A weekend at Grand Lake does not have to end when the fishing rods go back in the truck. This October, make room in your Grove plans for a community celebration with music, food, carnival rides and a chance to appreciate the birds that give the event its name.
The 43rd Annual Pelican Festival is scheduled for October 1-4, 2026, at Wolf Creek Park, 963 N 16th St., Grove, Oklahoma. For anyone planning a Grand Lake getaway, it is an opportunity to pair time on the water with an afternoon or evening in town.
What is happening at the festival?
According to the official event schedule, the entertainment tent will offer free concerts: Lightly Salted on Friday, October 2, and Guns 4 Roses, a Guns N’ Roses tribute, on Saturday, October 3. Both performances run from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Fun Time Shows carnival hours are Thursday and Friday, 6-10 p.m.; Saturday, noon-5 p.m. and 6-10 p.m.; and Sunday, 1-6 p.m. Arts and crafts vendors and food trucks are scheduled for Friday, noon-8 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Saturday also brings the Grove Masonic Lodge Car, Truck & Bike Show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and a free caricature artist from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pelican boat excursions are listed for Friday and Saturday; contact the organizers for departure times, prices and availability.
Free concerts do not mean every activity is free. Confirm ride and excursion costs before making plans.
A seasonal visitor worth watching
The festival celebrates the arrival of white pelicans. The organizers’ pelican guide identifies September through November as one of their seasonal migration periods around Grand Lake. Bring binoculars if birdwatching is part of your visit, and enjoy any sightings from a respectful distance.
Make a Grand Lake weekend of it
Our suggestion: leave breathing room in your itinerary. Set aside one part of the day for fishing and another for wandering the festival with family or friends. Check the weather before heading out, and confirm parking and boat access arrangements rather than assuming your usual routine will fit an event weekend.
If you are bringing someone who would rather browse booths than make another cast, this is an easy way to build a trip with something for both of you. Keep the schedule flexible enough to enjoy dinner or an evening concert without rushing back from the lake.
For more background on the water that connects it all, read Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees: The Lake That Changed Northeast Oklahoma, or browse more stories in Field Notes.
Before you go
Event details were checked September 26, 2026. Visit the official Pelican Festival schedule for updates, or contact the Grand Lake Association at 918-786-2289. Schedules may change.