The first cool breeze of the season is an important milestone for Tulsans. Finally we can wear shirts with sleeves and walk from one place to another without showing up drenched in sweat. At last, the prospect of being outside is joyful rather than miserable. It’s autumn!
Now that this delightful but fleeting (in Oklahoma, at least) season is upon us, you’re likely making plans to sip a pumpkin spice latte, snag a gourd, and put on a scary movie. But I’m here to tell you that the most important event you should be planning for fall is a picnic.
Here’s why.
Picnics remove all the friction of hosting.
If you’ve ever said to yourself, I’d love to host a party but it would require me cleaning my bathroom/fixing that busted ceiling fan/taking that junk to Goodwill/learning to make a quiche, picnics are the answer for you. Nobody has to bear the responsibility of preparing their home for scrutiny or even of being in charge; the host is Mother Nature, who can be blamed for any issues without any hurt feelings. You can keep putting that rainy day errand off until next weekend guilt-free without sacrificing your social life.
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Picnics help you explore Tulsa.
Our city is home to dozens of parks and outdoor spaces that are accessible and free. If you’re not a parent with young children, it can be easy to forget that these places exist and belong to us all. Chances are, wherever you’re sitting in Tulsa right now, you’re within a 10 minute drive from a green space with more amenities than you can name: disc golf courses, tennis courts, biking trails, fitness classes, crafting opportunities, and so much more. Take this opportunity to explore a new park you’ve never visited, because I can almost guarantee you haven’t seen them all.
Picnics get you outside.
Your mother has probably belabored the reasons why it’s good for you to go outdoors, so I won’t overstay my welcome here. Lower your stress levels and get in touch with the season by spending time in nature, even just a little. There’s trees and flowers and animals out there to look at!
Picnics are scalable and affordable.
Let’s be honest: it can be tough to connect with friends in different income brackets. One pal who just got a raise suggests trying that trendy new restaurant downtown, and suddenly your cash-strapped buddy in the group text can’t join. Picnics level the playing field: anyone can contribute whatever they can manage, whether that’s a bottle of Veuve Clicquot or a container of sliced pineapple, and everyone is contributing to the overall vibe.
Picnics connect you authentically with the people you care about.
Something special happens when we leave our houses and look away from our screens at the people who actually mean something in our lives. In a world that seems to constantly tell us it’s not worth gathering if we’re not doing something worth Instagramming, picnics push back. They let us do the most elemental and important human things: talking, eating, drinking, observing the world. Plan a picnic and make a new memory of this strange, gorgeous world we share—together.
Planning the Perfect Picnic
Now that we’ve banished all your excuses, it’s time to get planning already! If you’re not sure where to get started, we’ve compiled five different Picnic Plans to make your gathering as seamless as possible.
The Fast Food Feast
The convergence of Riverside and 71st Street is home to a rare mecca of fast food favorites all in one small strip of road, presenting a rare opportunity for connoisseurs of delicious junk. By gathering a few friends together and dividing up assignments, you can enjoy the best of these carryout joints together while sprawled out watching other people exercise.
This gathering is minimal effort, maximum impact. Nobody has to do any prep beyond maybe remembering to throw a blanket in the car (if not, a sweater or jacket will do) and swinging by one drive-thru. Your 71st street options include Burger King, Wendy’s, Braum’s, Taco Bell, Popeye’s, McDonald’s, and QuikTrip, with a dozen others within a mile radius for the ambitious among your group.
If you have friends who hate cooking, who think picnics are too fussy, or who believe being outside is for marathon trainers only, this is your way to get them out of the house and touching some grass.
The Spot: River Parks, ideally by the Bear Fountain right off 71st and Riverside.
In The Picnic Basket: The Taco Bell Variety Taco Party Pack, the Braums Bag of Burgers, a Domino’s pizza, 2 large orders of McDonald’s fries, the Popeye’s 8-Piece Signature Chicken Box.
Featured Recipe: A Suicide (when you mix every flavor of soda at a restaurant into one cup). When’s the last time you did this? Is it maybe … good, actually? Someone needs to find out!
