Okay, so yesterday I finally made it out to that Tulsa Indie Market everyone keeps raving about. Honestly? Totally lived up to the hype. Grabbed my friend Jamie, told her we were hitting it early to snag the good stuff before crowds, y’know?
Getting There & First Vibes
Parking was a breeze, surprised me – found a spot literally two blocks away near this cool mural. Paid like $3 for two hours? Score. Walked up, and immediately you could hear this kinda folksy music drifting out and smell… is that fresh coffee mixed with kettle corn? Boom. Mood set.
Paid the $5 entry (cash only! Forgot, so hit the ATM right there). Inside? Dude. Packed. But in a good way? Like, organized chaos. Bright colors, strings of fairy lights everywhere, people laughing. Felt super alive.
The Shopping Hunt Kicks Off
First booth we hit up had these wild, chunky ceramic mugs. Like, rainbow drips all over. Jamie bought one instantly – impulse buy city. I held off, gotta pace myself, right? Moved to this jewelry stall run by this lady with pink hair. She made everything from old guitar picks and spoons? Crazy creative. Found a little spoon ring for my niece. Perfect.
Our Strategy:
- One side of the aisle first
- Skip food till later (willpower!)
- Budget $50 each
- Talk to the makers
Almost blew the budget at this printmaker’s spot. Gorgeous Tulsa skyline posters, retro style. Settled on a small sticker though. Discipline!
Stuff You DO, Not Just Buy
Okay, this part rocked. It wasn’t just shopping.
Watched this dude doing live leather tooling at the back. He let people try stamping a tiny bit. Jamie left her initials on a coaster blank! Messy but fun. Farther down, a group was learning how to stitch a simple felt pin – free mini workshop? Heck yeah! Didn’t join, but cool it was there.
Best non-shopping part? The little live stage tucked in the corner. Some college kid band called “The Dusty Radishes” was playing. Kinda folky, kinda punky? Sounded great. Sat on a hay bale with a giant lemonade (way too sweet, perfect) and listened. Just chillin’.
Food Pit Stops (Necessary!)
Willpower broke around noon. Smell won. Found this tiny trailer selling “Okie Tacos” – brisket with pickled onions in frybread. Absolute fire. Messy as heck, juices everywhere. Worth it. Jamie got vegan nachos from the stall next door that looked way fancier than expected. Shared bites. Pro tip: Bring wipes!
Final Score & Bailing Out
Two hours flew by. Final loot?
- My spoon ring ($12)
- Tulsa skyline sticker ($5)
- A jar of local hot honey ($8 – “Taste it!” they said. Bought it!)
- Handmade beeswax lip balm ($6)
Hit the ATM limit, totally spent. Jamie bought way more – mugs are heavy! Walked out tired, kinda sticky, buzzing from the music and people. Stopped for real coffee on the way home to decompress. Already planning the next trip in October when the vendors rotate!
Bottom line? Don’t just browse. Go chat with the artists, eat the weird food, sit for the music. That’s where the real fun is. Tulsa Indie Market gets it right.
