Entry No. 19 — the Oklahoma City file — filed under: roadside oddity
Flaming Lips Alley
A genuinely dingy back alley behind the ballpark, named in 2007 for OKC's own psychedelic rock band over considerable city-council grumbling. Famously one of the least picturesque streets in town and very easy to walk right past.
The story
When the Oklahoma City Council voted in December 2006 to honor hometown psychedelic icons The Flaming Lips, they couldn't quite bring themselves to grant Wayne Coyne and company a sprawling boulevard. After some civic grumbling about bestowing street names on rock musicians, city officials compromised by handing over a narrow, working-class passageway tucked behind the minor league ballpark. In October 2007, Mayor Mick Cornett and Coyne stood together to officially unveil the sign for Flaming Lips Alley.
It is far from a grand civic monument. The stretch is a genuinely unglamorous service corridor running east-west behind Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark between Oklahoma Avenue and Joe Carter Avenue. There are no neon arches, souvenir stalls, or giant plastic bubbles here—just red-brick walls, loading bays, dumpsters, and a green municipal sign that feels like a low-key prank played on city hall. It is precisely the kind of understated, absurd tribute that suits a band known for space-rock operas and confetti cannons.
What it's like
Park in one of the lots ringing the ballpark and approach on foot during the daytime. The actual street sign is easiest to spot where the alley meets Mickey Mantle Drive (S. Walnut Avenue), right by the entrance to the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. Walking the stretch takes less than two minutes, and the vibe is completely unvarnished brick dust and utility infrastructure. Queue up 'Do You Realize??' on your phone, get your picture with the sign, and appreciate how satisfyingly anticlimactic the whole thing is.
The move: Skip the canal crowds and hunt down the unglamorous street sign on foot. Snap the requisite photo, queue up 'Do You Realize??' on your phone, and savor how anticlimactic and perfect it is.
📍 Before you go The alley sits behind Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, running east-west between Oklahoma and Joe Carter avenues; the actual street sign is easiest to spot at the corner of Mickey Mantle Drive (S. Walnut Avenue), right by the entrance to the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. Park in any of the surface lots or garages ringing the ballpark and approach on foot. Daytime is brighter and feels safer for the hunt, and avoiding game-day crowds makes the sign easier to find. Since you are already a block from the Bricktown Canal, fold in a water-taxi ride or a riverfront dinner afterward.
- 📍 Bricktown
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Flaming Lips Alley, between Oklahoma Ave and Joe Carter Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73104
Hours: Public alley; technically accessible anytime, but daytime is easier and feels safer for finding the sign.
Pair it with
- Factory Obscura: Mix-Tape After Hours — Follow up your tribute to OKC's rock oddballs by exploring a 6,000-square-foot immersive art maze inspired by hand-curated music mix tapes.
- The Joinery Speakeasy — Once you've snapped your photo in the alley, walk a block over to duck into a subterranean speakeasy hidden inside a historic Bricktown building.
- The SoundBar — Continue the sound-centric theme by heading north to this tucked-away upstairs listening loft in Automobile Alley.
Good to know
Where is the best spot to find the street sign?
Look near the intersection of Mickey Mantle Drive (S. Walnut Avenue) along the back side of Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, right by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame.
Why did the city choose an alley instead of a main street?
Following city council debate in late 2006 over dedicating a major thoroughfare to a rock band, officials compromised on naming a back-of-house alleyway in the Bricktown district.
Are there businesses or attractions inside the alley?
No. It is a functioning service lane for the ballpark, so the visit is strictly a quick photo op and a nod to local music history before moving on.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Atlas Obscura · Roadside America · journalrecord.com · travelok.com
last checked: 2026-06-06