Wild Nights launched in 2009 after the dissolution of OAAA, the organization that originally ran Oklacon. The founders kept the outdoor format, reused OAAA's charter and bylaws as a template, and continued the original charity beneficiary. This is the often-misunderstood part: Wild Nights' 2009 founding predates Oklacon's eventual 2017 shutdown, Oklacon continued under different organizers through that period.
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From attendees
Because Wild Nights is a camping retreat, travel revolves around ground transportation:
Curated stays near Robbers Cave State Park, Wilburton, United States.
This is not a hotel convention.
Wild Nights 2026 ran April 23-28 at Robbers Cave State Park under a Punk theme. The official site has not yet published 2026 final attendance or auction totals.
The 2025 "Under the Stars" gathering brought 92 attendees to Robbers Cave State Park (April 24-29), raising $993 through the convention auction. Noxychu served as guest of honor.
Wild Nights 2024 ran April 25-30 at Robbers Cave State Park with 121 attendees and raised $1,170 for the Oklahoma Wildlife Fund through the convention's charity auction.
The eleventh annual Wild Nights (April 25-30, 2019) was the convention's peak attendance year on record, drawing 273 attendees. Guests of honor were Matthew Ebel and Zola, with proceeds going to Safari's Sanctuary.
A large pre-registration sign-up was recorded for the 2018 edition, though the final on-site attendance number was not publicly attested. The 2018 guests of honor were Foxes and Peppers and Nash the Red Panda, continuing the convention's tradition of mixing musical and visual creator headliners.
The 2017 edition ran April 27 through May 2 and was themed "Mysteries on the Trail". Guests of honor were Karasaz, Furry Jesus, and True Blue. The week-long format kept attendees at Robbers Cave State Park across the late-April-to-early-May window.
The eighth annual Wild Nights ran April 21-26, 2016 under the "Myths and Legends" theme at Robbers Cave State Park. Guests of honor were Corsi Husky and Nate Day, continuing the convention's pattern of mythology-leaning thematic branding.
The seventh annual Wild Nights ran April 23-28, 2015 under the steampunk-flavored "Gears Through Time" theme. Guests of honor were SpringDragon and Alexander James Adams, the latter a musician whose performance fit the era-spanning theme.
The 2014 edition ran under the "Wild Nights in Sherwood Forest" theme at Robbers Cave State Park, with guests of honor OzFoxes and Potoroo. The forest setting aligned naturally with the park's wooded campground footprint.
200 attendees raised a record $2,742 for Safari's Sanctuary ($1,742 from the auction plus a $1,000 MESA contribution). Guests of honor were FireFeathers, Husky in Denial, Buddy, Larry Dixon, and Mercedes Lackey.
The 2012 guests of honor were SonicBlu, Luthien Nightwolf, Ned Wilkinson, and Wildwolf, a four-headliner lineup that built on the earlier years of growth.
The 2011 edition brought guests of honor Pacer Fox, Eris, Max DeGroot, and Kwaz, expanding the convention's network of returning creators and headliners across the early years.
The second Wild Nights returned to Robbers Cave State Park with guests of honor Tzup and Crys the Hybrid, building on the foundation laid by the inaugural 2009 gathering.
The first Wild Nights ran April 23-27, 2009 at Robbers Cave State Park with Baka Sukonku as guest of honor. It established the multi-day outdoor camping format the convention has used continuously since.
Historical data and growth track record
See how this convention grew over time.
| Year | Dates | Theme | Attendance | Charity Raised | Guest(s) of Honor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2027 | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | None Announced |
2026 | Apr 23-28 | Punk Theme | TBA | TBA | Bite Club |
2025 | Apr 24-29 | Under the Stars | 92 | $993 | Noxychu |
2024 | Apr 25-30 | TBA | 121 | $1,170(Oklahoma Wildlife Fund) | None Announced |
2019 | Apr 25-30 | XI: Let the Good Times Roll | 273 | (Safari's Sanctuary) | Matthew Ebel, Zola |
2018 | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | Foxes and Peppers, Nash the Red Panda |
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3 quirks & policies that don't fit the highlights grid.
Camp-out rules that make Wild Nights structurally different
Group Camp 2 sits on a thick layer of dry pine needles, so the rule book at Wild Nights reads nothing like a hotel-con code of conduct. Cigarette butts have to be field-stripped before disposal, the campfire stays lit only with park-provided wood, and bringing firewood from home is banned outright to keep invasive forestry pests out of Robbers Cave State Park.
Three lodging tiers inside one state park
Registration covers a bunk in one of six Group Camp 2 cabins (each sleeps 12-32 on bunk beds, with the whole group camp hard-capped at 160 people). Attendees who want more privacy book directly with the park at (918) 465-2565: either a private cottage with kitchen and AC, one of two "honeymoon" cabins, or a room at the Belle Star Lodge, a 20-room resort hotel inside the park boundary.
Attendees vote on staff because MESA is a 501(c)(7) social club
Wild Nights is run by MESA (Missouri Exotic Species Arts Association), a 501(c)(7) tax-exempt social club. $5 of every registration is itemized as MESA dues, and that line item is what makes every attendee a voting member of the parent non-profit rather than just a ticket holder.
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