This Is The Friendliest Small Town in Oklahoma
Woodward holds the title of friendliest small town in Oklahoma, and the locals will tell you why with a story rather than a slogan. The Woodward Elks Rodeo, established in 1929 and one of Oklahoma's oldest PRCA rodeos, brings the same families back to the arena field generation after generation. PollyAnna Café has been serving the same plates of breakfast since opening as a candy shop in the early 1900s. Red Prairie Steakhouse pulls Friday-night regulars who get greeted by name. Come visit and decide whether Woodward lives up to the title.
Woodward's Old West History
The Woodward Elks Rodeo is one of the oldest Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) rodeos in Oklahoma. The rodeo was first held in 1929 and was organized by some of the men who had ridden for the large cattle outfits of the 1890s. The Woodward Elks Rodeo's popularity was evident from the start, and since then, it has grown in size and popularity. Many people come to the arena field and cheer on riders competing in bull riding, calf roping, saddle bronc riding, team roping, and more. The week-long event also features a longhorn cattle drive through downtown streets, a parade filled with entrants and decorated floats, live concerts, and evening dances.
But in this northwest corner of Oklahoma, Old West heritage can be experienced year-round, not just during the Woodward Elks Rodeo. At the Plains Indians and Pioneers Museum, visitors can gain insight into northwest Oklahoma's history through immersive displays from a typical Frontier town, such as a bank, saloon, jail, and newspaper office.
Historic Downtown Woodward
PollyAnna Café has a long history in Woodward, which dates back to the 1900s when it opened as a candy shop. In 1928, PollyAnna Café moved across the street, where it still operates. They are open six days a week, serving generous portions of breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The Woodward Arts Theatre has attracted a diverse crowd since it originally opened as a movie house in 1929. Since then, it has provided Woodward residents and visitors alike with concerts, theatrical performances, events, and receptions. Other than a packed schedule of professional and community performances throughout the year, the theatre has three large classrooms that host cultural activities, art-related programs, workshops, and children's camps for Woodward and the surrounding communities.
For classic southern cuisine in Woodward, Red Prairie Steakhouse delivers with southern comfort food like calf fries, steaks in a variety of cuts, and seafood options like catfish.
A Recreational Community
Crystal Beach Waterpark is packed with an array of recreational facilities that can accommodate people of all activity levels. It is a versatile space equipped with a bandshell for concerts, tennis and horseshoe courts, pavilions, playground equipment for children, and outdoor cooking areas for the parents.
In the summer, visitors can catch baseball games at Fuller Ballpark, tee off on the golf or mini-golf courses at the on-site Woodward Municipal Golf Course, cast a line at the spring-fed Crystal Beach Lake, or cool off at the Woodward Aquatic Center, which has swimming pools, waterslides, a lap pool, and multiple play features.
Outside of town, Boiling Springs State Park offers 820 acres of recreation at one of seven original state parks built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Visitors can view the natural spring the park is named after from a wooden shelter and interpretive center. The park's trail system includes five beginner-friendly hiking and mountain biking trails of various lengths, over 150 picnic tables and grills, as well as various RV sites, cabins, and tent campsites.
Other Woodward Festivals
The Sand Plum Festival is a celebration of the sweet-flavored sand plum, a native fruit. The festival begins with the Sand Plum Scoot 5K and 10K races through downtown Woodward. The races are followed by the Miss Sand Plum Pageant, where entrants compete to be crowned Miss Sand Plum Queen and Miss Sand Plum Princess. The Plains Indians and Pioneers Museum also takes part in the festival, hosting a quilting show.
Woodward celebrates Independence Day with the Home of the Brave Fest, held at Crystal Beach Park. During the day, there are activities for all ages, such as mini golf, paddle boats, and the Home of the Brave Fishing Derby for children aged 16 and under. During the afternoon, the festivities shift to live music and outdoor activities, culminating in a firework display at dusk.
Oklahoma's Friendliest Small Town
Woodward may entertain people with the excitement of the Woodward Elks Rodeo and educate them by paying homage to the Old West at the Plains Indians and Pioneers Museum, but Woodward's southern charm and hospitality are what make people feel welcome. Longstanding establishments like PollyAnna Café or versatile green spaces like Crystal Beach Park have been staples of Woodward and contribute to the town's friendly reputation.
