In preparation for the National Main Street’s Conference coming to Oklahoma City in 2010, OklaTrivia offers a few insights for attendees of fun things to see and do while in the area. 

The Oklahoma Main Street Center Staff enjoys a water taxi ride on the bricktown canal

Happy Thanksgiving from the Oklahoma Main Street Center.  Above is a picture of our staff on one of the Water Taxis in downtown Oklahoma City, Bricktown.  The Water Taxis run throughout the Bricktown area and are a continual service like a bus.  You can board a Water Taxi every 10 – 15 minutes in either direction.  All Water Taxi Ambassadors narrate points of interest along the way.  They can be chartered for private groups.  Lunch and dinner cruises are also available by charter to groups of 10 or more.  So, if you are planning a group dinner during the National Main Streets Conference, you might want to consider the Water Taxis in Bricktown.  Cocktail cruises are available any time by charter.  There are 6 Water Taxi stops and it is a great way to see the new Land Run sculptures.  They are 1½ times life size and are very impressive.

Land Run Sculpture

 Bricktown is home to the Bricktown Ballpark which you can view from the Water Taxis on the canal.

Bricktown Ballpark

You can also see scenic landscaping,

Landscaping

 and, of course the corporate headquarters one our major conference sponsors, Sonic.

Oklahoma Main Street Staff in front of Sonic

The first weekend in October – and a weekend full of Festivals on Main Street.  Check out some of the things happening on Main Street this weekend:

Enid: First Friday/Oktoberfest

Enjoy Autumn in SW Oklahoma while you warm your taste buds on some of the finsest chili in the southwest while you enjoy agricultural displays and wagon rides.  Festivities take place on the courthouse square in Altus from 10-2.  Call 508.482.2277  for mor information.

Claremore: Dickens of a Ride

Set out on a 30, 50, 65 or 100 mile ride, or simply take the Family Fun Route. Pancake breakfast and registration starts at 6 so you can be on your way by 8! Enjoy a BBQ lunch when you get back. Claremore Main Street has all the details – call them at 918.342.0663.

Durant: Street Carnival

It’s time for the annual street carnival on Market Square.  Sure to be fun for all that are there. Durant Main Street 580.924.1550

Hobart: Pumpkin Palooza

While in SW Oklahoma, head to Hobart for everything pumpkin – including some pumpkin chunkin!  Call the Hobart Main Street Office at 580.726.4206 for more information. 

Idabel: Fall Fest

A fun filled family event that includes food, arts and crafts, kids games and much more! contact Idabel Main Street at 580.208.2000 for details!

Capitol Hill (Oklahoma City): Fiestas de las Americas

The event will run from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 3rd, starting with a colorful parade and ending
with a nationally known entertainment group.  Fiestas de las Americas has been called the number one Multi-cultural Event in the State of Oklahoma. Please call Jeri Montgomery at 405.632.0133 or Jorge Hernandez at 405-606-8792 for further information.

Plaza District (Oklahoma City): Plaza District Festival

The festival highlights a wide array of performing artists, visual artists, live musicians and interactive art education and children’s activities. In evening, kick back and enjoy 4 spotlight bands from the Oklahoma City music scene with the 2nd Annual Plaza District Music Fest! Call Kristen at 405.308.5991 for details.

There you are .  A sampling of the wonderful things happening on Oklahoma Main Streets this weekend.  Can’t make it to an event?  It’s a great weekend to simply shop your nearest Main Street. Have a good one!

A “This Place Matters Tour” of Historic Structures and Adaptive Reuse Buildings is planned for Saturday, September 12, in Hobart, Oklahoma.  The event is co-sponsored by Preservation Oklahoma and the Hobart Main Street Program.  Southwest Oklahoma has many historic homes and downtown buildings, many of which were built soon after the opening of the lands of southwestern Oklahoma for settlement in 1901.  Preservation Oklahoma is partnering with community organizations, local museums, and historical societies to promote awareness of these important structures and landscapes to local communities and their economies.

The tour will feature a number of renovated commercial properties in the Downtown Hobart Historic District, including the former Ben Franklin and Penney’s buildings, the Muldrow Apartments in the former Farmers & Merchants National Bank building, and the Bearcat Alley / Courtyard businesses on S. Washington Street.  Other structures featured on the tour include the former Johnny Lemon Home (Louis and Gwen Sims home) and the Masonic Lodge.  The tour will conclude with a tour and reception at the First United Methodist Church. 

