Claiming the title of America’s Friendliest College Town, Stillwater, Oklahoma, offers a vibrant and laid-back setting for meetings and events. The town provides great accessibility to nearby major metropolitan areas such as Tulsa and Oklahoma City, serving as a convenient midway location between the two cities. Thanks to the influx of students from local schools like Oklahoma State University and Northern Oklahoma College, the residents are used to welcoming new faces.
“We’re a small-town community with a big-town feel,” said Kylie Vincent, vice president of Visit Stillwater.
Stillwater is known as the birthplace of Red Dirt music, a unique musical style that combines elements of bluegrass, country and rock with an emphasis on lyrical storytelling. This musical heritage continues to thrive in the city, where visitors can find live music almost every night of the week.
“The nightlife here is huge,” said Vincent. “Many groups call and plan their meeting around live music events.”
Many of these concerts take place at popular locales like Eskimo Joe’s; Gatsby: A Modern-Day Speakeasy; and the new Iron Monk Brewing Company. For a casual bite, visitors enjoy stopping by restaurants such as Granny’s Kitchen or Mojo’s Rock ’n’ Bowl, which includes a full-scale bowling alley.
“You can have your dinner at a table with your bowling shoes on and bowl in between bites,” said Vincent.
Sports fans can visit one of the area’s five world-class golf courses, catch a college football game at Boone Pickens Stadium or take a tour of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Other unusual attractions are the new Modella Art Gallery and the Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University.
ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center
Considered one of Stillwater’s premier event facilities, the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center contains the 5,762-square-foot Family Alumni Hall, a 2,496-square-foot seminar room and a 4,200-square-foot formal terrace and garden, along with 10 smaller meeting rooms. The alumni center features day-of-event assistance, with provided table decor, event setup and event management. Planners can order catering from local restaurants such as Eskimo Joe’s, Cherokee Strip Barbecue and Freddie Paul’s Steakhouse. Parking is available in the Student Union Parking Garage.
Eskimo Joe’s
Eskimo Joe’s, known as Stillwater’s Jumpin’ Little Juke Joint, is one of the city’s most iconic venues. The sports bar opened during the mid-1970s and added a restaurant for college students when the legal drinking age changed from 18 to 21. Every month, Eskimo Joe’s serves nearly 7,000 plates of its world-famous cheese fries, a tasty snack once endorsed by former President George H.W. Bush. Other popular menu items include Joe’s Classic Burgers and a variety of chicken sandwich options called Fowl Things. Meeting attendees would be remiss not to stop by this cozy hub after hours for a drink and a bite to eat.
