R F Mayfest Means Fun E The Strawberries in Stilwell E Pulse e Heartbeat of Family Living May 2012 Knights Collide at The Castle Rockin River Builders Custom Project Specialists Happy Homeowners New Home Construction • Remodels Custom Projects • Repairs Quality Guaranteed • Free Estimates Ty Hemken, Builder Over 50 yrs. combined 918-506-0265 experience “If you can dream it, we can build it” Rockin River Builders Custom Project Specialists Putting communities first To do a job right, you need the proper tool. We all know this. It’s common sense to know that you can’t turn a flat head screw with a phillips screw- driver. You can try to make it work, but chances are That’s that someone will need a Band-Aid. If you have the proper where we tool, however, the job is easy. come in. The Pulse That is why The Pulse magazine was created. Magazine is a free, For the team at The Pulse this publication is a way to fulfill a MONTHLY desperate need for the smaller communities of Green Country. tour- In the course of our professional lives in this business we have ism and events witnessed this scenario time and again. Something great—a guide, compartmentalized small festival, a new museum with a small budget, a non-profit into our “Sweet Sixteen” counties of Northeast organization having an event in one of our smaller Green Oklahoma’s Green Country. Each section will be there every Country communities just couldn’t quite get the word out. We month and when there is no major event, then we will cover have seen Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Directors, Main local attractions (museum’s, great restaurants, area history, or Street Organizers, and various clubs and civic groups working just a walk down main street to tell you what’s there) This is themselves to the bone to bring wonderful events to their a way for rural Green Country to have a platform each and communities, family friendly fun for all, but small towns and every month to broadcast to each other! small budgets for advertising make a very small noise. No Northeast Oklahoma is rich with culture, history, shopping and one hears but those who live the closest. attractions and it’s all in our own backyards. In a time when we are all trying to spend more quality time with our fami- What they need is the right tool, something to bridge that lies, it is our mission to bring to you the best events, dining, gap of information from community to community. shopping and entertainment that we can find for you to do together. This is our gift, free to you our reader. Every day we are inundated with news and information from Tulsa, about Tulsa. There is just so much going on in T-town Pay careful attention to the advertisers on these pages. This that the little guy never gets a break. Or, the event gets lots passion for community and promoting small town Green of coverage from the local paper but there’s just one prob- Country is something we all share. None of this would be lem; the local paper doesn’t really leave its own community. possible without them. Be sure to tell them that you are Happy Sure, if you have a budget for advertising you can get the Homeowners thankful for their support of your own neighborhood and tell word out. There’s a problem with that too, though. The “tool- them while you’re shopping in their store. box” that’s available for spreading the word is missing just New Home Construction • Remodels the right equipment. We love Green Country. Let’s get the word out about how great you are together! Tell a friend about our magazine, Custom Projects • Repairs Don’t get me wrong. There are some great publications out visit our website and friend us on Facebook. Let us know there. They are wonderful instruments for the job they are in- what your organization is doing. Where is your favorite Quality Guaranteed • Free Estimates tended to do. There are numerous publications that meet the place to visit, eat or shop and we‘ll get to sharing it with the demographic beautifully, but their distribution is too local… rest of Green Country. Ty Hemken, Builder Over 50 yrs. you would need to advertise in several to get the word out, combined much too cost prohibitive for most. Or they meet the cover- The Pulse is much more than just another tool in the toolbox. age area, but the subject matter is too specialized and these We’re the right tool for the job and we’re created, just for you. experience small community functions just aren’t quite what these publica- 918-506-0265 tion’s readers are