Anna’s 2014 List of Cheap or Free Family Fun in Tulsa
READING PROGRAMS
Tulsa Library summer reading program, "FIZZ. BOOM. READ."
Go into any library and sign up, and then get prizes and coupons for free things for reading certain number of books over the summer (younger children can be read to). We started doing it at about age 2, and they have programs up through teens. There are also TONS of other library activities going on this summer – too many to list, but you can find more info about the summer reading program at this link including a schedule of hundreds of fun and educational events and activities:
http://kids.tulsalibrary.org/whatshappening/events/10_summer-reading.phpImagination’s Destination -- Free Reading Reward Program - Barnes & Noble, grades 1-6
Fun and easy way for kids to earn free books. They simply read any eight books — library books, books borrowed from friends or books bought at the store — track them in the downloadable journal, and bring it in to a Barnes & Noble bookstore to get a free book. For more information and to download a journal or an Activity Kit,http://www.barnesandnoble.com/summerreading/
SUMMER MOVIE PROGRAMS
Cinemark Theater Summer Movie Club
Thursdays at 10 am at Cinemark, 6808 S. Memorial.
*All 10 movies can be purchased in advance for $5, or can be purchased separately at the box office for $1 per show. For more info:
http://www.cinemark.com/images/smc2014/SMC-BW%20Flyer%2029.pdf2014 Schedule
June 5 Night at the Museum
June 12 Ice Age-The Meltdown
June 19 Epic
June 26 The Croods
July 3 Turbo
July 10 Smurfs 2
July 17 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
July 24 Walking with Dinosaurs
July 31 The Lego Movie
Aug. 7 Rio 2
Regal Summer Movie Express
Regal Promenade Palace Stadium 12, 41st & Yale
$1 movies at 10 am Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Will Rogers Institute.
http://www.regmovies.com/Movies/Summer-Movie-Express Week Title
1 Hotel Transylvania
1 The Smurfs 2
2 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
2 The Pirates: Band of Misfits
3 Arthur Christmas
3 Despicable Me 2
4 Lego
4 Free Birds
5 Adventures of TinTin
5 Rise of the Guardians
6 Kung Fu Panda 2
6 Madagascar 3
7 The Croods
7 Epic
8 Turbo
8 Walking with Dinosaurs
9 Mr. Peabody & Sherman
9 Rio 2
Broken Arrow Thursday Night Theater
Free outdoor movie series, each Thursday night in June, at Central Park, 1500 S. Main St. Movies begin around 9 pm or when it is dark enough. Bring blankets or chairs, food may be brought or purchased.
June 5 The Wizard of Oz
June 12 All Dogs Go to Heaven
June 19 Finding Nemo
June 26 Spiderman
FREE SUMMER MUSIC
Starlight Concert Series
Longstanding Tulsa free concert series, now held at held at Guthrie Green (111 E. Brady). All concerts begin at 8 pm. For more information go to
http://www.starlightbands.net/ Tuesday, June 24 Concert Band Theme: Americana Night
Tuesday, July 1 Concert Band Theme: Let's Dance!
Tuesday, July 8 Jazz Orchestra Theme: Jazz under the Stars
Friday, July 11 Concert Band Theme: That's Entertainment
Tuesday, July 15 Concert Band Theme: Night at the Movies
Tuesday, July 22 Concert Band Theme: At Your Request
Friday Aug. 1 Jazz Orchestra Theme: Jazz under the Stars
Thursday Night Live concerts in Broken Arrow
Thursday nights at the Farmers Market Plaza (418 S. Main). Bring your own lawn chair and refreshments. 7:00 pm till 8:30 pm free and open to the public.
