Presenting Sponsor:

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April 25th 12pm-9pm
and
April 26th 9am-8pm 

Where it all began...

Wilson Rawls’ beloved novel Where the Red Fern Grows is set in the Ozark hills surrounding Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The story follows an adventurous young boy who diligently saves his money to travel to Tahlequah to purchase two Redbone Coonhounds. The novel’s deep ties to the area made it the perfect location for its film adaptations—first in 1974, featuring many local residents, and again in 2003, both shot in and around Tahlequah. It’s only fitting that the town celebrates this legacy with the annual Red Fern Festival.

​Spanning seven blocks, the festival boasts over 150 arts and crafts vendors and an array of gourmet food trucks. Activities cater to all ages, from inflatables, petting zoos, and children’s games to live music that entertains both the young and young at heart. Festival highlights include the Miss Red Fern Pageant, the ever-popular rubber duck race down Town Branch Creek, and the thrilling Hound Dog Field Trials, where coon hunters put their dogs to the test.

The Red Fern Festival has grown not only in size but in spirit. What began as a modest gathering of fewer than 1,000 attendees has flourished into a beloved tradition, drawing an estimated 30,000+ visitors from across the United States each year.
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 2025 Red Fern sponsors

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Partner

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Live Music and Entertainment

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SELECT PROGRAMMING IS FUNDED IN PART BY THE OKLAHOMA ARTS COUNCIL AND NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.

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Logistic Sponsors

Volunteer 

Utilities

Tech 

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Activity sponsors

Trackless Train

Little Fern forrest

Safety Expo

Hound Dog Trials

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Marketing Sponsor

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Official Red Fern Photographer

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Advocate Sponsors

Renewal by Anderson
Bee's Knees
Dr. James Campbell D.O.;PLLC emergency Medicine
Jessie Barnard, Century 21
Chick fil' A - Tahlequah
​Tailored Roofing company
Red Bud Physical Therapy
​Century 21
Echota Behavioral Health

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Volunteers needed!

Be a part of Tahlequah's favorite event of the year!
Would you like to serve your community? Do you need community service hours?
Do you have a business looking to get involved in the community?
The Red Fern Festival is ran by volunteers and logs hundreds of volunteer hours throughout the weekend. There are many opportunities to be involved in this beloved community event.

Tahlequah Main Street Association is looking for volunteers in the following categories:
Set- Up/Break down
Registration
Fundraising
Kid Zone
​Wayfinding
and many more...
Let your skills serve the Tahlequah community.
Sign up today

Volunteer sign up open

The Red Fern Festival Pageant is a competition focused on expressing personality and personal style while developing confidence, stage presence and communication skills for the youth in Cherokee County. 

Plenty of Fun for the Young and Young at Heart.
Live Music, SAfety Expo, Inflatables, Trackless Train, pony rides and much more! 

Join in on the fun and visit with Local Heroes!
​Take tours of helicopters, police cars, fire trucks, ambulances and more! Bounce on the inflatables, and take a ride around on an 18 person train! 

Red Fern Shopping Days
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Downtown Tahlequah is home to a wide variety, from boutique shops to mom and pop shop's. There's a bike shop, barber shops, jewelry stores, a men's clothing store, western wear, boot repair, skateboards, Cherokee cultural destinations and museums, fine art galleries, a jazz lab and a playhouse,  acupuncture, bacon & eggs, burgers and steaks, coffee and tea, something healthy if you please, nutrition specialists, gaming gurus, boutiques, and wedding gowns and something for prom, a place to pawn, places to eat, places to drink and a place to buy things made in Tahlequah. All unique and different in their own special way. Most importantly they are all locally owned. 

Shop, Dine, and Experience beautiful historic downtown Tahlequah during Red Fern Shopping Days, you'll be glad you did!
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