Tulsa Day Center Hosts 'Big Show Off' Event To Bring Awareness To Homelessness

Several local talents competed in the Tulsa Day Center's "Big Show Off" fundraising competition in hopes of raising awareness about homelessness in Tulsa.

While the night was full of fun acts and entertainment, those at the Tulsa Day Center hope guests saw a much bigger picture.

The Tulsa ballroom at the Cox Convention Center was filled with people ready to watch all sorts of talent at the Tulsa Day Center's "Big Show Off" event.

"We're very, very excited to see all the acts. I understand we have some really incredible talent for tonight," said one supporter, Rachel Blue.

Acts included singing, dancing, comedy and maybe some talents people hadn't quite seen before.

"The art that I am going to be doing is inserting myself into a giant balloon," one contestant, Benjamin Kirsch, said.

Each of the acts performed in front of the judges including famous locals like Zac Hanson, Olivia Jordan and Danny Boy O'Connor, in hopes they would win the $10,000 grand prize.

"These are the best of who auditioned in Tulsa so, it's really exciting to be in a show with all of the same people," Kirsch said.

But the event wasn't just about showcasing local talent. It was a fundraiser to help bring awareness to homelessness in Tulsa.

"We all know there's a big homeless problem in Tulsa, and housing first has always been the day center's motto. They've got an incredible staff there that has just done so much to keep people housed.," Blue said.

Blue and her husband have been involved with the Tulsa Day Center for more than a decade and hope the fundraiser helped others learn more about the organization.

"There are so many things the day center does. It's not just a place for somebody to go and hang out during the day, so that's what I hope people take away from tonight," Blue said.

And while many of the contestants were looking to take first place, they were happy to help support a bigger cause.

"This event is for a really, really good cause and so my whole motivation for being here tonight is to simply bring awareness and support the day center," said contestant Allison Walden.

This was the first time the Tulsa Day Center had hosted the event. They said it was a success and hoped it helped bring the community together to help fight homelessness.

The Tulsa Day Center's "Big Show Off" winner for 2024 was singer/songwriter Joleen Brown.