Five Can't Miss Events at WoodyFest 2023

I’m a longtime fan of local music and of music in general, and though I’ve long admired the annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival artist lineups from afar, last year marked the first time I attended the Okemah event in-person. I instantly became a fan. Nothing against other music festivals, but there is a rare purity to WoodyFest that’s just hard to find elsewhere.

“This Land Is Your Land” at the 24th Annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival in 2021. Photo by Chris J. Zähller/Messenger Web Design LLC dba Mercury Photo Bureau https://mercury.photo

Even though it feels like my trip to last year’s event was just a couple of months ago, the 2023 edition of WoodyFest is already upon us. You can read about my experience at the 2022 festival in “Hear Them Sing,” a feature I had a lot of fun writing for the new July/August issue of Oklahoma Today. For those of you who’d like to experience this year’s event for yourself, you can Thursday through Sunday at venues around Okemah.

There is so much to see and do each year at WoodyFest that it is literally impossible to take it all in (there are simultaneous shows at different venues during the day), and it can sometimes be hard to even know where to start. Thankfully, I have five picks for the weekend that I am particularly looking forward to, and I’ll share them with you below. Honestly though, head out to the festival whenever it’s most convenient to you, because there is no going wrong with any of the scheduled showcases.

Visit woodyfest.com for more information on WoodyFest or to purchase tickets.

Susan Herndon

Noon Thursday at Crystal Theatre

The first scheduled performance of the festival, and it’s a doozy. Susan has always been one of my favorite Oklahoma songwriters, combining sharp wit and poetic verse with such ease. Hopefully she will play some selections from her latest album, 2022’s Big Blue Beautiful Dream.

Parker Millsap

10:30 p.m. Friday at Pastures of Plenty

Parker has been on a marathon tour schedule since the spring, but few settings can compare to the wide-open green space of Pastures of Plenty, located just east of Okemah proper. Millsap’s latest album, Wilderness Within You, was released in May.

Mary Gautier & Jaimee Harris at the 24th Annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival in 2021. Photo by Chris J. Zähller/Messenger Web Design LLC dba Mercury Photo Bureau https://mercury.photo

Children’s Music Festival

11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at Okemah City Park

This is becoming one of the biggest annual draws for the festival, and it’s absolutely free for all to attend. Children who show up while supplies still last can score some sweet giveaways, like a free ukulele, harmonica, T-shirt, or other goodies. Among other family-friendly performances will be an appearance by the Red Dirt Rangers.

I Didn’t Want to Tell You: Normalizing the Conversation Around Mental Health with Chad Cochran

2 p.m. Saturday at Crystal Theatre

WoodyFest is about music, but it’s also about sparking a dialogue on important community issues. This year, music photographer Chad Cochran leads a panel discussion about his I Didn’t Want to Tell You photo series that appeared in the 2019 Fall Wellness issue of the publication No Depression.

John Fullbright at the 24th Annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival in 2021. Photo by Chris J. Zähller/Messenger Web Design LLC dba Mercury Photo Bureau https://mercury.photo

John Fullbright

10:30 p.m. Saturday at Pastures of Plenty

Okemah continues to flex its musical progeny when yet another legendary local, John Fullbright, closes out the Pastures of Plenty performances. John’s 2022 album The Liar, which PopMatters called “a crazy quilt of an album,” was his first full-length release in eight years.

Written By

Ben Luschen

Luschen joined the *Oklahoma Today*’ staff as Research Editor in 2021 and currently works as the magazine's Web Editor, managing the website and social media fronts. His past *Oklahoma Today* stories have ranged in content from the state's bee and quail industries to its vibrant art and music scenes. Not adverse to a road trip, Luschen is always on the lookout for the next big adventure. He is never out of opinions about the current state of Oklahoma City Thunder basketball.