Weekly Events Calendar: May 6-12

Each week, Oklahoma Today staffers comb through their calendars to find a handful of great events happening across the state. Get out! See Oklahoma! And be sure to let us know what you find, either here or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @oklahomatoday.

By Ben Luschen
Believe it or not, strawberries are not just grown for inclusion in the Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts’ popular Newport desserts. They are actually one of the best and most common fruit-bearing plants for home growers in the state. There are few, if any, other Oklahoma towns who take as much pride in these plump bounties as Stillwell does, as evidenced by the annual Stilwell Strawberry Festival--a tradition since 1948. Festivities start this year on Wednesday, May 8, with the opening of the Great Plains Amusement Carnival in Adair Park with events going on the following two days leading up to the all-out extravaganza Saturday, May 11. Draws for that day include the strawberry parade, a 5K run, motorcycle show, berry crop judging, and best of all, a variety of delicious treats to sample--strawberry-based or otherwise. Check out a full schedule of events at strawberrycapital.com.
May 8-11. Admission, free. strawberrycapital.com

By Ben Luschen
Now it’s time to turn our attention to a topic entirely new to the Oklahoma Today Podcast: Waxahatchee Creek in Chilton County, Alabama. As I’m sure we all know, the Waxahatchee is a tributary of the Coosa River. It includes some wide beds, wide enough to be used for boating or water skiing even. The Waxahatchee is home to an ample supply of crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. And for many years these Southern creek banks also served as the home of Katie Crutchfield, more commonly known by her indie rock project moniker Waxahatchee, a name of course taken from the creek of her home. Crutchfield has risen from these modest origins to become one of indie music’s brightest rising stars, having just released her stellar new country album Tigers Blood earlier this year. You can see Waxahatchee perform this Wednesday at the historic Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa. Hear songs like “Right Back To It” and “Bored” which were good enough to inspire Pitchfork to say, “Her mind is alive and humming, and her language leaps out at you with its hunger.” All ages are welcome for this show, and if you go you are sure to win over a bunch of new friends now that you know all these facts about Waxahatchee Creek. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m. with the opener Good Morning taking the stage at 8:00 p.m.
May 8. Tickets, $30. cainsballroom.com

Waxahatchee brings her new powerhouse country record Tigers Blood to Tulsa's Cain's Ballroom Wednesday. Photo by Molly Matalon / Grandstand Media

By Nathan Gunter
So last week on the pod, we spent a good deal of time discussing restaurants that have closed, and I left one off my list! The Isle of Capri in Krebs was always a major favorite when southeastern Oklahoma Italian food road trips were on the table, and it closed a few years back. I miss it so.
But those craving the flavor of the Old Country still have the amazing Pete’s Place, Roseanna’s, and Lovera’s in Krebs to tide them over, and this coming Friday and Saturday, just up the road, they’ll have the McAlester Italian Festival. This celebration, held since 1971, honors the region’s deep Italian roots with delicious food, entertainment, and one of the largest arts and crafts shows in Oklahoma. Kids will have a great time with pony rides, Italian games, an obstacle course, and carnival rides. For the gastronomically competitive, there’s a spaghetti-eating competition, but for those who just like to get stuffed on pasta, there’s plenty of non-competitive Italian food to enjoy. For more information, call (918) 429-9767.
May 10-11. Admission, free. themcalesteritalianfestival.org

If you like spaghetti, come hungry to the McAlester Italian Festival this week at the Southeast Expo Center. Photo courtesy McAlester Italian Festival

By Kiersten Stone
What began as a tailgating and backyard game between friends and families quickly became one of the fastest growing sports in the nation. Cornhole. The Oklahoma Cornhole Association will be hosting their May tournament on the 10th-12th in Shawnee at the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center. The event includes five divisions of cornholers—youth, recreational, intermediate, competitive, and advanced. It will be three days of fun and exciting action.
May 10-12. Registration, $30. Admission, free. oklahomacornhole.com

Cornhole gets serious this weekend during the Oklahoma Cornhole Association's May tournament at Shawnee's Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center. Photo courtesy Oklahoma Cornhole Association

By Karlie Ybarra
Do you struggle with finding the moms in your life the perfect Mother’s Day gift? The one thing that Mom can’t return is quality time with you. Even better, spend that time together on a Mother’s Day River Cruise May 12. There are two departures from Regatta Park Landing, 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., but both voyages last about an hour and a half. While sailing along the tranquil Oklahoma River, passengers can enjoy complimentary desserts and sip mimosas from the cash bar. Whether she ends up buzzed from your gesture of love or the champagne, Mom is guaranteed a good time. Tickets are $30 each, and you can buy them at embarkok.com/ferry.
March 12. Tickets, $30. embarkok.com

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.