May 15 Tulsa Metro Sound (Women's Acapella)
May 22 Tim and Gary Show
May 29 Jim Ragsdale and David Thayer
June 5 Dan Martin
June 12 Acoustic Mojo
June 19 Gumbo Poets
June 26 Smith Brothers
July 10 Delaney Zumwalt
Summer’s 5th Night at Utica Square
Every Thursday through August, 7-9 pm. Utica Square’s summer concert series serves up everything from jazz to rock to country. Pack a picnic or dine at one of the center’s restaurants as you unwind to your favorite local bands. This one is popular with pre-driving teens because there is always a horde of them hanging around! Bring your own lawn chair and refreshments.
http://www.uticasquare.com/events/summers-fifth-nightMay 29 Mid-Life Crisis, Classic Rock
June 5 Zodiac, Pop/Rock
June 12 Light Opera Oklahoma, Musical Theater
June 19 Bop Cats, Rock & Roll
June 26 Admiral Twin, Pop/Rock
July 3 Mary Cogan, Country Rock
July 10 Starr Fisher Ensemble, R&B
July 17 Luxtones, Classic Rock
July 24 Usual Suspects, Rock & Roll
July 31 Red Dirt Rangers, Red Dirt Country
Aug. 7 Traveler, Rock
KingsPointe Village Summer Concert Series
At 61st & Yale, next to the Yale entrance, third Friday of every month, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
http://www.kpvtulsa.com/events/events.htmMay 16 Mary Cogan & Grady Nichols
June 20 Alaska & Madi from The Voice's Team Blake
July 18 The Fabulous Mid Life Crisis Band
First Friday Concerts at LaFortune Park.
Concerts run 7-9 pm at LaFortune Garden Park (5202 S. Hudson). This is a free concert, open to the public. Dogs on leash are always welcome. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy an evening of music in an outdoor setting.
June 6 Three Hour Tour
July 11 Hot Rod and the Cruisers
Aug. 1 Travis Kidd Country Rock
Sept. 5 The Dirtbox Wailers
Free concerts at the Riverwalk (96th street and west bank of Arkansas River in Jenks). Concerts run 7-10 pm at the amphitheater. Free and open to the public.
http://riverwalktulsa.com/Saturday, May 24 Mid-Life Crisis Band
Saturday, May 31 Red Dirt Rangers
Juneteenth Gospel Festival, June 21
Guthrie Green. Free. This Juneteenth Festival celebrates the sounds of African American Gospel Music by featuring; soloist, choirs and quartet groups, performing Negro spirituals, ole time gospel and contemporary gospel music.
June 21, 6:30-11:30 pm
Aaaaand, if you can’t get enough Mid-Life Crisis at the other venues, the popular cover band will be performing free outdoor concerts each month at the Shops at Seville at 101st and Yale on Thursdays -- May 15, June 12 and Aug. 21.
PARKS PROGRAMS
City of Tulsa Parks. Unless otherwise noted, call 596-PARK (7275) for information.
Pools
Admission fees and hours vary. The 5 pools scheduled to open this summer are:
Lacy ($1), 2134 N. Madison Pl. Open Tues.-Sun, noon-6pm
McClure ($2), 7440 E. 7th St. Open Tues.-Sun, noon-6pm.
Reed ($1), 4233 S. Yukon Ave. Open Tues.-Sat, 1pm-7pm.
Berry (Free), 5002 N. Wheeling. Open Mon.-Sat., noon-6 pm.
Whiteside-junior pool for age 14 and younger (Free), 4009 S. Pittsburg Ave. Open Mon.-Sat., noon-6 pm.
Beach Bash -- official pool opening. Saturday, May 31, noon-3 pm, at McClure Park Pool (7440 E. 7th St.) Kick off the Summer Pool season with music, pool games and more. Admission is free!
Team Tennis – June 2-July 19 at Hicks, Lacy, Reed and Whiteside parks.
Practice matches in June, and League play in July in four divisions for ages 6 through 18. Cost varies, includes t-shirt and awards. For info:
https://www.cityoftulsa.org/media/366186/TennisintheParksFlyer2014color.pdf Summer Day Camps
June 2-August 8. Registration has already begun. Ages 6-11. At various Community Centers. Rates vary. Includes traditional day camps and art and other specialty camps. For more information:
https://www.cityoftulsa.org/culture--recreation/tulsa-parks/community-centers/day-camps.aspx Other Tulsa Park events include classes in Martial Arts, Soccer, T-Ball, Gymnastics, Volleyball, Aerobics, Yoga, Pilates, Swim Lessons, and Dance. For more info:
https://www.cityoftulsa.org/culture--recreation/tulsa-parks/community-centers.aspxOxley Nature Center
In Mohawk Park – free. One of my favorite places in Tulsa! (Note you will have to pay a $2 parking fee for Mohawk on weekends if you aren’t a Zoo Friends or Oxley Nature Center member.)
