This story originally ran on VeloCityOKC.com.
The Oklahoma City Plaza District is a space of bustling activity consumed with the arts, local businesses and community engagement, all occurring along NW 16th Street.
The Plaza District is home to galleries, studios, shops, venues, dining and drinking experiences, theatres and more. The district thrives on community engagement, with open enrollment for dance or painting studios, retail shops filled with local artists’ work, and creative businesses, such as tattoo studios or hair salons, around every corner.
The Plaza District would not be the hub of local community events and businesses it is today without the Plaza District Association and the Plaza Business Alliance. These two organizations worked diligently for 21 years to recover the district from poverty and crime, and turn the neighborhood into a creative vision of diversity and opportunity for growth and revitalization through vibrant art, entertainment, local business and community events.
To uphold this promise of the Plaza District’s vision, the district hosts ‘LIVE! On the Plaza’ every second Friday of the month from 6 to10 p.m. LIVE! On the Plaza is a free block party that features live music, local artists, shopping and vendors for both dining and drinking.
Kicking off the event will be COOP Ale Works’ pint night located at UP-DOWN. Then, from 4 to 8 p.m., Everything Goes Dance Studio will host a Taylor Swift Eras Camp for ages 7 and up.
An artist vendor market will be open throughout the event on the district’s west end. This market will feature Brian Landreth, Cosmic Curiosities, Danae’s Divinity, DeLovesRobots Art, Jessica Addai, Jessie Rosenfelt Art, Kat Hadlock Art, L. Burleson Art, Renalyn Arts, Starbound Bear Art, Thrumyeyez, To Glass Unknown, Astac Art, Kcutecraft, The Feral Company and Okie Artifacts.
From 6-10 p.m., Bison Rocks will provide live music near Bad Granny’s Bazaar, and ARKANNA will have a DJ set by the Terra Stone building. At 7 p.m., the What I Do Concert Series will start at Gatewood and 16th, featuring DREAMSICKLE, daychaser and panhandle. At the Grand Royale bar, the local band showcase will start at 9 p.m., with special guests Prom Mom, Belle Riots and Potoo.
As for the dance atmosphere, The Sultry Femmes will be set up district wide, CHROME Dance will be set up at Grand Royale bar and Groovemeant Community Dance will be near Frio’s Corner.
Other vendors include Taylor Trucker Hats Pop Up at RADBAR, which will host an extended happy hour and open the outdoor bar area. The Treatment Room will have free B12 shots from 6 to 8 p.m. Dig It OKC will have its own artist pop up during the event, along with chalk art and music.
Aurora will host its own pop up, “Under the Rainbow,” at their site. The Mule will have its Prairie Pink Night, and Empire Slice House will sell “Midnight Cowboy” by the slice.
The Friends of the Plaza VIP area will be open from 6:30 to 8 p.m., with the location to be announced later.
If you want to immerse yourself into the artistic culture of OKC, the Plaza District’s LIVE on the Plaza is a great way to start. This summer block party is the best way to gain a culturally diverse experience through the arts, entertainment, local business and community.
