Family-friendly GLOW provides music, food and activities on Friday

The Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation (OKCBF) has a plan to get people out in the sun and fresh air this summer. The events, called GLOW, include a free movie, food trucks, live music and family-friendly recreational activities on Friday evenings.

“GLOW is not an acronym,” Elizabeth Laurent, director of marketing and sales at OKCBF, said. “The name was suggested a few years ago by Susan Harkness of OG&E because of the way the LED lights glow and reflect on the river.”

FAA Credit Union was offering a free movie on Friday nights, so OKCBF decided to expand the program to offer more options for all ages and budgets. Many of the activities, including the movie and music, are free. And the food trucks are pretty easy on a dining budget.

“Our adventures are all open during GLOW, too,” Laurent said. “This year, we have a brand-new water slide. It’s about 50 feet high, and the kids seem to be loving it.”

The Boathouse District boasts a free playground for the kids, as well as a sand volleyball pit and a bocce ball pit. Adventures include wall climbing, a zip line and boating sports.

While bringing food is discouraged because of the food trucks, Laurent said people are welcome to bring chairs, blankets and Frisbees. GLOW is pet-friendly, too.

“We just want to provide people an opportunity to hang out with friends and family and enjoy a summer evening,” Laurent said. “The movies are family-friendly, and we will have popcorn for sale.”

Upcoming movies include Annie, Planes: Fire & Rescue and Guardians of the Galaxy. The live music is performed by local bands and musicians. The entertainment is selected by a committee, and Laurent said more bands will soon be announced. Aaron Pierce, Medicine Brother and The Indigos played at the first GLOW event on June 19.

In addition to food trucks, COOP Ale Works will provide a beer garden for people of legal drinking age. When COOP sets up a beer garden, it also brings its cornhole game sets, which means yet another activity for the evening.

“The beer garden has to be sectioned off from the rest of GLOW,” Laurent said, “and it’s illegal to take beer out of the area, but it has a very generous space for seating.”

The food trucks will rotate throughout the summer events based on their own commitments. All GLOW events have at least three options, including RIVERSPORT Café, which is scheduled to be at all the events.

One of OKCBF’s missions is youth outreach, and GLOW offers activities that get youth outside and encourage healthy lifestyles.

Print headline: Night light, The family-friendly GLOW event provides music, food and activities for everyone.

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