With more than 9 miles of trails covering 804 acres, the Mary K. Oxley Nature Center at Mohawk Park is one of Tulsa’s treasures. The gates are open daily (except city holidays) 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and the trails are open as early as 7 a.m. or as late as 9 p.m. to hikers who park outside the gates. Visitors may pick up maps and trail information at the Oxley-Yetter Interpretive Building 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily. The Interpretive Building houses inter-active, hands-on exhibits explaining the local natural history. Gift shop, restrooms, drinking water and a classroom are also available. For more information, go tohttp://www.oxleynaturecenter.org/.
Redbud Valley Nature Preserve
More wild that Oxley, but wonderful spot for a hike! Free. Natural diversity is protected at Redbud Valley Nature Preserve. Located on North 161st East Avenue about 3.8 miles north of I-44, Redbud Valley Nature Preserve protects 220+ acres of unique plant and animal life. The rugged one-mile trail is open to hikers only when the gates are open: Wed.-Sun., 8 am-5 pm. The Barclay Visitor Center is open 11 am-3 pm. Pets are not permitted. The Preserve is closed every Monday and Tuesday, and most holidays. For more information, visit
http://www.oxleynaturecenter.org/redbud.htmTulsa County Parks also has swimming pools, summer camps and other programming at LaFortune, 51st & Yale –
http://www.parks.tulsacounty.org/parks.aspx?page=lafortune ; O’Brien, 6149 N. Lewis Ave. –http://www.parks.tulsacounty.org/parks.aspx?page=obrien and Chandler, 6500 West 21st St. –
http://www.parks.tulsacounty.org/parks.aspx?page=chandlerTurkey Mountain Wilderness Area
Open dawn to dusk. The 300-acre Wilderness stretches from I-44 to 71st Street on the west bank of the Arkansas River. This heavily-wooded property has miles of winding dirt trails and two large ponds. The main entrance at 67th and South Elwood offers landscaped parking – including an area for horse trailers – a restroom, climbing boulders, and flagstone walkways leading to the main trailhead. A map of the marked trails, which are shared by hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians, is located near the trailhead. The summit of Turkey Mountain rises 300 feet above the Arkansas River and offers a panoramic view of Tulsa. Crowded with roots and rocks, blessed with views of the Arkansas River, and basically untouched by humanity in general.
Guthrie Green Fitness on the Green
Free programs offered at Guthrie Green. A complete list here:
https://www.guthriegreen.com/fitness-green, but note that some are more adult-oriented. Two family friendly options:
Tai Chi, Mondays 5:30-6:30 pm
Improve balance, agility, strength and coordination with this ancient form of martial arts. It is low impact, puts little stress on muscles and joints, making it fairly safe for all ages and fitness levels. Bring a towel, water, and wear free flowing clothing..
Family Fitness, Saturdays 8- 9 am
A high-energy, family friendly class focused on interval training and fluid ground work exercises designed to develop a strong core in an effort to improve posture, endurance and burn the most calories. Using your body weight and our environment (benches, steps, hills, etc.) you will sculpt your arms, legs, backs, chest, abs, and everything in between while working on core and balance poses through the class. This class is specifically designed for all fitness levels.
The Most Amazing Race June 14
Starts at Guthrie Green at 10 am. This is a fundraiser for the Salvation Army, and the first year it has been done in Tulsa. As a diehard Amazing Race fan, I want to come watch! Teams of two people compete for prizes by completing challenges at popular spots in Downtown Tulsa. From the starting line, teams are given a clue leading them to another checkpoint and they must successfully complete challenges—following clues—until they reach the end of the race. The race combines challenges that are physical (running, climbing, jumping), mental (puzzle solving, strategizing), and sometimes even silly (dancing, eating contests)!
https://www.guthriegreen.com/event/614 
