I've always thought that to learn about other cultures, you have to travel to those places...and that makes my wallet hurt. But Tulsa presents so many cultures right here for us to experience! From panel discussions to day festivals and classes, there are so many opportunities for us to learn more about other cultures.
This month, let's check out some of Our Town's cultural festivals and events!
TULSA GREEK FESTIVAL
The Tulsa Greek Festival returns September 18th-20th on Guthrie Ave. 2025 marks the 65th year of this festival, making it the "longest running ethnic festival" here in Tulsa! This festival takes you through the Aegean islands, exploring the culture in various ways, through food, music, and art.
Expect to find a wide variety of traditional Greek foods, including souvlaki, lamb, and of course...gyros! For your sweet tooth, you can never go wrong with baklava, but switch it up, and try the finikia, kourambiedes, and koulourakia. Assorted boxes of pastries are offered as well! For drinks, I highly recommend the popular freddo cappuccino, which is an iced espresso drink with cold frothed milk! Adults can get traditional Greek wine and beer, along with the popular Greek ouzo.
For the fun events, there's traditional Greek music, with performances using the bouzouki (similar to a mandolin). Watch different types of Greek folk dancing, or join in and learn some new moves! OPA! Dancing not your thing? There's art and boutiques to shop, or join the fry eating contest! This festival also offers opportunities to learn more about the Greek Orthodox faith through church tours.
PAANO BARRIO FIESTA
PAANO, the Philippine American Association Nonprofit Organization, is dedicated to promoting and preserving Filipino culture and heritage right here in the sooner state. PAANO Barrio Fiesta is one of their main events, where Tulsans are welcome to learn about Filipino food, music, and dances. This year's fiesta will take place at the Tulsa Elks Lodge on Saturday, September 20th.
Spend the day tasting different Filipino food! You'll be able to find dishes such as Filipino adobo, usually made with pork or chicken, slowly cooked in a savory sauce. Or, you can try one of the most popular Filipino dishes, lechon! Lechon is a whole roasted pig, and is a beloved dish, embodying the vibrant Filipino culture.
The PAANO Barrio Fiesta also features traditional dances and music from the Philippines. You can catch performances of tinikling, which is a traditional folk dance that has risen in popularity here in the states. Tinikling involves dancers handling bamboo poles, beating them using rhythm patterns, while other dancers hop and turn while avoiding the poles. Games and other activities will take place during this festival, making it a place for everyone to enjoy.
FESTIVAL AMERICAS
The annual Festival Americas is held at Guthrie Green on Saturday, October 4th, marking the celebration during Hispanic Heritage Month. Festival Americas allows Tulsans of all ages to learn and experience Hispanic and Latin cultures across the Americas. This festival highlights authentic cuisines, art vendors, live music, and traditional dances.
Make sure to come hungry because there will be plenty of food trucks to try, showcasing different types of latin cuisines. One of my favorite food trucks is MASA. They have incredible empanadas filled with delicious meat (or you can get potato or cheese). Don't skip the shrimp and bacon bombs! You also can find latin-inspired cocktails, or non-alcoholic drinks such as aguas frescas or horchata.
Festival Americas also has latin music and traditional dance performances scheduled throughout the day on the stage at Guthrie Green. Sit back and learn a few moves, or just enjoy watching! There's also a wide variety of art vendors showcasing jewelry, purses, books, and more. Have the kids with you? Take them to get their face painted! (Or, get yours painted, too!)
OKTOBERFEST
One of the most popular festivals in Tulsa is the annual Zeeco Oktoberfest. This year, step into the Barvarian culture October 16th-19th, and enjoy a rollicking party modeled after Oktoberfest Munich in Barvaria, Germany. You can listen to live music, try German cuisines, and explore art vendors.
Come hungry, because there's a huge variety of food to grab! If you haven't yet, try out some authentic German brats, German potato salad, potato pancakes, and so much more! For your sweet treat, explore strudels or Barvarian cheesecake. For the 21+ readers, there are over 300 taps of German bier available to try...Prost!
On the entertainment side, you can stroll the grounds and check out art vendors and hear the German musicians who've traveled all the way here for a fun-filled lineup of music. Watch traditional dancing performances, and participate in the bier barrel racing and other competitions! (You can find meat the dachshund costume parade and race on Sunday.)
TURKISH FOOD & ART FESTIVAL
The next Turkish Food & Art Festival lands on October 25th in Broken Arrow at Raindrop Turkish House! This one day event is all about celebrating Turkish culture with traditional food and dance...but you'll find art vendors, too. You can buy art that is for sale, or sit back and watch demonstrations on how the art is created.
There's a variety of Turkish cuisines, like kebabs or pide, to give a try. A personal favorite Turkish dish I'd recommend trying is manti...a ravioli (usually made from scratch) with a creamy yogurt sauce. They also have pastries, such as baklava or simit -- perfect with Turkish coffee!
Take some time to check out the traditional Turkish dance performances throughout the day. And keep your eyes open for the art demonstrations, like a demo on the art of Ebru, which is a form of Turkish water marbling art. (Will there be art vendors? You bet!)
This story was originally shared in PRT's arts-and-culture newsletter Our Town. Subscribe here to get these stories first
