Mayfest 40th Anniversary - Come get some

[patric]

http://www.newson6.com/story/17379005/3-d-music-wonderwall-to-be-part-of-tulsas-mayfest-this-year
http://www.krmg.com/s/mayfest/
http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/local_news/40th-mayfest-celebration-around-the-corner
http://www.urbantulsa.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=49240

http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story/TCSO-underage-drinking-bust/yLGWU_W3n0eRJGUbwB4oqg.cspx

shows a TCSO sergeant threatening to arrest a beer distributor for Obstruction because he reminded his booths to check IDs.

[RecycleMichael]

That wasn't someone with Mayfest. Private businesses located downtown set up their own beer booths and make some extra cash. This was one of those booths.

Mayfest is very serious about beer sales. Mayfest has beer booth managers and all volunteers go through training.

[Hoss]

That's right, T-Town's MayFest kicks off this week. I never visited it. Fort Worth, Texas had their big MayFest two weeks ago. At least the weather will be good.

Kicked off on Thursday.  I guess the Omaha press doesn't cover Tulsa events real time...

[Conan71]

MC and I worked the Art Deco Museum last night then rode our old tank bikes around some garage sales and to the BDAF then Mayfest.  Beautiful day, the wind was an arse-kicker heading south out of downtown, especially on single speed 40 pound bikes.  We can't believe how much the Blue Dome festival has grown.  Mayfest had an eclectic group of vendors this year.  I applaud the Mayfest committee for encouraging a little more diversity.

We've had really positive feedback on the museum, it's a humble beginning but beats the heck out of trying to sell people on a dream if they can't even see that you have a vision and an actual collection of artifacts. 

[AquaMan]

We spent a little time there last nite (Sat). It was fun and downtown feels great. We did walk through the Deco display and the nearby little retail shop. I enjoyed that. I live in a Deco period home and have some Deco appliances so that was fun. That building itself is gorgeous.

Really enjoyed the JD McPherson (sp?) band. Those guys are like watching an amalgam of Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard etc. with a cool modern feel. Even though three of them were from Chicago and one from New York, it was good to see the lead was a guy from Bixby, Oklahoma.

Going to try for the BD today.

[sgrizzle]

Mayfest was a huge success. Everyone has the things they like and con't like about Mayfest but it is the biggest free event in Tulsa and it's success is something every citizen should encourage and everyone should be proud of.

I was working and couldn't get over to BDAF. I am glad it's growing but heard a lot of feedback that they need to spend more on infrastructure (like trash cans) and that maybe they need to be a tad bit less open about their entrants. People setting up a tent reselling stuff from the dollar store does little to support the arts.

[custosnox]

We went down Saturday night, but was disappointed because it was just past nine and all the booths were closing or were closed.  I just don't understand why they would do that when there were still so many people around.

[rdj]

Agreed. Keeping the booths open later at both places would do well.  I'm sure the concern is drunks, but I think the pros would far outweigh the cons.

[dsjeffries]

This weekend, I invited some people to Mayfest. Not for the "art", that's not been Mayfest's forte for a long time, but for the music and people watching. Plus, it's just fun to see so many people downtown. I was turned down by all but one, and the objection wasn't that the art sucked (valid) or it'd be hard to find parking (sometimes valid). Nay, it was that Mayfest is, "definitely not a family-friendly event." That's a direct quote and a reoccurring theme.

I was a little perplexed at first, but think about it... It's as family-friendly as the state fair would be if it didn't have the rides. Take the rides away, throw in kitschy pastels and paintings of dogs in martini glasses, keep the beer and funnel cakes... and you've got Mayfest.

Granted, I don't have a problem walking past the bad art because I go for the music and people-watching, but I think it does beg the question: When did Mayfest become downtown's "klassi" version of the state fair? And when will Mayfest start to accumulate better artists? (Some are very good, but they're the exception rather than the rule.)

Is Mayfest un-family-friendly?