Must-Packs: Do we need to say it? Anything proffered using your medical marijuana card. And maybe a good board game if you’re feeling cheeky.
Insider Tip: Bring a cooler and grab a couple of pints of ice cream at Braum’s to finish off the meal. Don’t forget spoons!
Level Up: Watch passersby on the River Parks Trail and rank their activities by what you’d least like to do with a full tummy.
Your Grandma’s Garden Party
I’m talking to the overachievers with this one. We’re making it beautiful and we’re doing it without spending a boatload on Amazon accessories that the momfluencers are shilling on Instagram reels.
Making things feel fancy is as simple as putting a little time and preparation into the proceedings. Instead of grabbing plastic cups from the grocery store, wrap glasses or teacups in towels to enjoy your lemonade and iced tea. Bring a jar to hold your cutlery instead of tossing it on the blanket. Pick a few flowers to put in a vase at the center of the spread. Wear a nice sundress or polo and spread out a tablecloth to feel proper and sparkly. It’s all about mindset, and some of Tulsa’s most beautiful gardens do all the heavy lifting of providing a gorgeous backdrop.
Creating a special occasion isn’t about the expense so much as the thoughtfulness, so the name of the game is mixing and matching. Grab essentials at reasonable prices—hit Walmart or Sprouts for fruits and veggies and Reasor’s for cheese—and embellish with a few upscale provisions from Cow & Cabbage or Charcuteray to make the whole experience feel polished.
The Spot: The Philbrook Gardens near your favorite art piece, or the Tulsa Botanic Garden near your favorite flower.
In The Picnic Basket: Fruits and berries (slice them to up the wow factor), two or three different cheeses plus crackers, crudités (aka sliced veggies), little sandwiches with the crusts cut off, fancy spreads and jams, cute tiny desserts (you can get adorable mini donuts at Target).
Featured Recipe: Matcha shortbread cookies dipped in chocolate: they’re a delicious combination of earthy and sweet and a visual showstopper as well, especially when served alongside tea.
Must-Packs: Cloth napkins, cutlery, sun umbrellas.
Insider Tip: Browse thrift stores for artfully mismatched china and cups you won’t be too upset about breaking to plate your food on. You can get great deals on a single plate or bowl in a striking design.
Level Up: Home-brew syrups and infusions using seasonal fruits, and bring along alcohol to mix up made-to-order cocktails on the spot. Bonus points for packing garnishes like fruit wedges and sprigs of herbs.
The Athlete’s Rally
For the fitness-focused among you, being outside isn’t just for running, biking, and swimming. Sitting and eating is just as pleasant, and maybe even more so when it’s an earned celebration after a hard workout.
Being outside and active can be a communal experience, and Tulsa has ample facilities for getting outside together with friends. The Gathering Place offers miles of walking trails and open lawns as well as sports facilities ranging from basketball courts to a skate park. LaFortune Park has a golf course, baseball fields, and tennis courts. Most of the city park community centers offer classes in everything from yoga to archery and open gym access for workouts, pickleball, and more.
There’s something for every interest, but the key isn’t just to treat exercise like another item on your to-do list. It’s to enjoy how your body feels when you’re doing things together with people you like.
The Spot: The Gathering Place
In The Picnic Basket: Protein-rich on-the-go snacks like yogurt, cheese, nuts, dried fruits, and peanut butter crackers, plus plenty of water and electrolyte-rich bevvies. Feel free to start a heated debate between Team Gatorade and Team Powerade.
Featured Recipe: 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Energy Bites. These taste great and feel like a treat even though they have oats and flaxseed (which sure sounds healthy, right?)
Must-Packs: A Frisbee, soccer ball, and first aid kit (for that friend who gets too audacious at the sports court).
Insider Tip: The Gathering Place’s QuikTrip Great Lawn is a great spot for sprints, throwing a ball around, or seeing who can roll down the hill the fastest (maybe try to avoid bowling over children along the way).
Level Up: Plan a full-fledged field day for your pals—we’re talking three-legged races, egg-and-spoon shenanigans, and Capture the Flag—with prizes or medals for each event. Get creative and 3D print or wood engrave your awards at Central Library downtown.
