Weekly Events Calendar, January 9-15, 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.

Watch midget sprint cars duke it out as the Chili Bowl Nationals return to Tulsa. Photo courtesy Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals

For more than thirty years, Tulsa has hosted midget sprint car racing at the annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals. Head to Tulsa Expo Square to see hundreds of racers feeding their needs for speed on a quarter-mile clay oval track. And if you think Tokyo can drift, wait until you see these racers take the corners. January 9-14. Tickets, $60-$375. chilibowl.com

Most places that aren’t music stores have, at most, one piano. Sometimes two, especially if it’s one of those dueling piano bars. But five pianos? You’ll have to see for yourself when the quintet of Juilliard-trained musicians take the stage as The Five Browns at Edmond’s Armstrong Auditorium. From classics like “Rhapsody in Blue” to the score from Star Wars, audiences will delight in the variety of styles the “Fab Five” can wield. January 12. Tickets, $45. armstrongauditorium.org

See five siblings who can miraculously get along when The Five Browns bring their pianos back to Edmond. Photo by Luisella Planeta Leoni

Grand Lake is one of Oklahoma’s most-popular warm weather destinations, but Grove is hoping to entice visitors to come back this month with a trio of shows during the Winter Concert Series. On Saturday, audiences can enjoy America’s Top Country Hits, a traveling showcase of classics and new hits, at the Grove High School Performing Arts Center. January 14. Tickets, $15. facebook.com/grandlakegrove

Any hard-boiled dames or gumshoes in distress ought to be counting down the minutes to deadCenter Film Festival’s annual fundraising party, GlitterBall Noir. Put your getaway sticks to use on the dance floor at Oklahoma City’s Tower Theatre, listen to live music, and chow down on hors d'oeuvres while raising money for the state’s signature cinematic showcases. It’s a fancy night, so dress all the way up before getting down with the boogie. January 14. Tickets, $100-$10,000. deadcenterfilm.org/glitterball-noir

Acclaimed ventriloquist Marc Rubben brings a bevy of hilarious dummies when he visits Enid this week. Photo courtesy Marc Rubben

Stride Bank Center in Enid is known for pulling in a ton of shows across a variety of interests, but a dinner theater comedy show might leave the staff a lot to clean up. When 2019 Ventriloquist of the Year Marc Rubben performs with a variety of characters, he’s not going to hold back just because the audience is dining on bacon-wrapped chicken, tortellini primavera, and more. If anything, he might wait until everyone takes a drink of sweet tea to create the world’s largest spit take. January 15. Tickets, $45. stridebankcenter.com

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.