 Tours will begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Creamery at General Tommy Franks Leadership Institute & Museum, located at 517 S. Main, where participants may purchase the program-map tickets after a brief introduction.  Participants may then move on to the different buildings at their own pace and direction.  Discussants will be at each location to provide information about the history of the structure and its architectural features.  A closing reception will be held at 4:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, located at the southwest corner of 2^nd & Washington.

 Proceeds of the tour will benefit the Hobart Main Street Program and Preservation Oklahoma.  Information about the tour and ticket prices may be obtained by contacting the Preservation Oklahoma Office at 405-525-5325 or by calling Hobart Main Street Executive Director Stephen Boyd at 580-726-4206.  Civic and cultural groups are encouraged to attend.  Interested persons or groups may also email Ken Kelsey at kdkelsey@nwosu.edu  for more information.  Join the fun and support the work of preservation and the local Main Street Program in Hobart!

Oklahoma Main Street Announced Friend of Main Street

Al Steven of Muckogee has been named the 2009 Friend of Main Street by the Oklahoma Main Street Center.

Al has been employed at OG&E for 35 years. His cuurently serves as the Community Affairs Manager for Muskogee and the surrounding area. Al has had the opportunity to serve on numerous boards and civic organizations. While in western Oklahoma he served on Main Street boards in Alva, Shattuck, and Woodward. He served on various committees as well as chairman of the Woodward Board.

“I have worked with Al on community projects at the local level and there is truly no one more commited to community success than he is,” said Linda Barnett, Director of the Oklahoma Main Street Center, Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

Since moving to Muskogee, Al has helped organize the Downtown Muskogee Main Street program and served as their first chairman. Al is also chairman of Muskogee Development and is on the Establish Business and Industries committee. Al serves on the executive committee for the Greater Muskogee Area Chamber of Commerce where he is al also treasurer.

Other community organizations Al is currently active include Rotary, Lions Club, CASA, Habitat for Humanity, and the Ft. Gibson Chamber of Commerce. Al was recognized in 2008 as the Muskogee Chamber Volunteer of the Year.

Al Stevens graduated from Bethany Nazarene College, now Southern Nazarene University, with a BS in business where he met his wife Sandy of 37 years. They have three married children, Jason, Misty, and Jenny. Also, they are the proud grandparents of four, Jaley, Kaleb, Bryant, and Grant.

Al will be honored at the 20th Annual Main Street Awards Banquet to be held May 19, 2009 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. For more information call 405.815.5379.

Since 1986, over 60 participating Oklahoma Main Street communities have generated more than $616 million in total public and private reinvestment, created more than 11,400 new jobs and helped in the development of almost 3,650 new or expanded small businesses.

For more information about the Oklahoma Main Street Program, please contact the Oklahoma Main Street Center at 405-815-5271 or send an email to mainstreetstaff@OKcommerce.gov.

Oklahoma Main Street announced the top three finalists in 22 awards categories this morning.

“With over 250 competitive nominations, each finalist should feel as though they have already won. These nominations represent the best people, projects and activities in our 41 communities across Oklahoma,” said Linda Barnett, Director of the Oklahoma Main Street Center, Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

Each category falls under one of the Four Points in the Main Street Approach – Organization, Promotion, Design and Economic Restructuring.

The first place winner in each category will be announced at the annual awards Main Street Awards Banquet to be held May 19, 2009 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.

The Top Three Nominees are:

Organization

Program Manager of the Year –

Altus – Amy Jo Cobb

Durant – Donna Dow

El Reno – Codie Finnigan

Premier Partner –

Ardmore – The Market Place on Broadway

Enid – Park Avenue Thrift

RedFork – Webster High School

Best Community Education/Public Awareness –

Durant – Skating on the Square

Newkirk – Main Street Week

Wilburton – Visitors Guide

Best Volunteer Development Program –

Durant – Durant Main Street Organization Committee

Enid – Vance Air Force Base Volunteers for Main Street Enid

Hobart – Hobart Junior Main Street “Big Bang Day”

Main Street Hero –

Mangum – Neil Kane

Newkirk – Caryl Morgan

Pauls Valley – Bill Humphrey

Best Creative Fundraising Effort –

Duncan – Cruisin’ the Chisholm Trail

Mangum – Making New Memories: Park Fundraising Campaign

Talihina – Spring Street Carnival

Best Main Street Youth Involvement –

Durant – Durant High School Service Learning Project

Hobart – Hobart Junior Main Street Program “Big Bang Day”

