And thanks for sharing this footage, Keith!]
An old-time oil town, Tulsa lies about 110 miles northeast of Oklahoma City and contains one of the most significant concentrations of commercial art deco architecture in the world - dozens of well-preserved buildings tower over Tulsa’s attractive downtown. This is a prosperous city whose residential architecture also makes for worthwhile scenic driving. All that old oil money also supports a lively ballet, opera, philharmonic, and Broadway-style theater series, most of it hosted at the impressive Tulsa Performing Arts Center. The city's gay and lesbian community has grown considerably in visibility over the years, and hundreds of GLBT folks convene annually for the Tulsa Pride & Diversity parade and festival in early June. In 2009, the celebration - which is sponsored by Oklahomans for Equality - takes place on Saturday, June 6.
Book rooms and compare rates at hotels in Tulsa during Gay Pride
Tulsa Gay Pride features a Diversity Festival, which runs from 11 am until 11 pm, on Saturday, June 6, at Centennial Park (which is at E. 6th St. and S. Peoria Ave. There are rides and games for kids (i.e., water slides) and adults (i.e., rock-climbing wall, mechanical bull - woohoo!), plus plenty of food for participants, and a chance to meet and hobnob with local gay-friendly businesses, churches, and associations.
This year's Pride Festival includes a concert by band Eric & the Adams, fronted by popular local folk-rocker, the very handsome Eric Himan. The band performs at 9 pm.
There's also a Tulsa Pride Parade held the evening of the festival (June 6) at 7:30 pm. It kicks off in the historic Brady Arts District at Brady and Main Sts. and proceeds southeast to finish at the festival grounds in Centennial Park.
Of course, additionally, local gay bars as well as gay-friendly restaurants, hotels, and shops will be packed with revelers during Pride weekend. Check local gay papers, such as Metro Star News, for details.
