Venues in Stillwater

Stillwater is a city in, and the county seat of, Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. It is located in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. Route 177 and State Highway 51. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 45,688, making it the tenth-largest city in Oklahoma.

Stillwater is known as the home of red dirt music, a mixture of folk, country, blues and rock. Notable red dirt artists from Stillwater include Cross Canadian Ragweed, Jason Boland and the Stragglers, the Red Dirt Rangers, The Great Divide, No Justice, Jenny Labow, the Jason Savory Band, and the father of red dirt music, Bob Childers.

Garth Brooks, Other Lives, and The All-American Rejects launched their careers playing the local bars like Willie's Saloon, Tumbleweed Dance Hall, and Eskimo Joe's.

Eskimo Joe's was voted the “Best College Post-Game Hangout” by Sporting News, ranked third in the "Perfect 10 College Sports Bars" list by Sports Illustrated, and named in Playboy's “Top 10 College Sports Bars.” Eskimo Joe's collectable T-shirts have been spotted all around the globe.

Tumbleweed Dance Hall, home of the world-famous annual Calf Fry, was nominated for “Dancehall of the Year” award by the Academy of Country Music.

Located on The Strip on Washington Street, Willie's Saloon is a Stillwater landmark. It is known for launching the career of Garth Brooks after he was discovered there by Dallas entertainment attorney, Rod Phelps.

Stillwater hosts several performing arts series, including performances at the City of Stillwater Community Center, the Town and Gown Community Theater. OSU's Allied Arts holds performances in the Seretean Center and the Jerry L. Davis Studio Theatre on the OSU-Stillwater campus. The McKnight Center, a new state-of-the-art performing arts center on campus, is currently under construction.

Stillwater is served by several voluntary organizations dedicated to providing entertainment and cultural experiences: the Stillwater Community Singers, the Stillwater Community Band and Stillwater Jazz.

Annual festivals and events
Stillwater is home to a number of annual festivals and community events held throughout the year. Residents also benefit from the many events and activities hosted by Oklahoma State University.

Since 1920, Oklahoma State University has welcomed alumni to “America’s Greatest Homecoming Celebration." Each year, more than 70,000 alumni and friends return to campus for "Walkaround" and the Homecoming Parade.

Spring kicks off with the Stillwater Public Education Foundation's A Taste of Stillwater, a fundraiser held every March. Other events include the Tumbleweed Calf Fry, the Stillwater Home Builders Association's Home and Garden Show, the Remember the 10 Run, and the OSU Jazz Festival.

Since 2012, Stillwater has hosted the annual Land Run 100, a 100-mile (161 km) bicycling endurance race around north-central Oklahoma.

The annual Red Dirt Film Festival is held every March. The independent film festival features screenings, panels, and workshops on the OSU campus.