Community Calendar

Visit Ralph Ellison Library for a poem a day during National Poetry Month, featuring different poets, eras, and subjects. You just might find a new favorite! You can read a poem in the library or we'll give you a copy of today's poem to take home. Have a suggestion for a poem to share with others, either one you've written or a favorite? We'd love to make it one of our poems. We also have plenty of poetry books for all ages to take home and read or write your own.

Featuring over 60 animatronic dinosaurs, skeletons, photo ops, and rides - Dinosaur Expedition will engage guests with prehistoric creatures from the Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Triassic Periods. Identify which OKC Zoo animals are the living relatives of the dinosaurs that once roamed the earth, and how supporting the Zoo's conservation efforts can help save these species!

The 60th Annual Festival of the Arts takes place April 23–26, 2026 in Bicentennial Park in downtown Oklahoma City, celebrating six decades of art, music, food, and community. Presented by MidFirst Bank and Inasmuch Foundation, the four-day festival features over 140 visual artists, 100+ performances, and dozens of food vendors, along with interactive art experiences and family-friendly activities.

Highlights include Sculpture Park, hands-on creative spaces for all ages, the Youth Art Sale, and the Fresh Paint mural competition. The event transforms downtown into a vibrant cultural “mini city” and continues its tradition as Oklahoma City’s signature spring celebration of the arts.

We’re bringing stories to life with Stories & Specimens at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History! In this engaging program, children are invited to gather for a lively story time, where fascinating tales spark curiosity and set the stage for exploration. Each session dives into a themed topic, connecting stories to science and cultural history with museum objects that let kids see, touch, and discover in our interactive Discovery Room. Best of all, Stories & Specimens is included free with museum admission, making it the perfect way for young learners to enjoy interactive storytelling and hands-on exploration all in one visit!

Explore Jakian Parks: The Black Land. Though the lens of photographer Jakian Parks, Oklahoma’s Black rodeo culture becomes both symbol and setting for survival, resurgence and celebration. Much like the rodeo itself, The Black Land connects the past and present, situating the American West as a living archive and center stage for Black cattlemen and cowboys alike. The Black Land honors the dignity, beauty and power of Black equestrian life as a living tradition of cultural and historical significance.

For more information: 405-951-0000, okcontemp.org/jakianparks

Explore Anthony McCall's groundbreaking "solid light" works in the North American debut of Anthony McCall: Solid Light. Presented in collaboration with Tate, UK, visitors will experience breaktaking interactive light sculptures in Oklahoma Contemporary's Eleanor Kirkpatrick Main Gallery.

For more information: 405-951-0000, okcontemp.org/solidlight

Image: Installation photography of Anthony McCall: Solid Light exhibition at Tate Modern, June 27, 2024–June 29, 2025. © Anthony McCall; Photo © Tate.

Known as Oklahoma City's annual "rite of spring," the Festival of the Arts is a six-day community celebration of the visual, culinary and performing arts. A local tradition since 1967, Festival of the Arts features creative works by artists from across the nation.
The Festival of the Arts is also famous for its International Food Row. Guests can choose between sampling delicious ethnic food or staying with tried-and-true festival favorites after browsing through the unique artwork. Enjoy nonstop performing arts and entertainment, as well as street performers roaming the grounds. In addition, kids can complete hands-on crafts in the Children's Art Field area for a small fee. Families can also enjoy face painting and visit Pottery Place and Sculpture Park for more fun.

Spend your Thursday evenings exploring OKCMOA’s latest exhibitions at a discounted rate! Enjoy city vibes on the Patio, then complete your visit with a stroll through the Museum Store. The Store features a full bar with cocktails, beer, wine, and grab-and-go sweet and savory items from Ganache Patisserie.

Note: Film screenings during Art After 5 require a separate ticket purchase. Some special programming during Art After 5 may also require a separate ticket purchase.

In partnership with ArtPrize and Firehouse Art Center, we're bringing Pitch Night to Oklahoma! Five artists will take the stage for five minutes each on April 23, 2026, pitching bold, original concepts to a panel of five jurors—all competing for a $10,000 grant to bring their work to life at the 2026 ArtPrize event (September 17–October 3, 2026).

Pitch Night Oklahoma is open to the public and promises an evening full of energy, creativity, and bold thinking. Enjoy a social hour with catered food and a cash bar before the artists take the stage!

For more information: 405-951-0000, okcontemp.org/artprize

Avatar is bringing their 'Don't Go In The Forest 2026 Tour' to The Criterion in OKC on April 23rd!

Support subject to change.
Door times subject to change.