Weekly Events Calanders, September 25-October 1, 2023

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.

Broken marriages. Professional grudges. Addiction. Anyone who has seen an episode of Behind the Music knows that the life of rock stars can be turbulent. But those issues are not new ones. Classical music was, after all, contemporary at one point, and the composers were every bit the stars of their days. See for yourself when Lyric Theatre presents Concerto, which tells the story of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35 with all the twists and turns one might expect from stories featuring Mötley Crüe or Adele. This world premiere play is a collaboration with Oklahoma City's own classical music rock star, Oklahoma City Philharmonic Maestro Alexander Mickelthwate. September 13-October 1. Tickets, $25-$65. https://lyrictheatreokc.com/shows/concerto-2/

Giddyup off the couch and head to Choctaw to celebrate Oklahoma's history during Cowboy Days. Photo courtesy Hope Retreat Ranch

Oklahoma is inextricably linked to cowboys and with good reason. Moving cattle to market is hard, unforgiving work and it took our toughest to do the job and make the state what it is today. Celebrate our storied past during Cowboy Days at Choctaw's Hope Retreat Ranch with live bluegrass tunes, pony rides, face painting, and more. Hit the chuckwagon for some historically accurate grub before sidling up to your sweetie during square dancing or listening in on tales from cowboy poets. September 30. Admission, free. https://hrranch.org/cowboy-days/

Music is a great uniter, bringing together people regardless of age, race, gender, and just about any other division besides the one between people who like music and people who hate it. Haters, by the way, should probably avoid Enid's Government Springs Park during Fling at the Springs Music Festival, where their aural nemesis will be in full effect. This free music festival runs the gamut of styles, including classic rock, Red Dirt country, Americana, and more, with food trucks aplenty and beer and wine vendors, as well. Bring a chair, a blanket, or some other means of relaxation, as nobody will be able to stay on two feet through all the music and the after-show fireworks. September 30. Admission, free. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064305174837

Enjoy a variety of great music for free during Enid's Fling at the Springs Music Festival. Photo courtesy Enid Events

Few people like being tricked, but fewer still will find a way to celebrate being bamboozled, bumfuzzled, hoodwinked, beguiled, and duped. So give it up to the humble folks of Wetumka who have been partying in the wake of their own deception since 1953. That was when F. Bam Morrison tricked the town into paying up front for a circus that would never appear. He skedaddled with the cash while residents lined the streets to welcome the circus with food, beverages, and souvenirs. The annual Sucker Day Festival commemorates the party residents held when it became clear they'd been cheated. But why waste all the food and drink, right? Enjoy the embarrassing anecdote with an antique auto parade, poker run, food, and music surrounded by a town of some very forgiving folks. September 30. Admission, free. https://www.facebook.com/wetumkacelebration/

There's lots of high-flying fun waiting at Event Park during Rose Kites over Broken Arrow. Photo courtesy Keep Broken Arrow Beautiful

The wind in Oklahoma is kind of a big deal. Even Rodgers and Hammerstein knew their melodious ode to the Sooner State wouldn't be complete without mentioning the wind and its propensity for sweeping down the plains. That's a bummer for people with delicate hairstyles, but a boon for kite enthusiasts at Rose Kites over Broken Arrow. Bring your own or grab a loaner from the Tulsa Wind Riders at Event Park and let it take to the skies as you control it from the safely of the earth. Held in conjunction with the Broken Arrow Rose Festival and Chalk It Up Art Festival, there will be plenty to do in the sky and on the ground in Broken Arrow. October 1. Admission, free. http://www.keepbabeautiful.org/rose-festival/

Written By

Greg Elwell

Greg Elwell served as research editor and web editor of Oklahoma Today from 2018-2023. He also has worked for newspapers, medical research organizations, and government institutions.