[TheArtist]

   I have wondered about the art thing but just figure the Tulsa market for good art will either not go to Mayfest or that the Tulsa market doesn't support nicer art.  Not sure which.  Or perhaps Mayfest just isn't about higher quality art.  No big deal if it is or isn't but it would be nice to have a festival that would cater to some nicer art.   Went to an arts festival in KC one year and was absolutely blown away by what was there.  The least of what they had there would have blown away the best of what we have here.  Otto Duecker and oh, gosh cant remember his name but the guy who does the watercolors lol.  would be average artists there.  Or it would be like our very best galleries going out and doing an arts festival.  I wouldn't want to put the best of my work at that show in KC for it would make me look pitiful in comparison lol, and they might not even let me set up there (my work is a bit immature "average and boring" in comparison).  Just not really sure what's going on with us not having an arts festival with really good art. Perhaps we are too small a market and or people just don't buy it here like they do in other places? I don't know.    

[custosnox]

This weekend, I invited some people to Mayfest. Not for the "art", that's not been Mayfest's forte for a long time, but for the music and people watching. Plus, it's just fun to see so many people downtown. I was turned down by all but one, and the objection wasn't that the art sucked (valid) or it'd be hard to find parking (sometimes valid). Nay, it was that Mayfest is, "definitely not a family-friendly event." That's a direct quote and a reoccurring theme.

I was a little perplexed at first, but think about it... It's as family-friendly as the state fair would be if it didn't have the rides. Take the rides away, throw in kitschy pastels and paintings of dogs in martini glasses, keep the beer and funnel cakes... and you've got Mayfest.

Granted, I don't have a problem walking past the bad art because I go for the music and people-watching, but I think it does beg the question: When did Mayfest become downtown's "klassi" version of the state fair? And when will Mayfest start to accumulate better artists? (Some are very good, but they're the exception rather than the rule.)

Is Mayfest un-family-friendly?

I find that a bit funny because for an un-family-friendly event, it just happened to have some art from my son's school displayed, including something of his (I never saw it because of the early closing).  I take my kids from time to time if I am with them on the weekend that it's going on. 

[jacobi]

"klassi" version of the state fair

STOLLEN FROM ME!   

Why does anyone think that we have the blue dome festival? because mayfest's black velvet paintings of dogs culdding with their masters suck.  alot.  ALOT!  Crafty sort of art sucks.  It's lame, tired and deserves to be given the old "SmIIIILe yourself" as it is burned.  No seriously, it's an embarasement.  That's why Blue Dome sprung up.  Well, that and Sager wanted a piece.

I want a Mayfest full of serious artists.  MOMA artists.  I want the the philtower to have a Jasper Johns on loan.  The philcade, a Warhol.  I want performance artists like Empire of Teeth and Marina Abramović.  Oh wait.  Tulsa can't afford/handle that.  I forgot. I'm living in a place that died 60 years ago.  We are a civic corpse!  We are fiscally broke and are only interested in the $100 POS 'artwork' that we can sell versus really cementing ourselves as a serious place for art.  I wish (I wish so much) that we were a serious place for art, but we're not.  And won't ever be.  We are too cheap.

(I recognize that I've been really negative on the boards as of late (wife probs).  I was T-Towns biggest defender until 2 months ago.  Then the city council showed me that my voice doesn't mean anything.  I'm kind of feeling like I don't have a home anymore.  Forgive me.  The good news is, if I leave town in disgust, you assholes won't have to deal with my negativity.)

[TheArtist]

STOLLEN FROM ME!   

Why does anyone think that we have the blue dome festival? because mayfest's black velvet paintings of dogs culdding with their masters suck.  alot.  ALOT!  Crafty sort of art sucks.  It's lame, tired and deserves to be given the old "SmIIIILe yourself" as it is burned.  No seriously, it's an embarasement.  That's why Blue Dome sprung up.  Well, that and Sager wanted a piece.

I want a Mayfest full of serious artists.  MOMA artists.  I want the the philtower to have a Jasper Johns on loan.  The philcade, a Warhol.  I want performance artists like Empire of Teeth and Marina Abramović.  Oh wait.  Tulsa can't afford/handle that.  I forgot. I'm living in a place that died 60 years ago.  We are a civic corpse!  We are fiscally broke and are only interested in the $100 POS 'artwork' that we can sell versus really cementing ourselves as a serious place for art.  I wish (I wish so much) that we were a serious place for art, but we're not.  And won't ever be.  We are too cheap.

