For several Decembers, BlackGold Christmas has been a stand of decorated trees at BlackGold Park, 94 S. 145th St. by Highway 75. Under the Chamber's sponsorship terms, businesses, clubs and nonprofits could sponsor a tree for $250 and decorate it to promote themselves or the season. The Glenpool Chamber of Commerce supplied the tree stands and signs, and the City of Glenpool ran the electricity. The Chamber's own description of the event lists caroling, photos with Santa, food vendors, horses and carriages, and the lighting of the Mayor's Christmas Tree, and it puts attendance at more than 2,500 people.
This year those trees take a break. The Chamber has announced that the 35th annual Christmas Parade will roll on Sunday, Dec. 6, at 1 p.m. along 141st Street. Afterward, the celebration moves to a vendor Christmas Market at the Glenpool Conference Center, 12205 S Yukon Ave., from 2 to 7 p.m. Six days later the same building hosts the Native American Christmas Market. For 2026, both of Glenpool's December market weekends happen at one address on Yukon Avenue.
Two Sundays, two years apart
The parade has always been held on a Sunday in early December. What's changed is the time and the place you end up afterward.
| 2024 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, Dec. 8 | Sunday, Dec. 6 |
| Parade start | 4 p.m. | 1 p.m., along 141st Street |
| After the parade | Park activities and a tree lighting | Christmas Market, 2 to 7 p.m., Glenpool Conference Center |
| Parade number | 33rd annual | 35th annual |
| Sponsored trees at BlackGold Park | Part of the event | Paused for 2026 |
The 2024 column comes from KTUL's preview that year, which called it the sixth annual BlackGold Christmas and listed a 4 p.m. parade "followed by park activities and tree lighting." The 2026 column comes from the Chamber's event page.
Last year still ended at the park. A Tulsa Flyer photo caption from Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, shows a family catching fake snow from the parade floats and notes that the route started on 141st Street and finished near BlackGold Park in downtown Glenpool.
Moving the start from 4 p.m. to 1 p.m. turns this into an early-afternoon event. In 2024 the parade led straight into a tree lighting. In 2026 it leads into five hours of shopping at the Conference Center.
Why the park is quiet this year
The Chamber gives its reasons for the tree pause on the BlackGold Christmas page:
"As we look ahead to the future of BlackGold Christmas, we will be taking a year off from the Christmas trees at BlackGold Park. This pause gives our planning committee time to explore new ideas, plan ahead, and prepare for an even bigger and better celebration in 2027."
The same page calls 2026 "a new chapter for BlackGold Christmas." The sponsored-tree part of BlackGold Christmas has run on teamwork. The Chamber's sponsorship page describes a decorating kickoff it calls "Merry Monday," with sponsors decorating their own trees, the Chamber supplying stands and signs, and the City supplying power. Taking a year off from that setup gives the committee room to redesign it.
The parade goes ahead for its 35th year. The Chamber calls it a holiday tradition and "a community favorite for a quarter of a century," with entries from businesses, nonprofits, car clubs, bike clubs and school groups. OG&E is the presenting sponsor this year.
Sunday, Dec. 6, in order
Here's the day laid out the way the Chamber lists it:
- 1 p.m. The 35th annual Christmas Parade starts along 141st Street.
- 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. The BlackGold Christmas Vendor Market runs at the Glenpool Conference Center, 12205 S Yukon Ave., with local vendors and holiday shopping.
That leaves about an hour between the 1 p.m. parade start and the 2 p.m. market opening. If your Sunday has other plans in it, the market's five-hour window also lets you skip the parade crowd and come later in the afternoon.
The Chamber's page has links to both the parade application and the vendor market application, and its office number is 918-322-3505.
The building that hosts both weekends
The Glenpool Conference Center isn't a rented hall. It's a city building. When News On 6 covered it in 2010 as it got close to opening, the station described a 57,000-square-foot, $11 million city project built with revenue bonds. City offices take up the second and third floors, and the first floor has the conference and meeting rooms and an amphitheater. The same report said the City built it to attract business to Glenpool.
That history explains why it can host a vendor market on a Sunday afternoon and a full-day arts market the next Saturday. The building was designed for events. This December it handles both of the town's holiday markets.
Saturday, Dec. 12, same address
The City of Glenpool's calendar lists the Native American Christmas Market for Saturday, Dec. 12, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Conference Center. The TravelOK listing gives the same address, 12205 S Yukon Ave., and a city contact number, 918-209-4629.
TravelOK describes a market of American Indian artists and craftspeople selling their own work, including:
- Seminole patchwork skirts and ribbon shirts
- Silver and turquoise jewelry and one-of-a-kind beadwork
- Handmade leather goods, Native American dolls, Pendleton products and wood etchings
- Original paintings and sewing creations
Food is a big part of the day. The listing mentions Indian tacos, spirit soup, fry bread, meat pies, barbecue and pumpkin pecan muffins, along with door prizes, raffle items and live music throughout the day.
At least one vendor is planning around it. Artist Jessica Thompson tells visitors on her event page that "this is the one event of the year you should not miss," and adds, "Come shop where the artists (or at least this artists) go for their holiday shopping!"
Put together, Glenpool has two markets six days apart in the same building. The Chamber's market runs on a Sunday afternoon right after the parade. The Native American Christmas Market fills most of a Saturday. If you're doing your holiday shopping in town this year, both of those trips start at the same parking lot on Yukon Avenue.
Coffee or a meal on the way
The Chamber's "Where to Eat" directory has a few Glenpool names worth fitting into either weekend. Roast House Coffee Co. is listed as founded in Glenpool, at 1161 E 151st St. Mamadou's dates back to 1996, according to the Chamber. The City's business directory lists Mamadou's Restaurant at 14751 S Casper Street. If you'd rather stay near the parade route, the City directory lists China Cafe at 480 E 141st Street. Hours around a Sunday parade can change, so call ahead before you plan a meal around one of them.
What to put on the calendar now
| Date | Event | Time | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, Dec. 6 | 35th annual Christmas Parade | 1 p.m. | 141st Street |
| Sunday, Dec. 6 | BlackGold Christmas Vendor Market | 2 to 7 p.m. | Glenpool Conference Center, 12205 S Yukon Ave. |
| Saturday, Dec. 12 | Native American Christmas Market | 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Glenpool Conference Center, 12205 S Yukon Ave. |
BlackGold Park won't have the sponsored trees this December. The Chamber has said it's using the year to plan a bigger celebration for 2027.
Jeremy Grumbles keeps up with what changes around Glenpool from one December to the next, from the parade route on 141st Street to the busy weekends on Yukon Avenue. He follows the local property market just as closely. If you own in Glenpool and want to know where your place stands before next year's parade, schedule your free consultation.
