Record Store Day is coming up on Saturday, April 18, but for record collectors in Lawton, they'll have to go out of town to shop the exclusive releases. There is not a record store in Lawton that participates in Record Store Day.

Record Store Day is a national semi-annual event that is recognized on one Saturday every April and in November on Black Friday. The purpose of the day is to celebrate independently owned record stores with exclusive releases.

Neighboring towns near Lawton have independent record stores that participate in Record Store Day.

And even though there's not an independent record store in Lawton that doesn't participate in Record Store Day, there are a few in other neighboring towns that do, so Lawton residents aren't completely out of luck when it comes to snagging exclusive releases.

As a music lover and avid record collector, Record Store Day is one of the best days of the year for me. And even though I live in Lawton, I've still be able to get some of the biggest Record Store Day releases even though I had to travel out of town to an independent record store participating in Record Store Day.

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Lawton residents may have to travel to Texas for Record Store Day.

My go-to is always Warbonnet Records in Wichita Falls, Texas. It's the only independent record store in Wichita Falls that participates in Record Store Day. Even though it's across state lines, it's the closest independent record store to Lawton that participates in Record Store Day.

My first Record Store Day at Warbonnet Records was in 2024, and even though I traveled 45 minutes, and waited in line for two to three hours, I was able to get the coveted vinyl from Taylor Swift that year, which was the "Folklore: Long Pond Studio Sessions."

One thing you should be prepared for on Record Store Day is waiting in line. Some people camp outside local record stores the night before just to ensure that they will be one of the first ones in the store, and one of the first people to look through all of the exclusive releases. Most stores only get a few copies of each release, or no copies, so the earlier you get there, the better.

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Record stores in Norman and Oklahoma City will also be participating in Record Store Day.

Lawton residents also have the options to travel to Norman or Oklahoma City to get exclusive releases on Record Store Day. Both Guestroom Records locations in Norman and Oklahoma City will be participating in Record Store Day this year.

For more information about Record Store Day and to find other locations in Oklahoma participating in Record Store Day, visit the official website.

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