The first show was held in Tulsa on October 8–14, 1923. The city had been dubbed "Oil Capital of the World" and headquarters of many major oil companies and suppliers, so it seemed a logical choice. The venue was vacant ground downtown between Main to Cheyenne streets and from Archer to Cameron streets. Despite heavy rains during the week, and the fact that the city was still trying to recover from the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, the IPE drew enough visitors to be considered a success. The organizers decided to repeat the show annually.