Spots, helmets, old fire trucks, and actual Oklahoma firefighters. That is the Saturday morning setup at the Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum in Oklahoma City.
On Saturday, July 11, 2026, from 9 a.m. to noon, the museum is hosting a special Dalmatian event with real firehouse dogs and their firefighter handlers from departments around the state. It is the kind of thing that works for kids, dog people, fire service families, and anybody who has ever wondered why Dalmatians became so tied to firehouses in the first place.
I work at the Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum, so I am not exactly a neutral bystander here. But I can say this plainly: this is one of my favorite places in OKC to spend time, and this event gives people a good excuse to come see it.
The dogs expected Saturday
The event lineup includes several familiar spotted faces:
- Tilly with firefighter DJ Woodall of the Clinton Fire Department
- Tig with Captain Jimmy Blue of the Chickasha Fire Department
- Reggie with firefighter Michael Youtsey of the Kingfisher Fire Department
- Sparky, the National Fire Protection Association mascot
These are not just random dogs wearing costumes for a photo. They are mascots and firehouse companions connected to real departments, and a few have built their own followings online. Tilly and Tig, especially, have become part of how their departments show the public a more approachable side of fire service life.
Bring your camera. That is the practical advice. Between the Dalmatians, firefighters, museum displays, and antique apparatus, there should be plenty to photograph without having to stage much of anything.
A local Oklahoma author is also expected to be on site signing copies of her book, which makes the morning feel a little more like a full family stop than a quick in-and-out photo line.
Make time for the museum
The Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum sits at 2716 NE 50th St. in Oklahoma City’s Adventure District, not far from places like the Oklahoma City Zoo, Science Museum Oklahoma, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, and Remington Park.
Inside, the museum tells the story of Oklahoma firefighting through antique fire apparatus, historic equipment, fire service artifacts, memorial displays, and interactive exhibits. There are restored fire trucks, old gear, department patches, and enough details tucked around the building that repeat visits still turn up something I missed the last time.
That is part of what I like about it. Some museums give you the whole experience in one lap. This one rewards slowing down a little. You notice the tools, the helmets, the names, the old department markings, and the way firefighting history connects small towns and big cities across Oklahoma.
Museum admission includes access to the exhibits during the event, so if you are coming for the Dalmatians, plan to leave time to walk through the building too. The dogs are the headline Saturday morning, but the old trucks and firefighting history are the reason the setting works.
This is also a good one for families who need something indoors and structured but not overly complicated. It is a Saturday morning window, 9 to noon, in a part of OKC where you can easily pair it with another Adventure District stop if the kids still have energy. Which, inconveniently, they usually do.
Details
- Address: 2716 NE 50th St., Oklahoma City, OK 73111
- Phone: (405) 424-1452
- Hours: Dalmatian event is Saturday, July 11, 2026, from 9 a.m. to noon
- Website: https://osfa.info/museum
