<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-wwzmNtOOI/AAAAAAAABxE/pvNLdMlJECQ/s1600/4602425455_c38672d9ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="334" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-wwzmNtOOI/AAAAAAAABxE/pvNLdMlJECQ/s640/4602425455_c38672d9ed.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />If I could put together a slogan that would make everyone involved with <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Dome-Arts-Festival/146295766544">the Blue Dome Arts Festival</a> cringe, it would probably go a little something like this:<br /><br />Blue Dome Arts Festival: Like Mayfest, but a couple of blocks to the northeast.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>Why the folks at BDAF dislike that oft-made comparison is, Blue Dome Arts Festival isn't anything like Mayfest. Yeah, there are a variety of art and edible goodies vendors at BDAF, much like what someone would find at Mayfest. And yeah, there will be tons of artsy-fartsy people at BDAF, much like what someone would find at the art festival a few blocks south.<br /><br />But Blue Dome Arts Festival offers more of an indie feel, a grassroots atmosphere - almost like a group of artists just got together one weekend and decided to put up and bunch of tents and ply their wares. Think about it this way: As Mayfest is to McDonald's, Blue Dome Arts Festival is to your hometown, hole-in-the-wall burger joint. We all like and want them both in our lives.<br /><br />But, for very different reasons.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-wxUMeCJtI/AAAAAAAABxM/6gzFbCLmKrc/s1600/4603033638_417c0db46f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-wxUMeCJtI/AAAAAAAABxM/6gzFbCLmKrc/s640/4603033638_417c0db46f.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />Get more than 120 artists, an assortment of Tulsa's local bands and a special kids' section at this larger-than-ever Blue Dome Arts Festival, the flagship event for this burgeoning district of downtown Tulsa. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-wx27k6CRI/AAAAAAAABxU/5acU96SXGgk/s1600/4603040982_8700f6a336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="332" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-wx27k6CRI/AAAAAAAABxU/5acU96SXGgk/s640/4603040982_8700f6a336.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />This year's theme is "Come Explore the Blue Dome" - and you should do just that this weekend. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-wz1aRs1pI/AAAAAAAABxc/AU9VLpeRlfA/s1600/4603039092_86f9447bde.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="500" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-wz1aRs1pI/AAAAAAAABxc/AU9VLpeRlfA/s640/4603039092_86f9447bde.jpg" width="334" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-w0Bx2EwcI/AAAAAAAABxk/iU-Je35cAcU/s1600/4603032660_8522533a28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="334" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-w0Bx2EwcI/AAAAAAAABxk/iU-Je35cAcU/s640/4603032660_8522533a28.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-w0P6eIXWI/AAAAAAAABx0/YfnzZ63FOhk/s1600/4602415119_5364e72032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="334" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-w0P6eIXWI/AAAAAAAABx0/YfnzZ63FOhk/s640/4602415119_5364e72032.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-w0YvGIB7I/AAAAAAAABx8/ypMV27TCpAE/s1600/4602413715_88aa861bfd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="332" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-w0YvGIB7I/AAAAAAAABx8/ypMV27TCpAE/s640/4602413715_88aa861bfd.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />Yes, that's a Volvo. And, yes, those are singing lobsters.<br /><br />Worried about battling 400,000 other Tulsans for parking this weekend? Look for T-Town Trolley to provide transport from the TCC parking lot at 9th Street and Boston Ave. to the Blue Dome Arts Festival, as well as to Mayfest. Use of the parking lot will be free of charge to patrons of both festivals. <br /><br />There. Problem solved.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-w0j1MFCAI/AAAAAAAAByE/NMc-BIwey14/s1600/4602411451_283d4cb51e_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="334" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-w0j1MFCAI/AAAAAAAAByE/NMc-BIwey14/s640/4602411451_283d4cb51e_b.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />The Blue Dome Arts Festival kicks off along Elgin tomorrow (Friday) at 11am. They'll close up shop at 9pm and reopen Saturday from 11am-9pm. Sunday's hours are 11am-5pm. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-w08XBVQrI/AAAAAAAAByM/L2FOWNdueo4/s1600/4602417019_bca2a984bd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="500" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-w08XBVQrI/AAAAAAAAByM/L2FOWNdueo4/s640/4602417019_bca2a984bd.jpg" width="334" /></a></div><br />See you all there.<br /><br /><i>All photos by my soon-to-be Tulsa boomeranger friend (Tulsa boomeranger: Someone who tried to move away from Tulsa but then moved back because they missed it so danged much), <a href="http://havesporkwilltravel.blogspot.com/">Amanda Emerson</a>.</i>