Wilburton – Historic Building T-Shirt Contest

Promotion

Premier Special Event –

El Reno – 20th Annual Fried Onion Burger Day Festival

Hobart – Pumpkin Palooza & Punkin’ Chunkin Contest

Wilburton – Green Frog Festival

Best Retail Event –

Enid – First Friday

Newkirk – Snow Ball Drop

Stockyards City – Cowboy Christmas Parade

Outstanding Image Promotion –

Newkirk – Downtown Design Development

Newkirk – Walking Tour Brochure

Ponca City – “Destination Downtown” Cable Commercials

Creative New Event –

Durant – Skating on the Square

Mangum – Main Street Farmer’s Market

Wilburton – Green Frog Festival

Outstanding Web Presence –

Duncan – www.myspace.com/mainstreetduncan and www.mainstreetduncan.net

Plaza District – “Family of Online Tools”

Sayre – www.sayremainstreet.com

Design

Best Public Improvement Project –

Newkirk Main Street – Kay County Courthouse Roof

Sapulpa Main Street – Creek County Courthouse

Watonga Main Street, Inc. – Main Street Centennial Park

Best Interior Design Project –

Ardmore Main Street Authority – Main Street Wine Depot

Enid – Scribner’s Art Gallery

Newkirk Main Street – The Spot

Best Façade Rehabilitation Under $10,000 –

Hobart Main Street Program – General Tommy Franks Leadership Institute & Museum

Talihina Main Street – Treats and Treasures

Watonga Main Street Inc. – Stewart Real Estate Building

Best Façade Rehabilitation Over $10,000 –

Durant Main Street – Main Street Coffee Bar

Muskogee – Severs Block

Sapulpa Main Street – Creek County Courthouse

Best Window Display –

Altus Main Street – Lady Austin’s

Claremore Main Street, Inc. – My Doll Castle

Okmulgee Main Street Inc. – The Nutrition Shoppe

Best Building/Business Signage –

Muskogee – McEntee’s Jewelry Sign/Surety Building

Newkirk Main Street – Historic Cline building

RedFork Main Street, Inc. – RedFork Crossing

Economic Restructuring

Best Adaptive Reuse Project –

Claremore – 407 W. Will Rogers Blvd.

Hobart – Gen. Tommy Franks Leadership Institute & Museum

Newkirk – The Spot

Best Business Practices –

Altus – Crown Jewelry

Durant – Marie’s

Enid – Scheffe Prescription Shop

Stockyards City – Shorty’s Caboy Hattery

Best New Business Downtown –

Claremore – A Gallery of the Arts

El Reno – Oklahoma Vintage Guitar

Enid – Scribner’s Gallery & Studio

Poteau – Peppercorn Antique Mall

Downtown Business of the Year –

Altus – The Enchanted Door

Enid – Panevino Wine & Tapas Bar

Poteau – Bridgeman’s Furniture

Yesterday, staff spent a good portion of the day checking and double checking and sorting the over 290 awards packets we received this year. Of those 290 carefully crafted nomination, 240 were in a competitive category – a new record for Oklahoma Main Street Communities.

Today the majority of those packets will continue on to the judges who will come together later this month to vote on the Top Three in each category.

Congratulations to everyone who submitted and good luck in the competition. We look forward to crowning the winners May 19 at the 20th Annual Main Street Awards Banquet.

by Ron Frantz

 A framed photo arrived the other day in the mail.  From Philadephia.  A thank you note was tucked inside.  The photo captured just a fleeting moment of all of our lives.  Yet, as I looked at it, the meaning behind the photo spoke volumes.

Taken on November 7, 2009, the photo doesn’t capture the very windy, very cold day.  What it does show is a static view of warmth and fellowship.

As part of the Eisenhower Fellowship exchange program, a group came through Oklahoma City.  Created in 1953 as a birthday present for President Eisenhower, this is a global leadership network based on trust and shared experiences.  There was Leigh, the coordinator, who lives in Philadelphia.  Gema from Mexico.  Felipe from Brazil.  Maria from Chile.  Gustavo from Peru.  Except for one in the group, all of these very well educated, incredibly experienced, well traveled professionals were making their first trip ever to Oklahoma City and Oklahoma.  As part of their study program to learn about citizens who are involved making community decisions, we headed over to the Plaza District, an urban Main Street program along a short stretch of N.W. 16^th Street.  Our guides, Main Streeters Kristin, Aimee, and Jeff, talked with the group before walking us down the street to visit an artisan fabric shop, a rehabilitated movie theater, and other businesses. 

