After three years of missed medical cues, mental fog, and living in the tiniest town within shouting distance of Oklahoma City, I finally had the strength—and social stamina—to mix it up with the public again.
So, with my beloved wife by my side, I set aside my stroke-related fears, took baby steps back into the world, and hit up the 48th Paseo Arts Festival—eager to show her the Oklahoma City I grew up with, the one that had been cruelly taken from me these past three years.
You’re welcome.
Well, at least the world I kind of grew up with.
Unless the memories have been robbed from me, this would be my first Paseo Arts Fest!
Blame distraction or my lackadaisical nature, but this festival had always been beyond my purview. But, for this brand new day, even though requesting access to the handicapped parking lot was somewhat embarrassing, it was amazing just to be here among the living!
“Now, it was my time to shine!” I thought as I slightly limped across the street past the district’s welcoming columns. Already, I truly felt at home with the funnel cakes, fried cheese, and hot pickles among the oil paintings of horses, cats, and other animals that surrounded me.
Meandering down the swept sidewalks, I have to be honest: it felt less “granola-ly” than I imagined—more polished, pricey, and put-together than the artsy chaos I had pictured.
With accomplished artists, crafters, and other makers from around the country offering profound works for sale, this was no starving artist’s market. There were plenty of pieces, especially the David Bowie and Sitting Bull paintings, that I wished I could have scored prints of for prominent display.
Needing to take a break, I craved a refreshing beverage.
From the jolly jitney Coffee Junction truck, it was the Raspberry Hibiscus Tea for me ($5.00), and to be honest, it was worth the wait. The raspberry-flavored hibiscus stayed cool and calm as the sky got cloudier while I sipped on the floral drink.
The strong heart of the Paseo was definitely beating and pumping, and people from all corners came out to absorb the art that was being sold and made.
For example, as a ribald Shakespeare mascot rallied the public with his artistic intentions, across the street, a true cadre of creative children were finger painting in the kids’ section, joyfully creating a world without artistic prudence or prejudice.
Meanwhile, my wife clearly missed my memo about sticking to the indie food options. Still, I couldn’t hold it against her as she returned triumphantly with a super-sized, phallically-traumatizing Corndog ($10.00) from the nameless Funnel Cake stand.
To be fair, she fully enjoyed it…but to what end?
As she procured that big meat stick, I went to one of the tents where music was being played. The bebop scatting of the Sinatra cover band wasn’t exactly my lyrical cup of tea, but they were technically proficient and had a real connection to the audience.
After a few minutes of harmless music, I finally decided on my own festival treat, an African Vegetarian Pie ($4.00) courtesy of Plus254: A Taste of Africa.
While it was very different from the Indigenous meat pies I’ve come to know, it was far flakier and buttery than I thought it would be, with a nice assortment of hearty vegetables to chow down on. And, at only four dollars, it was an unexpected treat that filled me up until dinner.
As I threw my waste into the recycling bin at the end of our journey, I was glad to say that I finally got to enjoy the Paseo Arts Festival, especially after all the years of my life without it. It’s a real check off my bucket list, and I can honestly say that I look forward to it next year.
As we made our way back to the car, bellies full and hearts just a little lighter, I realized this wasn’t just about crossing a long-ignored festival off my list. It was about rejoining a city I’ve missed, in all its overcast, deep-fried, paint-splattered glory.
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Follow Louis Fowler on Instagram at @louisfowler78.
