The Convention & Visitors Bureau is proud to announce the Tourism Summit on Tuesday, April 9th featuring keynote speaker LT. Governor Matt Pinnell at the Apache Casino Hotel. The objective of the annual Tourism Summit is to highlight and provide insight on the State of Oklahoma’s Tourism industry. The Tourism industry continues to be a leading source of commerce to the state of Oklahoma, currently ranked 3rd. In addition to providing the update on current status of tourism within the state, the Tourism Summit will also educate guests on the newest tourism initiatives and trends.

Don’t miss you chance to hear the exciting new updates in tourism! Click here to RSVP.

Ware On C returns on for the latest series of community events geared towards bringing residents out during after hours for fun families activities, local shopping, great music and so much more! On Thursday, April 4th from 5:30pm to 8pm, visitors and local residents can visit Lawton’s exclusive downtown known as the Ware District to check out some of the latest in food and entertainment highlighted in the area.

Ware On C Vendors Lineup

This event is free and open to the public. Stroller and pet friendly.

Want to be a Ware On C Vendor? Click here. Interested in volunteering? Sign up to be a Ware On C Volunteer here.

The Lawton Fort Sill Convention & Visitors Bureau is excited to announce the Marine Corps League will be hosting their southern division conference in Lawton this weekend. The Convention & Visitors Bureau and our community has not hosted this group since 2013, so we incredibly proud to announce the return of the organization. Not only is this an exciting chance for the Marine Corps League to receive training but also a great opportunity for the organization to check out and enjoy the benefits of our community. On Saturday, March 23th, they will start their morning off with a presentation of colors, provided by our very own Buffalo Soldiers. Following the presentation of colors, the group will be welcomed by Mayor Booker and proceed to a training opportunity. The group will conclude their day with a special banquet at the Comanche County Fairgrounds. On behalf of the Lawton Fort Sill Convention & Visitors Bureau and our community, WELCOME TO LAWTON! We are thrilled to host the Marine Corps League in our city!

Billed in years past as the largest Armed Forces Day parade in the nation, more than 100 participants are set to march in Lawton Fort Sill’s procession. This year's theme A Step Into the Past: Celebrating Fort Sill's 150th Birthday and honoring our Armed Forces history, will highlight the monumental birthday of Fort Sill as well as recognize the history of our military by encouraging participants to incorporate elements of the past into their floats. The annual event serves to showcase our armed forces and community collaboration. 

Parade entry forms are available now, and will be accepted up to 3 p.m. Friday, May 10.

Parade Entry Form

For more information on the parade, contact Logan Ralston, Convention & Visitors Bureau Projects Officer at 580-355-3541 or email lralston@visitlawton.com. 

Parade Route

Click here for parade lineup!

The Lawton Fort Sill Convention and Visitors Bureau is excited to announce the return of the Southwest Oklahoma Corvette Club’s Corvette Weekend 2019. It is always an honor to host such a wonderful group and see it grow every year. This year the Lawton Fort Sill Convention and Visitors Bureau will not only be a part of selecting one of the corvettes for the “Convention and Visitors Bureau Award”, but we will also be the presenter of the award during the Saturday evening awards banquet. Mark your calendar for March 22nd – 24th to be at Apache Casino Hotel and see the incredible lineup of cars!

The Corvette Show will take place on March 23rd from 12-3pm in the south parking lot of the Apache Casino Hotel. Come out and See What We See!

Logan C. Ralston 

Logan has lived in Lawton for 18 years. Logan comes from a military family. He graduated from Lawton Christian School and received his Bachelor’s Degree at Cameron University and is a member of the Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity. Logan has worked as MWR’s Commercial Sponsorship & Advertising Account Executive and graduated from Leadership Lawton Class 28 in 2018. Logan has recently joined the Lawton Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce as the Conventions & Visitors Bureau’s Projects Officer. He currently lives in sunny suburbia Cache, OK with his wife Mandy, their two beautiful twin girls, Dillon Rose and Keegan Jo and our soon-to-arrive son, Rowan Morris.

“I hope to foster the spirit of Lawton Fort Sill and expose the beauty and charm that this town and community has.” - Logan Ralston

Looking for the perfect valentine gift? Gift your sweetheart with An Intimate Getaway Package offered by the Lawton Fort Sill Convention & Visitors Bureau!

Your Intimate Getaway Package starts on Saturday, February 9th, with dinner for two at the Apache Casino’s 360 Restaurant (Valued at $40). Following a delicious meal, you will have two tickets to the Lawton Philharmonic Orchestra concert, The Infinite Variety of Music - Bernstein and Mahler. Conclude your evening with a hotel stay at the Apache Casino Hotel. Don’t miss this incredible offer for a night on the town with your sweetheart!

An Intimate Getaway Packages Are Limited, Reserve Yours Today!

For more information, please call (580)-355-3541.

