Weekly Events Calendar, August 23-29, 2021

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.

Barking Lot

Bring your goodest boys and girls to Pauls Valley for two days of furry fun at Bark in the Park. This event has everything. . . as long as everything revolves around your pets. There will be pet-friendly activities, raffles, pet-care vendors, and even dog aquatic (dogquatic?) diving competitions presented by Dock Dogs. Visiting dogs must be on leash and accustomed to being around many people and other pets. August 27-28. Admission, Free. facebook.com

Leslie Long and Will Carpenter star in Theatre Tulsa's “The Guys,” which remembers the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks. Photo by Josh New Photography

Wise Guys

In the lead up to the twentieth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Theatre Tulsa presents The Guys, in which a therapist works with a fire captain to write eulogies for the majority of his crew, who perished in the collapse of the Twin Towers. It’s an inspiring story that can provide a ray of hope amid the remembrance of one of America’s darkest days. August 27-29 and September 3-5. Tickets, $24-$39. tulsapac.com

Up, Up, and Away

The first hot air balloon passengers were a duck, a rooster, and a sheep. That was 1783, when scientist Jean-François Pilâtre De Rozier launched his balloon, named Aerostat Reveillon, into the sky. It wasn’t but a few months later that he made the first manned hot air balloon flight. All that to say, if you see a duck at the Oklahoma Festival of Ballooning at Hatbox Field in Muskogee, there’s a precedent. But you might be too busy with the kids’ activity area, the delicious food, or queuing up for your own manned mission to the sky. Just be sure to sign up in advance. August 27-29. Parking, $10 per car. (918) 684-6302 or muskogeeonline.org

Pilot Michael Scott shows off his skills at the Oklahoma Festival of Ballooning in Muskogee.

Black Gold Everything

Celebrate oil, black gold, Texas tea—wait, let’s make that Oklahoma tea—at the Healdton Oilfield Days & Rodeo in Healdton, home of one of the state’s biggest oil booms. There’s a carnival all three nights full of rides, food, and fun. The Oilfield Days Rodeo starts at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, rain or shine, and the car show happens Sunday morning at the Healdton Oil Museum, which is a good place to stop to learn more about what you’re celebrating. August 27-29. Admission, Free. (580) 229-0900 or chickasawcountry.com

Oklahoma City’s Military Park hosts the Asian Night Market Festival, a celebration of Asian culture and cuisine, including a spicy noodle-eating contest. Photo by Aaron Gilliland

Nighttime is the Right Time

Celebrate the rich cultural heritage of several Asian nations in Oklahoma City’s Military Park when the Asian Night Market Festival returns. Enjoy fashion shows under the stars, cultural demonstrations, dancing, live music, and a spicy noodle-eating contest that will have a few contestants breathing fire. August 28. Admission, Free. asiandistrictok.com/anmf

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.