It’s time to say goodbye to summer. The leaves are changing, the temperature is dropping, football season is gearing up, and McCurtain County is beckoning with outdoor adventures like fishing, zip-lining, hiking, and horseback riding. But that’s not the half of it—as autumn arrives, so do a handful of festivals around the Beavers Bend featuring music, food, crafts, local art, and fun for the whole family.
Here are four festivals you won’t want to miss this season:
Masters at Work: Woodturning Competition
Sept. 14–16
Forest Heritage Center, Beavers Bend State Park
Get an up-close look at master woodturners in action during this annual celebration at Forest Heritage Center. Eight lathes will be turning throughout the center, with Dutch oven cooking on the outdoor plaza and a relaxing forestry-themed painting class for aspiring nature artists. The competitions will happen on Fri., Sept. 14 and Sat., Sept 15 from 8am to 5pm, followed by a reception on Sun., Sept. 16. The event is free, family-friendly and open to the public. To sign up for the painting class, the Dutch oven cooking, or to enter wooden toys in the gallery, call 580-494-6497.
Idabel Main Street Festival
October 6, All Day
Main Street, Idabel
The beloved annual festival rings in the season every year with a variety of mouth-watering food vendors, children’s games and activities, live music and entertainment all along Idabel’s main drag. Local artists and makers will be on hand sharing and selling their work, and admission is free! Don’t miss out.
Beavers Bend Folk Festival & Craft Show
Nov. 9-11
Forest Heritage Center, Beavers Bend State Park
One of Oklahoma’s most popular autumn events is the Beavers Bend Folk Festival, which draws 17,000 visitors to the Beavers Bend area each year. This showcase of turn-of-the-century arts and crafts will feature 70 exhibitors and vendors celebrating rarefied skills like candle making, woodturning, lye soap making, knife making and quilting. Herbalists will be on hand to share their knowledge of natural remedies and instrument makers will exhibit their best work. Meanwhile, an outdoor stage against the colorful backdrop of a Southeast Oklahoma forest will lure visitors with the soothing sounds of Celtic and early American folk music. This year’s food options focus on sweets like sugared pecans, kettle corn, caramel apples and funnel cake, along with the ever-popular cowboy tacos, macho nachos, roasted sweet corn and burgers. This year marks the 25th festival, and its sure to be one of the biggest yet. For more info call 580-494-6497.
14th Annual Wright City Lumberjax Festival
October 13, 10am–4pm
Mike Rice City Park, Wright City
This celebration of all things forestry features a variety of competitive events covering the gamut of all the ways one cuts wood: axe throwing, crosscut sawing, double-buck sawing and Jack & Jill sawing. But there’s so much more—Lumberjax will also host a 5-K run, softball tournament and horseshoe tournament; a Mr. & Miss Lumberjax Pageant; town tours; a wildlife exhibit; and a showcase of art, photography and crafts from local and regional makers. Family-friendly games and activities appealing specifically to the little ones include bingo, face painting, and inflatables. On-site food vendors will also be on site with refreshments and meals throughout the day, while area bands will entertain with performances throughout the day.
Now that you know what’s happening this fall, find your perfect cabin in the woods and start planning your trip around the Beavers Bend today.
