Mike McAuliffe established Oklahoma City Events and Entertainment in the fall of 2004 as part of a request by former Mayor Ron Norick to find a proper means to celebrate the opening of the Oklahoma River.

The purpose of Oklahoma City Events and Entertainment is to provide and manage activities and events around the Oklahoma River.  The first such event was the hugely successful Inaugural Holiday River Parade of 2004.  This event was the official 'grand opening' of the river for use by the public after the completion of the MAPS project of Oklahoma City.  The event began with a special river blessing by Native American dancers and culminated with the Holiday River Parade and a spectacular fireworks display.  The inaugural parade was a huge success as spectators lined the Oklahoma River from Regatta Park to Wiley Post Park!   Bridges were lined with people to watch the parade.  It was estimated by police helicopter that 30-40,000 people attended the event.