Tulsa's Route 66 Glass Fest has its longer day on the schedule today. Friday, Nov. 13, was set for 6 to 8 p.m. On Saturday, Nov. 14, the program at the Art Emporium 66 building in the Red Fork district is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The point is how many ways glass can show up in one building. The festival site lists a glass art show, vendor booths and hands-on glass classes, along with live demonstrations, raffles and Route 66 Art Drop bag redemptions. NewsOn6 describes the Nov. 13-14 gathering as a free family event with stained glass, blown glass, mosaics, workshops, vendors and giveaways. FOX23 reports that Agitsi Stained Glass and the Stained Glass Guild of Oklahoma are hosting, and that the fest is free and open to the public. The workshops are where an extra charge comes in.
Art Show, Booths And A Hot Shop
Saturday is the browsing day. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the festival site schedules the glass art show, vendor booths and hands-on classes. Local artists are showcasing and selling handmade work. The forms FOX23 lists run through stained glass, fused glass, blown glass and mosaics, a wider aisle than leaded windows alone.
The festival site says ribbons and awards will go to the glass art show, and a People's Choice contest will pick the best vendor booth. Raffles are on the program too. None of that is the paid workshop.
The demonstration with a name attached is inside the gallery. FOX23 reports that Jay Slack will demonstrate flame work and hot glass techniques there. That is glass while it can still be moved. The booths are the other half of the visit: finished handmade pieces, for sale.
Saturday Bags And A Token Hunt
The giveaways split into a door count and a road trip. The festival site says the first 50 people on Saturday get a Glass SWAG Bag, and the bags are a Saturday-only offer. FOX23 reports 50 additional gift bags for the first 50 people arriving Saturday morning.
The Art Drop is the longer game. FOX23 reports that it includes 50 tokens placed at small businesses and landmarks from Oklahoma City to Claremore, with clues on the art drop's social media page. Find a token, and it can be redeemed for a gift bag with a free stained-glass suncatcher made by guild members and local artists. The festival site says those Route 66 Art Drop bags can be redeemed at the fest.
A Tulsa walk-in and a token holder are not necessarily the same visitor. One is trying to be among the first 50 through the Saturday door. The other may have started in Oklahoma City, or followed a clue as far as Claremore, and then brought the token to Red Fork.
Workshops With And Without A Cutter
Free entry does not automatically buy a seat at the glass. FOX23 reports that hands-on workshops have additional costs, and that walk-ins are welcome if space is available. Visitors can try beginner-friendly glassmaking workshops.
The classes do not all start the same way. Some teach copper foiling and soldering without participants cutting glass, so the lesson stays on foil and solder. Others teach how to cut glass. That is the difference between learning the assembly and learning the cut.
Agitsi's regular classroom sits beside the festival menu. The studio offers hands-on stained-glass classes for all skill levels and says its beginner-friendly classes are open to ages 12 and up. FOX23 calls Agitsi a teaching studio. The studio's site places it in Tulsa's Red Fork Art District, while the fest is scheduled for the Art Emporium 66 building in Tulsa's Red Fork district.
The Host Studio On Route 66
Brandi Hines-Lee is the owner tying the classroom to the guild. TulsaPeople profiles her as the Cherokee artist who owns Agitsi Stained Glass. The Cherokee Phoenix identifies Brandi Hines as president of the Stained-Glass Guild of Oklahoma. FOX23, which uses the name Brandi Lee, reports that this owner and guild president is hosting the fest with the guild.
She has put a plain case on the weekend. FOX23 reports that she said the festival lets people experience glass art forms while supporting local creators, and that it draws attention to small businesses and artists who depend on community support. She described Red Fork as a hidden gem along Route 66, with artists, small businesses and visitor experiences.
FOX23 also notes that Route 66 is approaching its 100th anniversary. Her description of Red Fork sits on that road, and Saturday's scheduled hours at Art Emporium 66 run to 5 p.m.