At the last stop, Curiosidades Guatemala Store that has a Guatemalan restaurant included, the group livened.  Maria, a mother of six, was able to buy two authentic Guatemalan dolls to add to her collection.  Guatemalan dolls—from her trip to Oklahoma City!  In the meantime, Gema found a treat from her home country, Recargado Reloaded Mexican Candy.  Excitedly, she bought one of these spicy push up suckers (as best as I can describe it) for each of us.  “You must try this.  It is the best.”  Trustingly, we all popped the tops, pushed up, and licked this spicy chili flavored candy.  The wind blew our hair and blew away our guards.  We forgot professional credentials and all matters of serious concerns.  We began to talk about our childhoods.

For this moment, as our tongues burned with spice and our minds yearned for an international exchange, we found the overwhelming power of common humanity—to learn, to grow, to share, to laugh.  No national borders.  No political barriers.  No language barriers.  Just a handful of people who met that morning and shared spicy push-up suckers.

The photo of our group on this corner of N.W. 16^th Street and Indiana Avenue led me to these thoughts:  “What if we all dropped our guards and really tried to learn about those around us?  What if we were all so open and trusting to try something new offered by someone new?  What if we were open to the possibilities that we used to dream about when sharing candy with our childhood friends?  What if we turned to laughter and smiles to create shared experiences?”

On this brisk, windy morning we found the warmth of new fellowships, just as President Eisenhower envisioned over 50 years earlier.  On this corner of a country facing major issues in a world with even bigger challenges, I saw what “Peace on Earth” is all about.                                                                                      

by Lindsey Galloway

Six communities and one urban district met the recent deadline for submitting a letter of intent to apply for the Oklahoma Main Street Program in 2009. 

The towns of Alva, Atoka, Eufaula, Ft. Gibson, Laverne and Stroud as well as the Midtown District in Oklahoma City all sent formal letters stating they are working towards submitting a formal application to the program in January. 

“Thank you for your encouragement and advice,” reads the Stroud letter of intent.  “Through Main Street designation we believe that we can make great progress toward our goal of making Stroud…. The Place to Be!”

The letters of intent is not a guarantee the community or district will in fact apply, but simply notifies the state program they are working towards completion of the requirements for the application.

“Seven communities are actively pursuing Oklahoma Main Street designation and we are pleased that they are all willing to make the commitment,” said Linda Barnett, Director of the Oklahoma Main Street Center, Oklahoma Department of Commerce.  “It looks to be a very competitive year.”

Each of the interested parties fulfilled the first requirement in September, by having two representatives from their community at the Main Street Application Workshop.  Nearly 20 communities attended this year’s workshop. 

For more information on the Oklahoma Main Street Center call 405.815.5271 or log onto www.okcommerce.gov/mainstreet.

By Jim Watters

Quiz Time:

What turns the national economy?

We had some interesting responses to the quiz ranging from foreign trade to Wall Street to the President.  A few answered the question with credit, money and retail.  All responses were good and do have an impact on the economy.  However, the answer is much simpler.  What turns the national economy is nothing more than consumer confidence. 

With all the doom and gloom expressed in the news media recently, it’s easy to understand why one’s confidence in the economy is shaken.  The natural response to such talk is to stop or slow way down spending on anything other than necessities.  Durable good consumption is postponed and people make do with their old refrigerators.  Instead of remodeling that bathroom, we’ll wait until times get better.  Of course, the waiting only makes the times tougher.  It’s kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy.  The experts say recession, consumers curtail their spending plans, businesses lay-off workers, income and taxes fall and the recession happens.

When we realize the economy’s structure is still solid, our confidence will increase and business goes back to normal.  The actions of the government may help bolster confidence, the election rhetoric probably will be confusing and the economy waits for consumer confidence to kick in.

courtesy Hobart Main Street

Last week I was in Hobart and Sayre for a liaison visitation.  Sayre Main Street is recovering from Hoot ‘n Scoot.  There were about 5,000 people in attendance with 50 vendors.  Thirty participants were displayed in the car and motorcycle show.  Sayre has some new businesses downtown but my favorite is the new restaurant, Patio 8 Cafe.  They have the best chicken salad I have had in a long time.  It’s called the ‘Bird of Paradise’. Reasonable prices, too.

Hobart is hosting the Southwest Regional Meeting at the General Tommy Franks Museum next week.  We received a tour of the museum from the General himself.  This is a great facility just off the square in Hobart.  There are exhibits of his medals, including the Medal of Honor, and you will soon be able to hear a recording of the actual conversation when President Bush gave the orders to bomb Iraq.  No matter how you feel about U.S. participation in the war, it is a part of our history.  With air force bases in Lawton and Altus, this should be an extraordinary draw for tourists to downtown Hobart.