Visit Woodward Receives Statewide RedBud Award for Día de los Muertos Celebration

Visit Woodward has received a 2026 Oklahoma Travel Industry Association (OTIA) RedBud Award for “Outstanding New Event” for Woodward’s Día de los Muertos Celebration, earning statewide recognition for one of the community’s newest and fastest-growing events.

The RedBud Awards honor excellence in Oklahoma tourism and recognize outstanding events, attractions, organizations, and initiatives across the state. Woodward’s Día de los Muertos Celebration was selected in the “Outstanding New Event” category, which recognizes festivals and celebrations in existence for three years or less that demonstrate creativity, uniqueness, and effective promotion.

In just its second year, Woodward’s Día de los Muertos Celebration doubled attendance, expanded into the Woodward County Event Center, and continued building strong partnerships with local businesses, sponsors, performers, and community leaders.

“This recognition is a huge honor not only for Visit Woodward, but for our entire community,” said Visit Woodward’s Tourism Director, Megan Johnston. “This event was created to celebrate culture, bring people together, and create an experience that felt welcoming and meaningful for everyone. Seeing it recognized at the state level in only its second year is incredibly special.”

The celebration was developed to honor and showcase Hispanic culture and traditions while creating a new signature fall event for northwest Oklahoma. Through bilingual marketing efforts, cultural performances, authentic food, educational displays, and family-friendly entertainment, the event has quickly become one of the city’s most unique community celebrations.

The success of the event was made possible through strong community support and collaboration from sponsors, volunteers, performers, local organizations, and attendees who helped bring the vision to life.

“This award reflects the direction Woodward is heading as a community,” said Johnston. “We are proud to continue creating events that celebrate the people, cultures, and traditions that make Woodward unique.”

Woodward’s Día de los Muertos Celebration continues to grow each year and has become an important addition to the city’s tourism and event landscape, attracting both local residents and visitors from across the region.