The Young At Heart Spread
Remember when you were a kid and the prospect of going outside was all you needed to feel like an adventure was ahead? Recapture that feeling by grabbing a passel of kids or a bunch of people who still act like them and relive a day from a more innocent time.
The key to a satisfying childhood-themed picnic is not working too hard at the preparation. Buy pre-packaged single-serving snacks, don’t wash your fruit (you’ll be fine, I promise), and commit to a relaxed hang without an important meeting you have to rush to after, so you can fully be present.
For best results, make everyone surrender their cell phones for a set amount of time, pull out your old digital camera, and let your mind wander back to simpler days.
The Spot: Hunter Park, which offers great play equipment, a splash pad, a dog park for ogling the puppers, and plenty of shade.
In The Picnic Basket: The snacks your mom never let you get at the grocery store (Lunchables, Gushers, Little Debbie Swiss Rolls), easy prep foods like grapes and Cheddar Bunnies, individual servings of applesauce, yogurt, and chips, plus novelty candies and treats from Reeder’s.
Featured Recipe: My go-to treat as a kid was a Ritz cracker topped with peanut butter and three different-colored M&Ms. Try getting everyone to bring their favorite childhood after-school bite.
Must-Packs: Activities galore: paper and markers, stickers, yard games, a basketball, water balloons, and any toys you still have in the garage from back in the day (anyone still got a functional Skip-It?).
Insider Tip: Eating like this is delightful but may not be fully agreeable to your adult digestive system, so make sure you have plans for a balanced dinner after this picnic.
Level Up: Rate the forbidden foods of your youth by how disappointing they are compared to how amazing they seemed back in grade school (I’m looking at you, Pizza Lunchables).
The Artists’ Fête
Tulsa is a fantastic city if you’re an artist or creative. There are so many opportunities to jump in at open mics, enter writing contests, play music at venues around town, and more. But what’s an artist to do who’s still working out the kinks of a new piece?
I propose putting together a gathering of your artist friends to share work in progress in a safe space, outdoors and alongside a delicious spread. Sharing your work with people you trust can break the seal and help you keep going until you find your audience. And if you’re still feeling like your work needs help, at least there’s snacks.
The Spot: Woodward Park, which offers many old trees to set up under. (Don’t worry about rumors of construction: it’s strictly confined to the front section and the rest of the park is open and lovely.)
In The Picnic Basket: Whatever gets your creative juices flowing, but I’d recommend foods that are easy to eat one-handed while you page through a book, or to mix and match creatively. Think charcuterie board staples like cheese, crackers, dried fruits, olives, pickles, mustard, pretzels, and chocolate. Toss in a few cans of the Creative, Focus, and Elevate Mood Brü flavors for a guaranteed good vibe.
Featured Recipe: An addictive spicy snack mix that everyone can dig their hands into while mulling over revision suggestions.
Must-Packs: Favorite poems, scripts-in-progress, song fragments, guitars, sketchbooks, writing exercises, a tambourine if you have one.
Insider Tip: Beware the geese of Woodward Park: they aren’t afraid to get close but will scatter if you chase after them with Frankenstein arms for a few seconds.
Level Up: Challenge everyone’s senses with a blind taste test of different sodas or snacks. Have everyone guess the flavors and describe what they’re tasting in the most interesting, unique way possible.
I lie awake sometimes thinking about our lives today: about all the apps that never stop scrolling; about how, despite trying hard for years, I’ve never gotten through all my emails; about how all the fawning talk about AI is building toward a way of life I’m not sure I want to adopt. What if everything keeps getting faster and more efficient, but we don’t get any less busy? What if nothing ever just ends and instead keeps optimizing and iterating forever?
I don’t know how to stop this churn. What I know for sure is that a picnic can pause it for a while, and reconnect me to some things that make more sense. When I move my body through open air and take in a natural world that exists despite myself, and when people I love do those things with me, these circling thoughts get quieter. The good feelings crowd them out.
I bet it's been awhile since you laid on your back in the grass and saw what a tree looks like from below. If I could, that’s what I’d prescribe us all as the seasons change. Go out there and find how alive it makes you feel.
