Festival Info

Mayfest elevates the promotion of visual and performing arts through a free, family-friendly, three-day, outdoor festival in the downtown Tulsa Arts District and Historic Greenwood District. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Tulsa's Mayfest and the first presented by The University of Tulsa.

2023 Mayfest Hours

Friday, May 12, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Saturday, May 13, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Sunday, May 14, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Thanks to the generosity of The University of Tulsa and Mayfest sponsors, the festival continues to operate free of charge to the public. Mayfest is a pet-friendly festival for well-behaved, leashed pets that are current on their vaccinations. No outside food, beverages or coolers are allowed at Mayfest. With all the amazing libations and tasty treats available for sale onsite and nearby, there are ample dining options.

Location

Mayfest takes place in downtown Tulsa between North Greenwood Avenue to the east, North Main Street to the west, East Cameron Street to the north and East Archer Street to the south.

Offering a wide variety of media, aesthetics and price-points, Mayfest brings together serious art connoisseurs as well as casual art lovers. Scheduled May 12-14, Mayfest is one of the first national art festivals of the summer season, attracting exceptional visual artists from around the globe and across the city to sell their original works. Mayfest also features four stages for performances including dance, theater, vocal and instrumental entertainment, as well as food vendors representing a wide variety of Tulsa’s foodie fare.

Located in the Tulsa Arts District and Historic Greenwood District, Mayfest is held alongside many locally owned galleries, retailers and restaurants. Festival organizers encourage visitors to visit shops and eateries throughout the neighborhoods. The districts are also home to several museums and experiences. Admission and entrance procedures associated with those venues will be posted at each location.

Parking

Parking is available throughout downtown at on-street locations as well as area lots and garages. A Tulsa Arts District parking guide can be found here. Free shuttles are available from two locations during Mayfest.

About the Art

Juried artists can be from anywhere, including Tulsa. They apply through zapplication.org, the internationally recognized online resource for artists and festivals. Their work is reviewed by an independent jury for selection and is eligible for festival awards.

Local artists are from Tulsa and surrounding areas. Their work is received by an independent committee for selection, but they are not eligible for festival awards.

Mayfest features only original, handmade works of art in a variety of media, including clay, digital media, drawing/pastel, glass, graphics/printmaking, jewelry, leather/fiber, metal, mixed media, painting, photography, wood and more.

Food, health/beauty items and mass-produced items are not accepted by the Mayfest committee. This rule applies to commercially produced works; commercially modeled ceramics, sculpture or jewelry; and items made from kits or assembled from pre-manufactured components or inclusions.

Artist booths are open Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Festival hours exceed these times, but this is when the visual artists are required to be available in their booths to festival guests. Festival volunteers rotate through artist booths to allow artists to take short breaks periodically.