Downtown OKC Businesses Celebrate 20-Years Of The Bricktown Canal

It’s been 20 years since Oklahoma City’s Bricktown Canal opened.

Around the anniversary, the OKC Downtown Partnership and the Bricktown Association are celebrating the landmarks time in the city. The celebration’s theme is “party like it’s 1999”, the year the canal opened. 

The event will include throwback goodies, like slap bracelets, special products at area businesses and live music. 

News 9 talked to businesses ahead of the celebration about their memories and stories of the canal. 

Avis Scaramucci owns Painted Door. The boutique shop is located on the corner of Mickey Mantle Dr.  and Sheridan. 

Scaramucci moved to that location about 14-years ago, but she remembers when the canal was first built.

“Oh the beginning,  hearing about [it]. You know the mere idea that there was talk of taking a city street and not only tearing out the street but digging down to make a water way, it was exciting,” said Scaramucci. 

The Bricktown business owner said when the canal was built it was a risk. 

“At that time bricktown was certainly nothing that it is now,” described Scaramucci. 

She said only in the last five or six years has Bricktown really blossomed into what it is now. 

Fast forward 20-years, the city has the Thunder, hotels have gone up, the street car is up and running and now the city is extending even farther with Scissortail Park.

“Sometimes, whether it be a person a business or a city, when you try new things it doesn't work. This is one of those success stories,” said Scaramucci. 

She said the canal gives her an amenity to brag about, but also gives her a responsibility. 

“We all know part of my job is to recommend other places and not necessarily all in Bricktown," said Scaramucci. 

She hopes this shows the true community OKC really is. 

The canal celebration runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 28. 

For more information head to their event description on Facebook.