Juneteenth lights up Greenwood

Tulsa's Juneteenth festival fills the historic Greenwood District, Billy Ray Cyrus and Clay Walker bring the country, David Sedaris reads downtown, and the summer markets are in full swing. Here is what is worth your time.

The one thing

Juneteenth is the heart of the week, and Tulsa throws one of the biggest celebrations in the country. The festival fills the historic Greenwood District, the home of Black Wall Street, with the main day on Saturday, June 20, running from early afternoon late into the night. Expect national headliners and local artists on the stage, an open mic, food trucks, vendors, and workshops, plus a 1 mile and 5k run and walk through the neighborhood that morning. It is free, it is downtown, and it is the most meaningful block party Tulsa puts on all year. Come hungry, stay late, and take in the history all around you.

Live music and comedy

The week leans country, with a couple of good detours.

David Sedaris opens the week with an evening of his sharp, funny essays at Magic City Books on Monday, June 15.
Billy Ray Cyrus brings decades of hits to Hard Rock Live on Thursday, June 18.
Clay Walker plays a rescheduled date at the Osage Event Center on Friday, June 19, a solid night of nineties country.
Rockers She Hates Me Not close out the week at The Vanguard on Saturday, June 20.

See the full concert calendar for everything on sale.

Festivals and free stuff

The Juneteenth run and walk kicks off Saturday morning in Greenwood, a 1 mile and 5k that doubles as the festival's warm up.
The Cherry Street Farmers Market runs Saturday morning, the best spot for local produce, coffee, and a slow start to the weekend.
The Downtown Midweek Market is back Wednesday evening at Santa Fe Square, with vendors and fresh food after work.
Gathering Place stays free all summer, with splash pads, the adventure playground, and a full calendar of outdoor programming along the river.

Sports

The Tulsa Drillers are on the road this week, so ONEOK Field is quiet for now. They are back the following weekend, June 26 to 28, with the fireworks nights that are one of the best cheap outings of the summer.

On the horizon

July 4 week comes fast, and downtown and the river fill up with fireworks and festivals. We will have the full rundown in next week's edition. For now, soak up Juneteenth and the long summer evenings.