You’re Invited: Oka Camp on the Blue River

This September 8, join us on the banks of the beautiful Blue River for an evening of culture, community, and creativity at Oka Camp — an outdoor encounter designed to build appreciation for water and the natural world.

The Blue River is one of only two wild rivers in Oklahoma, and it plays a critical role as both a natural treasure and a vital water resource. Oka Camp invites people of all ages to experience this unique place through music, food, ecology, and storytelling.

An Evening by the River

📍 Blue River Public Hunting & Fishing Area📅 Monday, September 8⏰ 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Come and go as you please, and enjoy a lineup of activities that bring water education to life:

• 5:00 p.m. – Chickasaw Flute & Storytelling by John Stevenson and Lorie Carmichael, with a barbecue dinner provided by the Oka’ Institute

• 6:00 p.m. – History and Ecology of the Blue River with Cole Fagen and Katie Buckler, Oka’ Institute

• 7:00 p.m. – Water Walk with Kim Elkin, Watershed Movement

• 8:00 p.m. – Creative Writing & Open Mic led by local writers

  
  

Family-Friendly & Free

Oka Camp is open to everyone, and families with children are especially welcome. Normally, a hunting or fishing license is required to be in this area, but special permission has been granted for this event as long as attendees stay with the group. If you plan to step into the river, please bring river shoes or boots.

Why Oka Camp?

Oka Camp is about more than just an evening outdoors. It’s a chance to connect with water in new ways — to hear its stories, learn its science, and be inspired by its beauty. By gathering together, we celebrate not just the river itself, but the role water plays in our culture, communities, and future.

Event Partners

This event is made possible through the collaboration of The Oka’ Institute, Grow Ada, the Chickasaw Nation Office of Cultural Tourism, and East Central University’s Water Resource Policy and Management master’s program.

✨ Free and open to the public. For more information or to RSVP, contact Christine Pappas at cpappas@ecok.edu.