – or living off your own land – continues to interest Oklahomans looking for that extra bit of independence. Photos courtesy Okie Homesteading
Finding a Niche
Family members each tend to contribute by doing what they love.
Rachel, for example, enjoys being out on their 20 acres with the goats, free-range chickens, pigs, bees, turkeys and geese.
“Kevin was more passionate about learning to can,” she says. “He loves the gardening and the food preservation. He loves cooking. So, we are a good balance.”
Two years ago, the Farnsworths made the switch from outside employment to full-time homesteading. Kevin still works off the farm; Rachel is now a stay-at-home parent to their son and daughter.
Rachel says their Hidden Heights Farm YouTube channels are the biggest revenue source from their acreage. The Farnsworths also earn money from YouTube, typically creating three videos a week for their channel, Keeping It Dutch, a reference to Sean’s nickname in the Marines.
“The audience gets really attached to our kids and our animals,” Brandi says. “A lot of people who can’t have this lifestyle kind of live vicariously through us. Others are inspired to get land themselves. It’s really heartwarming, the letters we receive.”
Homesteaders tend to lean toward specialty breeds.
The Farnsworths are crazy about Kune Kune pigs. Dorper sheep are next on their acquisition list.
The Pritchetts raise Spanish and Kiko goats, which are protected from predators by their Anatolian Shepherds.
Timber covers about half the Farnsworth property. They bought a sawmill and use wood for heat and building projects.
“We have a goal of getting more self-reliant every day,” Brandi says.
Rachel continues: “We do this because we love the lifestyle, and we want to raise our kids in this lifestyle. We want them to learn things that their ancestors did years ago.”
Peggy Helmerich stands in front of the Helmerich Award Author Wall.
Including this year’s recipient, 38 authors have been honored.
Photo by Stephanie Phillips
Because of one woman’s love for libraries, the Tulsa community has enjoyed visits from some of the world’s most prominent authors annually for nearly 40 years. The Peggy V. Helmerich Distinguished Author Award, given by the Tulsa Library Trust and the Tulsa City-County Library system, began in 1985 and has been importing top literary talent to Oklahoma ever since.
The award’s namesake is the first to mention that the effort takes a host of dedicated staff and volunteers each year. But Peggy V. Helmerich has a rich story to tell herself.
A Tulsa philanthropist and wife of late oilman Walter Helmerich III, Peggy Helmerich is a force to be reckoned with at 95. She stays busy with meetings with friends, church, trips to the gym and meals with her family; she especially enjoys lunches with her three-year-old great-granddaughter. Family is very important to her – but another theme that has run steady throughout her life is her love for stories. And she’s an accomplished story-teller herself.
After attending Northwestern University, Helmerich was an actress in Hollywood in the 1950s. She can fascinate and delight with stories from this era and the plots from movies she made. She is probably best known for her role in 1950’s Harvey with Jimmy Stewart.
One story she relates gives insight into Stewart’s character. She tells how she invited some friends from Athens, Georgia – her hometown – to go to the studio with her while they were shooting Harvey.
“In walks Jimmy Stewart,” she tells me. “He said, ‘How are you?’ Well, those girls almost fell out of their chairs!”
He sat down with her friends and asked where they were from.
“They were so cute with him,” says Helmerich. “You know, being from a little town and far, far, away, and here he was, being just precious to them.”
But dazzling stories about Hollywood aren’t the only ones Helmerich can share. She also recalls wonderful memories from each of the authors she and the library have recognized over the years through the Distinguished Author Award. Including the masterful Amor Towles being honored later this year, 38 authors have received the award, visited Tulsa and captivated library-loving audiences.
Helmerich remembers an author who wouldn’t fly to Tulsa … but wanted to drive cross-country instead, and one who loved the local museums so much that they wouldn’t leave in a timely manner. All in all, Helmerich is enchanted by each and every one of them. And she can describe the looks, mannerisms and personal quirks of all of them, too. She sums up the experience as “great fun. We’ve just had fabulous people.”
One of the best of Helmerich’s stories details the turning point of her early life, how she met her husband and left Hollywood behind.
She was in New York to make a movie, but was getting ready to return home when a friend talked her into attending the opening of the movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. She was on the rooftop of the St. Regis Hotel. Peggy’s date, arranged by said friend, was distracted by another woman, when that woman’s date turned to Peggy and said: “Hi! Would you like to dance? I’m Walt Helmerich.”
They continued to date while Walt attended Harvard Business School and Peggy lived in Los Angeles. Then, during one trip to the west coast to see her, Walt proposed. A 60-year marriage (until his death in 2012), five boys, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren followed – a fairytale of a love story.
Love is evident in her voice when Helmerich speaks of her husband.
“Walt and I were just so, I felt, right. He was kind of wonderful.”
And that’s why she left Hollywood behind to move to Tulsa and build her family.
Peggy and Walt Helmerich have created a legacy of philanthropy throughout Tulsa and the state, supporting many causes they cared about deeply. But the cause that is clearly very close to her heart continues to be the library, the Distinguished Author Award and its associated gala.
“Our library gala was to get people and mothers and their children interested in the library,” she says. “But [the library] is such a treasure chest of things we might want to know.”
One book that brings her joy these days is Library Lion – it recounts a charming tale of an unusual visitor to his local library, and the lessons learned about welcoming those around us. The story dovetails well with how Helmerich feels about libraries.
“It’s just such a wonderful thing to watch kids listen to the Library Lion,” says Helmerich. “It’s just a wonder what you can visualize and imagine and just sort of feed on; it feeds your soul. That’s what’s so important to me. Libraries in a community make a community. If [libraries] are not so important, then intellect is not so important and thinking is not so important and using your brain is not so important. [Libraries are] a good source of all kinds of interesting things.”
