Memorial Day weekend kicks off summer in Bartlesville
Andy Dossett | The Wiley Post
Published May 21, 2026
Friday night belongs to the graduates. The caps will fly, proud families will pray the rain holds off and somewhere in the crowd at Custer Stadium, at least one parent will cry before the first diploma is handed out.
But once the tassels are turned, Bartlesville slides headfirst into summer.
Memorial Day weekend is shaping up to be the unofficial grand opening of sunshine season, with community traditions, swimming pools, splash pads and enough sunscreen to coat the entire ZIP code.
Earl Hagee of the Bartlesville Chapter Sons of the American Revolution, dressed in traditional Revolutionary War uniforms, during the Memorial Day ceremony at White Rose Cemetery, May 26, 2025.
Andy Dossett | The Wiley Post
A century-old Memorial Day tradition continues
The annual Memorial Day ceremony at White Rose Cemetery is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Monday, May 25. The event honors the service and sacrifice of America's military members and has been a Bartlesville tradition for more than 100 years.
State Rep. John B. Kane will serve as guest speaker, while former state Rep. Earl Sears will act as master of ceremonies. Organizers will also hold a reading of names, recognizing those killed in action and service members whose remains were never recovered.
The ceremony is free and open to the public at the cemetery at 11th Street and Virginia Avenue.
Pool season officially begins
Both Frontier Pool and Sooner Pool officially open for the season Saturday, May 23, meaning Bartlesville kids are hours away from living entirely on popsicles and chlorine.
The pools, owned by the City of Bartlesville and managed by the Richard Kane YMCA, will operate daily through Aug. 9.
Hours for both pools are noon to 6 p.m. daily, with Sooner Pool adding extended hours on Friday and Saturday evenings beginning June 12.
Admission prices remain refreshingly reasonable:
Ages 6 and under: $2
Ages 7 and older: $4
Seniors 65 and older: $2
Active military: $2
Parents should note that children 13 and younger must have an adult present for the duration of their visit. And yes, in what may be the least popular sentence of summer, there is no re-entry allowed.
Splash pads are already running
For younger kids — or young at heart — the city's splash pads are already open.
Families can cool off at splash pads located at:
Sooner Park
Johnstone Park
Unity Square
Translation: there are now multiple places in town where children can run through water at maximum speed while parents sit nearby pretending this counts as relaxation.
