Construction on Pride Street won’t stop the LGBTQ+ community from celebrating in downtown Tulsa Saturday — but it is forcing organizers to move the festival down the road.
Thanks to an army of orange cones outside the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center on 4th Street, Tulsa Pride is moving to 6th Street and Frankfort Avenue. Oklahomans for Equality first moved the event from June to October in 2024 to avoid extreme summer heat.
Here’s a guide on what to expect and where to find friends new and old Oct. 17.
What to expect
Organized by Oklahomans for Equality, the free festival is from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with a parade set to begin at 4 p.m. and performances running throughout the day. The event features a vendor market, bar, food trucks, kids zone and a main stage. The portion of Frankfort Avenue between 5th and 6th streets will be closed for the entirety of Tulsa Pride.
No open containers or alcohol, weapons, scooters, bicycles or animals are allowed on the grounds. Bags are subject to inspection, and reusable water bottles are welcome. Outside commercial liquids are restricted. There is street parking nearby, along with paid lots downtown.
The parade kicks off at the Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, 1301 S. Boston Ave., and continues up Boston before turning at 6th Street. Participants will continue east past the festival grounds until finishing on Madison Avenue.
A slate of drag performers, including top finishers from “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” will take the stage around 7:15 p.m. Attendees can meet Blackberri of “The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula,” Lexi Love and Sam Star of “Drag Race” and Tulsa’s own Karma Eclectic before the show for $25.
Pride meetups to check out
Queer Women’s Collective, a monthly meetup group, will gather at Elote Cafe & Catering, 514 S. Boston Ave., at 2:30 p.m. Saturday before walking to the parade route around 4 p.m.
Fresh off her “Queer Tulsa” photo exhibition, Liz Cousins is starting a Queer Camera Club to bring together LGBTQ+ photographers. Its first meetup is at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Chapman Green, 605 S. Main St., where the group will find a spot to photograph the parade. All ages are welcome, with monthly meetups to follow. Bring a camera — and yes, a phone counts.
Before heading to the parade, stop by the Tulsa Flyer and The Oklahoma Eagle’s Pride event from noon to 3:30 p.m. at 101 E. Archer St. The free event will feature a barter market, where you can swap handmade goods, seeds, clothes, services or stories. Attendees can also expect programming from Black Queer Tulsa, a connection circle and an open mic. RSVP is required.
And while the official event wraps up Oct. 17, you can find Tulsa Pride events throughout October.
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