The Future CEO camp is Build in Tulsa’s free, week-long summer camp for middle and high schoolers. Students learn the fundamentals of starting a business, and the event culminates with a pitch competition featuring $10,000 in cash prizes. Photo courtesy Build in Tulsa
The mission of Build in Tulsa, says managing director Ashli Sims, is to “close the racial wealth gap in America by catalyzing the creation of multi-generational Black wealth through tech and entrepreneurship. We are committed to providing opportunities for minority entrepreneurs who have historically been denied resources and funding.”
The company was conceptualized in late 2020, “on the eve of the 100-year commemoration of the 1912 Tulsa Race Massacre,” says Sims. “At the turn of the century, Tulsa was the epicenter of Black wealth, with more Black millionaires than any other place in the country. This vision began Build in Tulsa operations in summer 2021.”
Just two years later, Build in Tulsa’s community includes 361 entrepreneurs, with $7.3 million invested in early-stage start-ups, and the facilitation of almost 5,000 hours of training and coaching. The project provides numerous services including training and workshops to get founders accelerator-ready, one-on-one business coaching, mentoring, networking and the facilitation of connections to a spectrum of capital sources.
“Build in Tulsa is also addressing some of the barriers that many Black entrepreneurs face by providing free co-working spaces, cost of living assistance, funding for technology and other aid,” says Sims. “Some of our most popular programs include BUILD UP, a tech start-up school that teaches entrepreneurs, or future entrepreneurs, the fundamentals of starting a business over eight weeks. Over the course of three BUILD UP programs, Build in Tulsa has trained approximately 139 entrepreneurs.”
The program is also working to increase representation of women in entrepreneurship and in the tech field in general. Since 2021, Build in Tulsa has hosted “Female Founders Pitch Night” events, awarding almost $113,000 to 47 female founders. As a pitch competition, the event includes ten to 12 hours of training, a workshop on Business Model Canvas, practice sessions and one-on-one coaching.
“Build in Tulsa hosts ‘Future CEO Camp,’ which is a week-long free summer camp that teaches middle and high school students the basics of entrepreneurship, culminating in a pitch competition featuring cash prizes,” Sims adds.
Oklahomans looking to get involved can visit Build in Tulsa’s website, buildintulsa.com, and sign up for the newsletter.
“That will keep you up to date on all Build in Tulsa activities, and all the opportunities to take advantage of programming,” says Sims. “We rely on the generous support of donors to keep our programming free.”
Build in Tulsa also looks for those who possess business expertise and are willing to serve as mentors.
Empowering Black Entrepreneurs
A life-long Tulsan, Ashli Sims spent 10 years in local television news, in addition to serving as an advocate for vulnerable children and as a nonprofit leader.
“At the heart of our work is a network of business accelerators that pair skills development, networking and funding to elevate Black entrepreneurs,” she says. “We partner with four accelerators, including ACT Tulsa, W.E. Build, Build in Tulsa Techstars and Lightship Foundation, designed to meet underrepresented Black and Brown entrepreneurs wherever they are in their business development journey.”
Photo credit and caption:The Future CEO camp is Build in Tulsa’s free, week-long summer camp for middle and high schoolers. Students learn the fundamentals of starting a business, and the event culminates with a pitch competition featuring $10,000 in cash prizes. Photo courtesy Build in Tulsa
An historic neighborhood in the heart of Oklahoma City offers an area for artists to create, collaborate and connect with the community.
It’s also a place where people can shop at galleries, stores and boutiques, dine at a variety of restaurants and gaze at buildings that feature colorful Spanish revival architecture.
The Paseo Arts District has become known as a unique arts destination in a two-block area north of downtown Oklahoma City.
“It’s a great place to come down and spend a couple of hours,” says Amanda Bleakley, executive director of the Paseo Arts Association.
The district offers “the largest concentration of art galleries in the state,” along with retail stores and restaurants within walking distance, Bleakley says.
The Paseo Arts District features more than 20 galleries and also hosts the annual Paseo Arts Festival, a First Friday Gallery Walk each month and art and photography exhibitions.
It’s also rich with history. The Paseo Arts District was built in 1929 as the first shopping district north of downtown Oklahoma City and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, according to the district’s website, the paseo.org.
Bleakley says the neighborhood has grown through the decades, but the vision for the area remains the same: to have space for artists to grow, connect with others and showcase their work … and to have a place to enhance the arts in the community.
“All the property owners believe in this creative space. That’s why they’ve invested their money into the buildings,” says Bleakley. “We want to nurture and protect what’s been created here.”
Denice Erway, owner of Wildfire Gallery on Paseo, says she believes the area’s longevity is due to its focus on the arts and its vibrant atmosphere.
“I think the Paseo is successful because of the commitment to the Oklahoma City arts community,” Erway says. “We provide a unique shopping experience with wonderful art, local shops and second-to-none local dining.”
The ever-growing Paseo Arts District will celebrate its centennial in 2029. Photos courtesy the Paseo Arts Association
How to Support Local Artists/Art Scenes
Have a heart for the arts but not sure how you can specifically help in your community? Consider these suggestions from Bleakley and Erway:
Go to arts festivals and visit galleries.
Buy art from local artists. “Art elevates life. We as a society need art to help tell our story, to unite our communities and simply add beauty,” says Erway. “When you buy local art, you make it possible for the process to continue.”
Offer space for artists. “I think offering affordable space, whether it be a gallery or a studio, is really important,” Bleakley says. “I hope, in the future, that all the communities in Oklahoma will have a place like the Paseo Arts District where they’ll have a concentration of retail and galleries and restaurants for people to go and see and experience.”
