Weekly Events Calendar: June 24-30, 2024

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 Megan Rossman
Born of a white mother and a Comanche Quahadi father, Quanah Parker came into this life with two worlds etched into his DNA. Like his dad, he grew up to be a leader of his tribe, terrifying Texans and the United States government, until his eventual surrender in 1875. He then went on to be a respected diplomat for the Comanche people, hosting presidents at his house in Cache and traveling extensively to meet with officials and dignitaries. From June 25 to August 14, visitors to the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center can learn all about him at the exhibit Quanah Parker: One Man, Two Worlds. The photo features an extensive photography collection of the handsome man, as well as photos of his mom Cynthia Ann, and some of his wives.
June 25-August 14. Admission, $4-$6. onthechisholmtrail.com

Duncan's Chisholm Trail Heritage Center presents Quanah Parker: One Man, Two Worlds through August 14. Photo courtesy National Anthropological Archives / Chisholm Trail Heritage Center

By Kiersten Stone
If you’re looking for a little pick-me-up, you should try a dose of some medicine - a spoonful of sugar to be exact. You can get the perfect dose of it at Lyric Theatre from June 25 through June 30 with their latest show starring and named for the practically perfect nanny, Mary Poppins. With wit and magic all wrapped into a musical adventure, this telling is based on the classic 1964 Disney film as well as the books by P.L. Travers. The supercalifragilisticexpialidocious show will give you a reminder that anything can happen.
June 25-30. Tickets, $39-$131. lyrictheatreokc.com

By Nathan Gunter
When I was 18 years old, I moved 1,200 miles away to go to college in North Carolina. One night my freshman year, homesickness was really getting to me, and I was feeling pretty down. But I was also feeling hungry, so I left my dorm to go get some food. When I emerged from the student union with my basket of rocket-hot chicken tenders, a crowd had gathered on the lawn outside the building—they were showing an outdoor movie. I stopped for a moment, and that’s when Twister came on the screen. I sat there and ate my dinner and watched my home state on the screen, highlighted in gorgeous tracking shots of wide-open prairie sunsets. That film really does make our state look gorgeous.
Anyway, since that night, Twister has been one of my favorite movies. And since you’re in Oklahoma, you’re probably not feeling so very homesick, but doesn’t an outdoor screening sound nice? So in anticipation of the sequel, Twisters, which releases July 19, SPARK Summer Movies at the Myriad Botanical Gardens in Oklahoma City is screening Twister this Wednesday, June 26. Bring a blanket or a lawn chair and enjoy bites from Kona Ice, Newman’s Firehouse BBQ, Oh my Gogi, Oklahoma Kettle Corn, and Tacos El Paso, all of whom will be slinging their delicious dishes. Food trucks roll up at 7, a slate of fun activities begins at 8, and the movie rolls at 9:15. And don’t worry—the only time you’ll encounter a flying cow or Jami Gertz will be on-screen. They’re not real. They can’t hurt you. For more information, call (405) 445-7080.
June 26. Admission, free. myriadgardens.org

By Ben Luschen
Chances are those who pluck a random ear of corn off a stalk someplace random will regret ever biting into it. Less than 2 percent of corn grown in the United States is intended for human consumption. The good news is that the Fort Gibson Sweet Corn Festival does not take place someplace random. It takes place in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, where they know we want the good stuff. This free admission festival runs through this Friday and Saturday in the downtown area. The menu is a corn lover’s dream: In addition to the bushels of sweet corn that will be for sale, guests can partake in smoked corn by the ear or gobble a bowl of Stach’s Famous Succotash—grilled corn, okra, onions, potatoes, and smoked sausage all grilled to perfection with a light cornmeal batter. Compete in the corn shuckin’ and corn eatin’ contests to prove you’re cream of the crop. Call (918) 770-8010 for more information.
June 28-29. Admission, free. oklegion20.org.

Cobs don't stand a chance at this year's Fort Gibson Sweet Corn Festival, June 28-29. Photo courtesy Fort Gibson Sweet Corn Festival

By Ben Luschen
Email and text messaging are nice, but the downfall of electronic communication is that it comes with a serious lack of stickers. In a time before Google Images or color television, stamps served the dual purpose of, yes, fulfilling a soft tax on postage, but also of giving people a colorful window into the wide and mysterious world around them. So when you think about the hobby of stamp collecting, think of it as an exercise of wonder and curiosity. It doesn’t matter if you are a long time collector or a novice trying to understand the appeal, the OKPEX Stamp Collector Show welcomes you this Friday and Saturday inside the Rose State College Student Union in Midwest City. Browse through thousands of colorful exhibit pages and network with the wider stamp community at the state’s only national stamp collecting event. This is exactly why philately is a hobby you can stick with. Guests are even welcome to bring their own collections for trading or free professional appraisal. Show hours are Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission and parking are both free. Call (405) 990-2389 for more information.
June 28-29. Admission, free. linns.com

Longtime collectors and stamp novices alike will have something to look forward to at the OKPEX Stamp Collector Show in Midwest City. Photo courtesy Pexels

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.