(I recognize that I've been really negative on the boards as of late (wife probs).  I was T-Towns biggest defender until 2 months ago.  Then the city council showed me that my voice doesn't mean anything.  I'm kind of feeling like I don't have a home anymore.  Forgive me.  The good news is, if I leave town in disgust, you assholes won't have to deal with my negativity.)

Well to be fair, those things aren't Mayfests fault, and the Blue Dome doesn't offer an abundance of high quality art either.  Having said that, I do like that Blue Dome allows budding artists to "give it a go".  I think there likely would need to be a different arts fair/festival started which would create an image about itself as being more "upscale" and known for having really good artwork.  I think there could be a market for it in Tulsa, aka the artists would be able to sell their art here, and the average person would really enjoy coming out to see that art as well.   But those artists aren't going to fit in with either Mayfest or Blue Dome.  One other possibility might be that either Mayfest or Blue Dome could set aside a different section that was for the higher quality artists and begin to build that up and promote it. 

[rdj]

STOLLEN FROM ME!   

Why does anyone think that we have the blue dome festival? because mayfest's black velvet paintings of dogs culdding with their masters suck.  alot.  ALOT!  Crafty sort of art sucks.  It's lame, tired and deserves to be given the old "SmIIIILe yourself" as it is burned.  No seriously, it's an embarasement.  That's why Blue Dome sprung up.  Well, that and Sager wanted a piece.

I want a Mayfest full of serious artists.  MOMA artists.  I want the the philtower to have a Jasper Johns on loan.  The philcade, a Warhol.  I want performance artists like Empire of Teeth and Marina Abramović.  Oh wait.  Tulsa can't afford/handle that.  I forgot. I'm living in a place that died 60 years ago.  We are a civic corpse!  We are fiscally broke and are only interested in the $100 POS 'artwork' that we can sell versus really cementing ourselves as a serious place for art.  I wish (I wish so much) that we were a serious place for art, but we're not.  And won't ever be.  We are too cheap.

(I recognize that I've been really negative on the boards as of late (wife probs).  I was T-Towns biggest defender until 2 months ago.  Then the city council showed me that my voice doesn't mean anything.  I'm kind of feeling like I don't have a home anymore.  Forgive me.  The good news is, if I leave town in disgust, you assholes won't have to deal with my negativity.)

You are incorrect in your history of the Blue Dome Arts Festival.  The BDAF started because a group of local artists were deemed unworthy to show at Mayfest.  They got upset and decided to set up a show in the Blue Dome with Sager's assistance.  It was very adversarial at first but the conflict soothed a bit as a few years passed.  I could  be wrong, but I thought the Blue Dome Merchant's Association "owns" the BDAF.

The Mayfest group has been very cliquish and protective of what they deem Mayfest to be.  They've allowed very little input from their sponsors and refused to change their model to either make it a higher end art show or truly a street festival that has "art".  I think the dissolution of DTU (the former "owner" of Mayfest) may have been a good thing to move it forward.  If big dollar sponsors hadn't steeped in several years ago you wouldn't have visited Mayfest this weekend.

Personally, I'm fine with what it is, a higher end craft fair set among the skyscrapers of downtown Tulsa that serves domestic beer and fried food.  But does the organizing committee recognize the same?  I wish they would and then make it the best of what it is in the region/country.

It would be really cool to have a great art show set in the lobbies of the downtown buildings.  A combined art & architecture crawl with nationally recognized fine art and performance art.  Have downtown bars & restaurants provide the food and beverages with a big party in the Philcade showcasing the Art Deco Museum?  Maybe a fundraiser for the museum??

[RecycleMichael]

You are incorrect in your history of the Blue Dome Arts Festival.  The BDAF started because a group of local artists were deemed unworthy to show at Mayfest.  They got upset and decided to set up a show in the Blue Dome with Sager's assistance. 

That is not quite correct. I was president of the Mayfest board when it happened.

A particular artist got upset when she wasn't selected. It wasn't about her art, it was about her refusing to follow any of the rules and starting fights. I own one of her pieces and like her, but her prescence and her behavior back then got in the way. Even Michael Sager eventually ran her off.

I go to both festivals and like the differences. I purchased art at both festivals this year. I just wish Blue Dome would pick a different weekend rather than insisting they are an alternative to Mayfest. If they were different weekends, Tulsa and art lovers would both win.