<a rel="attachment wp-att-8183" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2011/05/mayfest-2011-plus-a-giveaway/picture-5-12/"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-8183" title="Mayfest Photo from Mayfest Facebook" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Picture-52-500x332.png" alt="Mayfest Photo from Mayfest Facebook" width="500" height="332" /></a>

What do 120 artists, a mobile art bus, professional cloggers, a geological dig, 75 performers, something called a nacholupa and downtown Tulsa have in common?

Answer: The 39th annual <a href="http://www.tulsamayfest.org/">Tulsa International Mayfest</a>. And it's going on in downtown Tulsa this weekend.

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Google Tulsa's Mayfest and you'll soon figure out that a lot has been written about this mainstay springtime festival that has taken over the heart of downtown Tulsa each and every year since the early '70s. So rather than belabor what has already been said, I thought I'd give you all a quick tour of some of the things going on at Mayfest 2011 that have me chomping at the bit for the festival to open tomorrow morning.

And then <b>I'm going to give some cool Mayfest stuff away to one lucky TDT reader</b>.

But first, how about that tour?

<h3>Mayfest Cool No. 1: Bike Valet with Tulsa Hub</h3>
Useful trivia: <a href="http://www.tulsahub.org/">Tulsa Hub</a> is a local non-profit bicycle resource and bicycling advocacy organization promoting action transportation and human-power initiatives. This year at Mayfest Tulsa Hub will offer a no-charge secure bicycle valet, and they'll showcase bicycle art and engineering projects, too. Look also for info on local bicycling activities, educational opportunities and vehicular-cycling consciousness. Steer those handlebars to 3rd &amp; Main to secure your bike at Mayfest.

<h3>Mayfest Cool No. 2: Youth Art Gallery</h3>
The Youth Art Gallery, which can be found in the Tulsa Performing Arts Center (at 3rd and Cincinnati), will display art from over 500 talented students of Tulsa County at this year's Mayfest. That's a lot of youth art, y'all. The YAG will be open Thursday-Saturday 11am-6pm and Sunday 11am-3pm.

<h3>Mayfest Cool No. 3: Local Food Talk in the Invitational Gallery</h3>
Thanks to <a href="http://www.tulsagreendrinks.blogspot.com/">Tulsa Green Drinks</a>, the Invitational Gallery will host <i>Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food</i>, a panel discussion with Green Country farmers on Saturday at 6pm. Look also for vendors from the Cherry Street Farmers Market, who will take questions about the importance of sourcing food locally. It's all free and open to the public. You might want to pick up some wine from <a href="http://www.bluecoyotewinery.com/">Blue Coyote Winery</a>, based in Adair, Okla., afterward - they're providing the 2011 Mayfest private label wines this year, and they're available by the bottle or by the taste. 

<h3>Mayfest Cool No. 4: Green Gallery, PaperView</h3>
Tulsa continues to go green (Mayfest does, too), and this year's Mayfest specialty gallery will showcase art created in the spirit of our future as good citizens of the Earth. More than 20 Tulsa artists have created works made with reused, repurposed or recycled paper, and they'll be featured at this year’s Green Gallery. The opening reception of this show is Thursday night, from 5-7pm, and it's is free and open to the public - be sure to stop by and check out the work of Tulsa blogger and artist <a href="http://www.napkindad.com/">Marty Coleman, the creator of The Napkin Dad</a>. Find it in the Park Centre Building, at 525 S. Main Street. The gallery will be open and available Thursday 11am-7pm, Friday – Saturday 11am-6pm and Sunday 11am-3pm.

<h3>Mayfest Cool No. 5: Live Music, Performing Arts</h3>
75 performances. Three stages. A host of local and regional bands and acts, ranging from alternative rock to troupes of professional cloggers. How can you lose?

<h3>Mayfest Cool No. 6: KidZone</h3>
We've all seen the Mayfest KidZone before, but this year, it's built to be bigger and beefier. Kids can create art projects, chase bubbles, draw with sidewalk chalk, play catch in the park and listen live music on the KidZone Stage. Plus, there's a fossil dig tent this year. No, really. A <em>fossil dig</em>. And kids can take home what they find there. Win. Find it all at 6th and Main.

<h3>Mayfest Cool No. 7: Art in Motion. Literally.</h3>
The Mayfest KidZone will feature a live painting of a 35-foot Tulsa Transit bus by students of the <a href="http://tulsagirlsartschool.org/">Tulsa Girls’ Art School</a> on Saturday. Find this piece of moveable art at the H.A. Chapman Centennial Green; it all begins Saturday beginning at 11am.

<h3>Mayfest Cool No. 8: The Mayfest Mural</h3>
When you're new in town, it's probably not a good first gesture of goodwill to paint over a four-year progressive mural. But unfortunately, when the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Second Street became the Hyatt Regency, that's what happened. The mural has been headed toward reinstallation since earlier this month, though, thanks to muralist William Franklin.

<h3>And Now: Win some Mayfest stuff.</h3>

Here's what's up for grabs, a package that's sure to help you celebrate Mayfest to the fullest this year:
<ul>
	<li>A $50 gift card toward the purchase of art to be used during the festival;</li>
	<li>Two Mayfest t-shirts ($30 value);</li>
	<li>A signed Mayfest poster ($25 value).</li>
</ul>

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post about <b>the first thing you like to cross off your list of stuff to do when you get to Mayfest</b>. If you've never been, and after having read some in this post about what's going on this year, tell us what you think you'll tackle and use to start a tradition on this, your maiden voyage.

<strong>I'll accept entries until tomorrow (Thursday) at 11am</strong>, when the festival will officially open, and I'll announce the winner shortly after. Random.org will separate the really lucky from the not lucky enough.

May the force (and wishes for rain-free skies) be with you.

<strong>39th Annual Mayfest</strong>
When: Thursday-Saturday, 11am-11pm; Sunday, 11am-6pm
Where: On Main Street from 3rd past 6th
Cost: Free. Free! 

<strong>MORE</strong>: <a href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/05/ask-tulsa-celebrity-whats-your-favorite/">Ask a Tulsa Celebrity: What's your favorite Mayfest food</a> (answered by Dewey Bartlett, Eric Himan, Chera Kimiko and Rick Couri, Julie Chin and Okie the Bull Shark at Oklahoma Aquarium).

<em>Mayfest photo from <a href="http://www.facebook.com/tulsainternationalmayfest">Mayfest on Facebook</a>. This post is sponsored by Tulsa International Mayfest.</em>