interested in. The right tool for the job has Sincerely, been missing, until now. The Pulse Team “If you can dream it, we can build it” Do you have an event we should know about? Contact us at [email protected] or on our website Adair and tell us about it. We want to hear from you. Cherokee Find us on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/thepulsemagazine Craig www.mypulsemag.com Share your knowledge with all of Green Country Creek If you are a professional in your field, the Pulse Pro is accepting submissions for articles on many topics. Please Mayes Delaware contact our office and let us know what you do. McIntosh Muskogee The Pulse Staff Main Phone Number: (918) 931-9981 Nowata Fax: (888) 386-5094 Sales: Lisa Pinnick (918) 316-7237 [email protected] Okmulgee Ad design: Emmet Pedrick, [email protected] Layout: Juanita Lewis, [email protected] Osage Story Editor: Amy Addams, [email protected] Contributing Writers Angel Waldo - Deb Bayton Ottawa Julie Wenger-Watson - Alexis Greybird Lorenzo Zoil - Laraine Larimar Dakota Jones - Carol Marie Merritt Rogers Trent McDaniel - Dr. Tracy A. Hoos, DO - Lisa Gorman, RN B. Rick Wall - Angalien NoFire Sequoyah Produced by Pod Publications © All rights reserved 2012 We would like to give a special thank you to all those who Tulsa made this magazine happen and who give us your love Wagoner and support. Words are not enough but we will try. Page 2 - May 2012 - The Pulse WWW.MYPULSEMAG.COM The Heartbeat of Family Living May 2012 - Vol. 1, Issue 1 Our Communities 6 More in Muskogee Muskogee’s 8 Claremore Delivers 4 Renaissance 11 Wagoner Summerfest Festival 13 Tulsa BlueDome Festival Where fairy tales 14 More in Tulsa come true. Every 15 Sallisaw’s Diamond Daze prince and princess 16 Bartlesville bash in May and June in the land is invited 17 Route 66 Blowout in Sapulpa to attend this month 18 Traipsing through Tahlequah long festival. 19 Lake Tenkiller- more than water 22 Volunteering at Rocklahoma 23 Nowata newsworthy 24 Lakes, rivers and waterparks Tulsa 26 Stilwell’s Strawberries 12 Mayfest 27 Miami in May Tulsa brings in the 28 Okmulgee goes fishing month in style. 29 Rodeo Round-up Going Out/Staying In 30-31 The Pulse Pro x2 32 Theatre for all 33 Films to see 34 Museums 35 Kid-friendly museums Grove 36 Art 20 Celebrates 37 Mother’s Day tips to make it special American 39 Dining Out - Where to go Heritage 42 Keeping kids sharp all summer Dust off your 44 Summer reading ideas clogging shoes and warm up the Month at a Glance fiddle. 46 A calendar listing of fun stuff to do The Pulse - May 2012 - Page 3 MUSKOGEE COUNTY - MUSKOGEE MUSKOGEE A Festival Fit for a King i by: Amy Addams Attention lords and ladies, kings and commoners, jousters and jesters, it’s time for the opening of the 2012 Oklahoma Renaissance Festival happening in conveniently-located Muskogee, Oklahoma. It all begins April 28 and runs through May 28, open every weekend from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. There are also numerous things for children at the Festival, with places designated as ‘kids areas’ (and what kid doesn’t like a good jousting match?) There’s so much to see and do, you’d be doing your family a great disservice by not making a special effort to get over to the Festival for a day (or more) of great fun. Heck, you might even talk and play as a family rather than sitting in a dark theater staring at a big screen (don’t we do enough of that at home?). They have finished the Italian Village where new entertainments, food and fun are available to all. Some of the best acts for the entire family are the joust (there are many throughout the day, so pick one that works best with your schedule), the Birds of Prey demonstration, the Tribal Festival, but we’re here to rearrange your thinking. If you Circus (while not large, it is funny and fun to watch), the took the kids to a two-hour movie, you would spend $30-40 Enchanted Boardwalk and be sure to visit the Castle. Grab (with a small popcorn and soda), so for only a few dollars one of the programs to get a rundown of what’s going on more, why not spend your money more wisely on an entire when and plan your visit at the beginning of the day. day of fun, education and fresh air? The organizers have gone to great lengths to keep ticket prices to a minimum Many people think they cannot afford the Renaissance and if you order online, you can get some pretty fantastic Page 4 - May 2012 - The Pulse WWW.MYPULSEMAG.COM deals; all you need to do is order ahead of time.