It has been a busy time at the Lawton Fort Sill Convention and Visitors Bureau. January 4 & 5th the Comanche County Fairgrounds stayed busy with both the Great Plains Winter National Pig, Lamb and Goat show which brought livestock in from as far as Ohio and On Target with Kiwanis which had 400 kids registered for this archery tournament. We were excited to have the Fliptastics Star-Spangled Classic gymnastics competition which brought in approximately 400 gymnasts from across the state with their families for the weekend and as I write this article, we have finishing up the week-long Comanche County Basketball Tournament that hosted teams from Comanche County, Tillman County and Cotton County at the Comanche County Fairgrounds. It is amazing to think that approximate 3,000 people came through Lawton in the last month and the economic impact that it had on our community.

We are on the move, join the ride!

Mark your calendars for these upcoming events:

March 22 – 24 to check out the Southwest Oklahoma Corvette Club at the Apache Casino Hotel! There are going to hold The Big Show on Saturday, March 23rd from Noon – 3 pm and I am honored to have been asked to pick a car for the Convention and Visitors Bureau award at the banquet that evening.

March 29 & 30 will be the Xtreme Bulls at the Comanche County Fairgrounds. Extreme bulls is a PRCA- sanctioned bull riding event that will bring the top PRCA bull riders to the city of Lawton.

Join us for the High School Comanche County Basketball Tournament starting TODAY at the Comanche County Fairgrounds! Cheer on the teams competing from various counties for the grand prize. This event is free and open to the public. To learn more, please contact Comanche County Fairgrounds at (580) 357-1483. 

Great Plains Winter National 

To view more images from the event, please click here.

On Point Kiwanis 

To view more images from the event, please click here. 

2019 Fliptastic Star-Spangled Classic 

To view more images from the event, please click here.

January's events were a blast! We look forward to continuing support of tourism into the Lawton Fort Sill Community!

Stay tuned for upcoming Convention & Visitors Bureau funded events!

The Lawton Fort Sill Convention & Visitors Bureau announces sponsorship of the upcoming Comanche County Basketball Tournament on January 21-25 at Great Plains Coliseum. 

The Comanche County Basketball Tournament is not only an annual event in the area, but has been a part Southwest Oklahoma for more than 70 years. The annual event is attended by thousands of fans traveling to the city eager to watch their favorite teams compete. 

The Lawton Fort Sill Convention & Visitors Bureau is proud to announce that the United States Autosound Competition International Finals will be taking place in Lawton on Sept 20th-22nd! This would not have been secured without the hard work and efforts from our CVB Manager Shannon Yarbrough and Comanche County Fairgrounds Director Richard Pool!

Images provided by Photographer, Stacy Pearce. 

The 2018 Wichita Mountains Classic Show ushered participants to showcase over 300 steers and heifers for the annual competition November 30th- December 2nd earning them points for State ranking through the Oklahoma Club Calf Association. Thank you to all the participants, sponsors, vendors and volunteers for the making the event a success! 

To view images from the event, click here. 

The Oklahoma Travel Industry Association will be hosting their Tourism Conference taking place on Monday, October 29th in Enid. To represent the Lawton Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce and the Convention & Visitors Bureau, will be President & CEO Brenda Spencer-Ragland and Visitors Bureau Manager Shannon Yarborough. For this year’s program, the speakers will include LT. Governor Todd Lamb, Sheila Scarborough Owner of Tourism Currents and  Account Director of Koch Communications, Amber Theinert. The goal of the program is to provide information and education on tourism initiatives through a range of topics. For more information on the conference, please click here.  

The Annual Arts For All Gala will be taking place on Friday, November 2nd at 7:00 p.m. in the Great Plains Coliseum. The Annual Arts For All Gala garners hundred of attendees eager to celebrate the local arts community. In addition to a dinner reception equipped with live entertainment, there will also be a live auction for artwork and other items as well as exclusive ticket giveways for special prizes. All proceeds are to benefit the Arts For All members group, which support the Lawton community and educational institutions. To learn more, please visit www.lawtonafa.org/afa-gala.

Don't Miss This! The Annual Perfect Timing Pig Sale is happening on Saturday, November 3rd at 10 a.m. in the Comanche County Fairgrounds. Increase your chances to win at one of the largest pig sale auctions in the area. For more information, please click here. 

To see more events happening in our community make sure to check out www.lawtoncalender.com!

A Special Announcement from the Lawton Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Brenda Spencer-Ragland

In an excerpt from a letter to the Lawton Mayor and City Council: 

(Speaking on the Successful August Tourism efforts under our Convention & Visitors Bureau)

Tourism activities in August included hosting 3 groups and producing 562 trackable room nights with a potential economic impact of at least $56,452.90 to the City of Lawton. Provided sunglasses and tags to assist in recruiting the 2019 Oklahoma Parks and Recreation Department Conference. Partnered with the State Tourism Department to attend the DFW Women's Show to promote Great Plains Country and Lawton Fort Sill. 

