Dragons take over East Tulsa with new Global District art trail

Forget storybooks, dragons have taken over in East Tulsa.

Dragons land in East Tulsa

The Global District unveiled its new Dragon Trail, featuring 12 colorful dragon bike racks painted by local artists. Each dragon comes with a story, a name, and even a QR code that unlocks a digital map leading visitors to all 12 stops.

Art with a personal touch

For Tulsa artist Noeli Lira, the project was more than just painting a dragon.

"It's really cool because I used to play around here,” Lira said. “I grew up in east Tulsa, so seeing my art somewhere where that shaped me as a person is really cool. It's really full circle for me."

Her two-year-old son, Marcello, even helped her add finishing touches.

Celebrating culture through art

The project was designed to celebrate the diversity of Tulsa’s Global District, which is home to residents and businesses from more than 30 different countries.

“We have a blending of different cultures here,” said Alejandro Garcia, Executive Director of the Tulsa Global District. “You can see it reflected in food, in art, and in the entrepreneurial spirit of the area.”

The trail is a tribute to the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.

“The dragon, this creature is really important for these cultures,” Garcia said. “So we decided to honor our AAPI community.”

Encouraging people to explore

The trail does more than showcase public art. In partnership with Ascension St. John, the district hopes it will encourage people to adopt healthy habits like walking and biking.

 At each stop, visitors can stop into the local businesses and even collect stickers from participating shops.

Slideshow: Meet the Dragons