Tulsa International Mayfest is heading back to the city's downtown business district.

Organizers announced Nov. 6 that the long-running arts festival will return to its traditional East Third Street corridor May 14-16, 2027, according to The Tulsa Flyer. The move follows a scaled-down 2026 edition held at Route 66 venues to coincide with the highway's centennial celebration.

The 2027 festival will stretch along East Third Street from South Boston Avenue to Main Street, then south on Main to East Fifth Street, according to the Eagle. That's the same footprint the free festival occupied for years before a series of organizational changes.

Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell will serve as honorary chair of the 2027 event. Pinnell said in a statement that Mayfest "is a major draw for the region, celebrating locally acclaimed and nationally recognized visual and performing artists."

Applications are open for professional artists, student artists, musical performers, mobile performers and student performers. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Details and submission requirements are posted at TulsaMayfest.org.

A bumpy road back

Mayfest's path to 2027 has been anything but smooth. The festival started in 1973 as Jubilee '73, marking the Junior League of Tulsa's 50th anniversary. It was renamed Mayfest by the end of that decade.

After decades at and around Williams Center Green, the festival relocated to the Tulsa Arts District in 2019. The Arts and Humanities Council, known as ahha, then ran operations until its closure in 2022. The University of Tulsa stepped in next, overseeing the 2023–2025 festivals before releasing its rights in December 2025, the Eagle reported.

When TU exited, the festival's future was uncertain. A city spokesperson told the Tulsa Flyer in January 2026 that Ashanti Chaplin, the city's director of public art and community partnerships, had taken the lead in finding new partners.

A volunteer steering committee chaired by Mary Jo Sartain now runs the nonprofit event and reports to the organizational board, according to the Eagle.

For 2026, organizers paired a smaller Mayfest with the Route 66 centennial. Ken Busby, executive director of the Route 66 Alliance, told the Tulsa Flyer in February 2026 that organizers viewed the year as a transition and hoped to bring the festival back to downtown with a larger footprint in 2027.

That plan is now official.

How to get involved

  • Artists and performers: Apply at TulsaMayfest.org.
  • Sponsors: Sponsorship opportunities are listed on the same site.
  • Mark your calendar: May 14-16, 2027, downtown Tulsa along East Third Street.