Weekly Events Calendar: May 27-June 2

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 Kiersten Stone
While the history of Durant includes it being known as the City of Magnolias, the city also has a history of hosting the Magnolia Festival of Oklahoma since 1997 to honor its heritage. As Durant prepares for the festival this year on May 30 through June 1, guests should prepare for excitement. The annual event will include a carnival complete with carnival rides, games, and fair food, as well as fireworks on opening night. There will also be a number of other activities, including a 5K and fun run, bike tour, and an art show. For more information on the festival call the Durant Chamber of Commerce at 580-924-0848.
May 30-June 1. Admission, free. magnoliafestival.com

By Megan Rossman
As all smart Oklahomans know, there’s no such thing as a festival without food. It doesn’t matter what kind of festival, most Oklahomans will not stand for an event that doesn’t involve a little or a lot of snacking, and I stand with them. Fortunately, the Nescatunga Arts Festival & Sugar Show in Alva on May 31 and June 1 delivers on the food front. Nescatunga is an Osage word that means salt fork, which makes sense because Alva is located along the Salt Fork River in northwestern Oklahoma. You may want to bring your own fork along, because along with entertainment and art, there will be good eating at the Alva Recreation Center. There will be edible and non-edible sweet creations on the judging table, but for a mere dollar, the public will get to sample treats from the baked goods competition on Friday evening that includes fruit pie, homemade bread, sweet breads like muffins and cupcakes, and fudge and candies. Of course, even if you don’t make it on Friday, there will be food trucks at the ready throughout the festival to placate the rumbles in your belly. And let’s not forget about the art. Painting, pottery, sculptures, jewelry, weavings, and crafts will be on display and for sale.
May 31-June 1. Admission, free. nescatunga.org

Visual artists and cake makers combine forces during the Nescatunga Arts Festival & Sugar Show in Alva. Go home with delicious baked goods and a new decorative piece in hand. Photo courtesy Pixabay

By Ben Luschen
Who is the biggest star you can think of? Kim Kardashian? Taylor Swift? Oprah Winfrey? Think again. Everyone is just cosmic dust compared to the biggest diva of them all, the Sun. There is no hyperbole involved when we say everything revolves around her. So naturally we head to the Sun’s hometown, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, for SunFest, a weekend-long celebration in honor of our favorite G-type main-sequence star. Live music, arts and crafts, children's games, storytellers, food vendors, and so much more can be found from Friday, May 31, to Sunday, June 2, at Bartlesville’s Sooner Park. Fans of vintage muscle cars should definitely plan to be there Saturday for the SunFest Summer Shine Car Show. I’ll have to check in and see if any of these vehicles are solar-powered. Admission for all activities is free of charge, just like the sunburn you’ll get if you forget to put on any block. For more information call (918) 331-0456. May 31-June 2. Admission, free. bartlesvillesunfest.org.

Live music, arts and crafts, children's games, and a vintage car show await the summer revelers who attend Bartlesville SunFest. Photo courtesy Bartlesville SunFest

By Karlie Ybarra
According to the National Museum of Women in the arts, 96 percent of art sold at auction is by a male artist; the three most popular art museums in the world—The British Museum, The Louvre, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC—never had been lead by a female director; and​ a survey of eighteen major art museums around the country found that 87 percent of their collections were from male artists. In Oklahoma, The Sunny Dayz Mural Festival is a hybrid art party and fundraiser that aims to make art more equitable for women and gender minorities. On June 1, fifty-two non-male artists will descend on Ponca City to earn a decent paycheck while creating thirty stunning, gargantuan artworks. There's also will be live music, a handmade vendor market, kids activities, and, of course, food trucks. Whether you are a creator or an enjoyer of art, Sunny Dayz is a great way to spend the weekend.
June 1. Admission, free medicinepark.com

By Nathan Gunter
In 2008, Hurricane Ike hit the Gulf Coast, canceling a concert that Robert Plant and Alison Krauss had planned to play in, if memory serves, Mississippi. Much like the New Orleans Hornets before it, that concert was rerouted to Oklahoma City—the Zoo Amphitheater specifically—and rechristened as a fundraising show for people affected by the storm. I was there, because somehow I managed to hop on and get tickets in time, and it stands out to this day as one of the most memorable live music experiences of my life. After all, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were—and still are—two of the greatest musical minds of our time, and the album that spawned that original tour, Raising Sand, still is a favorite of mine all these years later. “Please Read the Letter”—what a song!
Well now, Oklahomans have the chance to see this dynamic duo back in action, and this time, no severe weather was required to bring them. The legendary Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa will host Robert Plant & Alison Krauss on Sunday, June 2, and I can’t think of a better venue to catch this Rock and Roll Hall of Famer with this Country Music Hall of Famer in a pairing that truly produces the most unexpected and delightful alchemy.
June 2. Tickets, $40. cainsballroom.com

The Grammy-winning duo Robert Plant and Alison Krauss return to Oklahoma Sunday with a performance at the historic Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa. Photo by David McClister / Shore Fire Media

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.