What’s So Special About Enid, Oklahoma?

I’m so glad you asked! We have visited Enid, Oklahoma multiple times for years. We are happy to share with you some special things that we have discovered about Enid and the people there.

The One

Drawing visitors from all over right now, is the 140 foot Christmas Tree. The One, the Christ Tree, is on display in the public space in front of the convention center downtown. It is the largest fresh cut Christmas Tree in the world! 

We followed the story, and it’s journey to Enid, on their website and on their Facebook page.  From being cut in California, arriving in Enid, the setting up and  lighting; it was all documented with live FB videos. The idea, birthed by Kyle and Carol Williams, to bring the largest fresh cut Christmas Tree to Enid to be the center of a community effort of celebrating, acknowledging and proclaiming the The One true God, the reason for the season, is in full swing. 

The 1st weekend in December, we were able to see it in person .  It was incredible. The tree will be milled and donated to local charities after Jan 6th. So, hopefully you can see it before then.  

Holiday Activities 

While you are admiring the Christmas Tree, you can enjoy the skating rink that is set up for the season, food trucks, ride in the lighted holiday truck and so much more downtown.  

Stride Bank Center

The Convention Center, known as the Stride Bank Center, is much more incredible than anything my city (twice the size) has. Not only is this event center equipped with large conference and banquet rooms, but it also encompasses an indoor arena. 

As you might guess, lots of big name concerts are held here with a past performers list including Willie Nelson, Alan Jackson, Jamey Johnson, Kenny Rogers, Reba McEntire, the Beach boys, Little Big Town, Chris Stapleton, Darius Rucker and more. 

We attended a Styx concert in the arena a few years ago. Cirque Musica Holiday is coming up quickly. Three Dog Night and even Dancing With the Stars Live Tour is performing here in 2022. 

Downtown Enid

Downtown is where you will find the convention center along with much much more. There is a new GLō Best Western hotel that has opened in the last six months. The hotel’s parking lot connects to Stride Bank Center’s parking lot. In the blocks surrounding, you will find Enid Public Library, a variety of shops, restaurants, Enid Brewing Co, the post office and courthouse.

The courthouse, Garfield County Clerk,  is a cool building. It has an attached clock tower. I love the clock tower and what it ads to this building with its nice simple design. 

The Enid Public Library, several of the bank buildings and even one church I noticed, have an Art Deco architectural design.  The 14 story Broadway Tower is an iconic Art Deco building in the middle of one of Enid’s downtown blocks. Makes for an interesting downtown with traditional and Art Deco architecture variations. 

Downtown Enid is very walkable and you will find plenty here to keep occupied. If you prefer,  downtown is also very drivable with two-way streets and plenty of pull in parking in front of shops and restaurants. 

Museums in Enid

You might be surprised at how many museums Enid has, considering that it’s a town of only 50,000 or so. With its rich history, you’ll find museums regarding early settlers, the railroad and even a children’s museum.

The Native American Cultural History runs deep in Oklahoma if you’ve ever studied it. Enid has Southern Heights Cultural Center with Native American exhibits. The Cherokee Strip Regional Herritage Center is a more expansive museum for event coverage beginning with 1893 Land Run. 

Simpson’s Old Time Museum focuses on all things western including old western film sets. Maybe that’s not surprising since it has an on-site production company. 

Railroad Museum of Oklahoma is a very special place to learn about the history of the American rail system. Conductor Frank “Watermelon” Campbell was still giving daily tours until his death in January 2021 at the age of 99! His wife is still carrying on his dream, opening the museum Tuesday through Saturday. 

Midgley Museum has you covered if artifacts, rocks and minerals peak your interest. This museum is located in the rock house just behind Champlin Park. Northwest Oklahoma Masonic Lodges operate this museum. 

For a hands-on, children’s learning museum, check out Leonardo’s Children’s Museum and it’s outdoor science playground, Adventure Quest.

Besides the three-story wooden castle, another thing that makes this playground very special is that it was built by 12,000 volunteers and it has remained the world’s largest community built outdoor playground since it opened in 1996. 

Murals/Public Art Enid OK

One of my favorite things to do is check out the local art, especially Murals, while we are traveling. And it has no shortage as talented artist painted in Murals on its buildings. Several of these have very unique stories of inspiration behind them. 

Along with the murals, you will find quite a few statues around Enid. Several that we saw on our recent visit include The Homesteaders and Boomer. 

The art installation at Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Community with the unbroken circle is intriguing. I would love to know more about it. 

Under Her Wing was the Universe, created by Romy Owens encompasses 2.5 acres of native prairie land and a large sculptured pavilion with the convention center as a backdrop. At nite the pavilion (envision as a wing) has lighted stars (envision as the universe) that have been named and purchased by donors helping to fund this massive art installation. The prairie land, with native flowers, is a development in progress that will result in a beautiful daytime or nighttime experience. 

Blooming Buddy Bison by Pam Kirkham and commissioned by the Harris Foundation was wearing a Christmas wreath when we visited Enid in December. How do I know that all of the balloons painted on the white bison were Oklahoma State symbols, I would have looked at all sides more closely.

For information on these, plus  many other murals and art installations in Enid, click here for VisitEnid.org Public Art page. 

Church Architecture 

Some of the churches that stood out, as we were driving around downtown Enid, include The First Presbyterian Church with it’s beautiful double tower design. This church was constructed 1894-1906. It’s outstanding. 

The Gothic style St Francis Xavier Catholic Church also has a Catholic School on the property. St Joseph’s Catholic School reopened in 2000 after being closed for a number of years. Currently, they have Pre-K through 5th grade. The church also operates “Our Daily Bread” soup kitchen, with volunteers, 5 days a week. Sounds like, not only does their church building stand out, but also the hearts of the members. 

Dining Options Enid

Whether you were downtown or out and about, and it has tons of dining options to choose from. Around the convention center and Main Street are variety of great options like Callahan’s, Napoli’s,  Café Garcia and Sandy’s Tacos. Brick Oven Pizzeria and The Youngblood Grille sound great too! There’s even fast food in the area if need be. 

Out and about you’ll find Chili’s, McAlister’s, RibCrub breweries, steakhouses, etc. One of my favorite lunch spots is Katy’s pantry. You’ll be tempted by the bakery items here too. 

Shopping Around Enid

There are lots of shops around downtown with front door parking and convenient to walk to if you’re staying downtown. End it is large enough that it has all the typical chains that we seem to frequent-Hobby Lobby, TJ Maxx, Ulta, Old Navy, etc. The Modern Thread is one of our daughter’s favorite stores.  I had a chance to go visit with the owner, Whitney,  and check out her shop on our last visit. I can see why it’s a favorite boutique and also discovered that she carries clothing for guys as well. 

The People of Enid

We’ve always known that ended had some very special people.  We’ve met many of them during the almost decade that our daughter and son-in-law have lived in Enid. This year we were fortunate enough to attend the Junior Welfare League’s Gala, that our daughter was honored to chair, and met even more of them. I was amazed at The involvement and generosity of hundreds of people that participated in the event.  There were many individuals and businesses that joined forces with our daughter to help make her vision a reality. The event and the people were top-notch and pulled of a fun and successful fundraiser for some very worthwhile organizations that help Enid locally. 

This is my recap as we arrived in Enid and watched the progress of ‘A Night In Tinseltown’ come together and joined as attendees. 

Plan Your Enid Visit

We think you will enjoy the special events, places, people and history of Enid too! Check out the events calendar for Stride Bank Center and plan a weekend around a fabulous show. You can’t go wrong staying and plying downtown. Make sure you venture out and about around the rest of Enid while you are there.