Free Tulsa Music Festival bringing nearly 200 bands today and Saturday to historic Blue Dome Arts District

TULSA – Oklahoma’s largest homegrown music festival returns to downtown Tulsa today and Saturday with the Free Tulsa Music Festival.

The third annual festival is free to the public, and more than 20,000 are expected to attend the two-day festival, according to a news release.

Free Tulsa is taking place in the historic Blue Dome Arts district. It will feature nearly 200 bands on multiple indoor and outdoor stages.

“What sets Free Tulsa apart from all other music festivals in the state is this one is dedicated to showcasing performers who have ties to Oklahoma,” said founder Marcos Matheos in the release. “Free Tulsa is a fun, free and family-friendly event that allows people of all ages to enjoy local music while visiting our many great local businesses.”

Notable acts on this year’s lineup include OK Sweetheart, Taddy Porter, Broncho and Ester Drang. It also will remark a return for headlining art rockers Colourmusic of Stillwater, who have gone almost nine months without playing live shows and spent six months in a recording studio.

Colourmusic co-founder Ryan Hendrix told The Oklahoman‘s Conner Rohwer that the band plans to debut new songs from its yet-to-be-released “purple” album during its Free Tulsa set. He described the album as the sequel to their 2011 release “My ____ Is Pink.”

“I feel uncomfortable because there are so many awesome bands from Oklahoma that will be there,” Hendrix said of performing at Free Tulsa. “Just being in front of people that I know and respect makes it that much harder.”

To read more of Conner’s great interview with Colourmusic, click here.