Second Quarter tourism effort for 2018-2019 will end with hosting the following 6 groups; FA of the1st Infantry Division Reunion, Oklahoma State VFW Fall Festival, Unity Christian International Pastor Summit, Shriners Conference, Inkin Oklahoma Tattoo Convention, and the Oklahoma Council for indian Education Conference as well as assisting with 5 events and producing 1, the Wichita Mountain Classic.

To read more on the special announcement, click here. 

InkIn Oklahoma Takes Lawton For The Second Year This Weekend, October 26-28th! InkIn Oklahoma features over 120 professional tattoo artists and vendors from around the world to showcase their talents in Lawton for one jam-packed weekend. In addition to providing their tattoo expertise, there will also be live entertainment throughout the weekend with performances by the Comanche Nation Youth Dancers, Code Roth and the Black Sheep Band and a host of others. There will also be a Pin Up Contest, Beard and Mustache Contest and several other special contests with exclusive prizes and giveaways. Mark your calendars for an exciting weekend from October 24-26th at the Apache Casino Hotel. For more information on the event, please visit www.inkinoklahoma.com.

The Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America hosted their 2018 Horn Showcase in Lawton for the fourth consecutive year on October 4th through the 6th at the Great Plains Coliseum. At the showcase, Texas Longhorn cattle were officially measured while competing for the longest horn length and title. The annual event drew more than 500 spectators and participants from across the world. The showcase brought in about 930 entries from around the world, including Canada, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, and the U.S. 

The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge will be hosting the 48th Annual Bison Auction on Thursday, October 18, 2018. Buyers can register and view animals starting at 9 a.m. and the bidding will start promptly at noon. All ages are welcome to attend and encourage to participate in the family activities. For more information on the event, click here. 

To see more events happening in our community make sure to check out www.lawtoncalendar.com!

This past weekend the CVB welcomed the Oklahoma Council of the Blind for their 2018 State Convention. The weekend started off with a ribbon cutting for the new Lawton Chapter of the Oklahoma Council of the Blind and continued with a weekend full of Professional/Consumer seminars, Native American Flute maker and player, Southwest Pride Chorus and the Buffalo Soldiers Cavalry.

Events to keep a look out for…

Next weekend if you see an influx of motorcycles in our community it is because the Goldwing Road Riders are hosting their Oklahoma District Rally 2018 in Lawton! They will be out in our community doing a mural hunt, downtown business hunt and parade and light show at the VA center. To learn more check out their website www.gwrraokla.org/new-convention.html.

Don’t forget next weekend is also the 2018 International Festival in Elmer Thomas Park. The festival starts on Friday, September 28 at 5pm and go through Sunday, September 30 at 5pm. For more information on the festival visit www.lawtonok.gov/events/international-festival-2018.

For a fourth year in a row, October 4-6 Longhorns will not just be at the Wildlife Refuge, they will be taking over the Comanche County Fairgrounds as well! The Texas Longhorn Breeders will be hosting their 2018 Horn Showcase in Lawton. The weekend will be filled with Educational Seminars, Longhorn Sales, Bull and Embryo Alley and so much more!  If you would like to learn more visit www.tlbaa.org/tlbaa-events/horn-showcase/.

To see more events happening in our community make sure to check out www.lawtoncalender.com!

The upcoming 2018 Wichita Mountains Classic Show is needing sponsors in support of the event. The annual event showcases the initiatives of youth in agriculture through the showmanship of raised cattle. The 2018 Wichita Mountains Classic Show features three main shows which include Steer, Heifer and the Junior Pre-Show.  The event is a classic Lawton community show that receives participation from youth across the country as well as in the city. 

To request sponsorship form, please click here. Once completed, please email form to Shannon at syarbrough@visitlawtonok.com or mail to the Lawton Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce at P.O. Box 1376 Lawton, OK 73502.

Thank you for your interest in becoming a vendor at our “Ware on C”. We are thrilled to bring Ware On C back for the new year and spring season!

On May 2nd, we will host the Ware On C Block Party to encourage community members to embrace what downtown Lawton has to offer! The spring season of Ware On C will have an all-new lineup of activities, live music from local artists, giveaways and many opportunities to shop local businesses. The Ware on C Block Party will take place on 4th and C Avenue from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

We invite you to review the vendor application carefully, complete all sections and return to the Lawton Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce office or email Logan at lralston@visitlawtonok.com. At this time we will only be offering 30 vendor spots. Vendors will be required to set up at 3 pm the day of the event. Vendor Pack information will be emailed on 5/1. 

$25 For Chamber Members

$50 For Non-Chamber Members 

$50 For Food Trucks

Free for Businesses on C Avenue 

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have. We look forward to having your support!

Ware District Committee

To apply to be a vendor for the May 2nd Ware On C, click Vendor Application.