Weekly Events Calendar, September 4-10, 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.

Spaghetti is a lot like art: Anyone can make it, most people appreciate it, and it occasionally ends up hanging on walls. And while there are no guarantees that a spaghetti truck will be parked nearby selling bowls of noodles, there's no rule against enjoying a pasta dinner while watching the muralists of the Sunny Dayz Mural Festival take over Tulsa's Pearl District. See twenty-five new murals be created by forty-one artists while enjoying live music, dance, poetry, and a local vendor market. September 9. Admission, free. sunnydayzmuralfest.com

The mural team of Yo Bro works on a wall during the Sunny Dayz Mural Festival, which comes to Tulsa this week. Photo courtesy Sunny Dayz Mural Festival

As we edge, ever closer, to weather that doesn't feel like Mother Nature left her oven door open while preheating for a casserole, the viability of spicy stews as an enjoyable experience increases. In other words, when it isn't too hot, everybody likes a bowl of chili. Find your way to the Delaware County Fairgrounds this weekend for the Road Kill Chili Cook Off in Jay. If the joint looks busy, it's probably because this is part of the Delaware County Fair, which means there's plenty to do besides sample chili. This is the eighteenth year for the event which includes a variety of divisions for chili champs to compete in—non-profit, school group, business, individual, and youth. From spicy to mild, meaty to vegetarian, there is sure to be a spoonful or two every guest will enjoy. September 9. Admission, ??. facebook.com

Jesse James was many things and plenty of them were no good. Bank robber? Guerilla fighter? Gang leader? Check, check, and check. But as a legendary figure in Oklahoma's outlaw history, he's also the inspiration for the Jesse James Festival in Cement. It's a wild time for everyone in town, as the 2023 festival includes talks from historians, a treasure hunt, a Wild West show with an exciting gunfight, belly dancers, chicken poop bingo, and an old-fashioned street dance to round out the festivities. Learn more about the man behind the myth in Cement! September 9. Admission, free. facebook.com

Get your eyeballs on the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management Area in Erick while taking part in Erick's Do-Wacka-Do Trail Run & Gravel Ride. Photo courtesy Do-Wacka-Do Trail Run & Gravel Ride

First things first: More Oklahomans, in fact, more Americans in general, should know about Roger "King of the Road" Miller. Though he was born in Texas, Miller grew up on a farm outside of Erick, in Beckham County, with his aunt and uncle during the Great Depression. Being separated from his mother was difficult, but his loneliness and isolation became fuel for an incredible career as a musician. Was he country? Was he rock? He was an original, either way, and he inspired the Do-Wacka-Do Trail Run & Gravel Ride at the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management Area in Erick. Locals and visitors alike can choose runs from 5K to fifty miles or gravel bike routes from twenty miles to sixty miles. Soak up the unimpeded views of western Oklahoma and finish up with a free dinner provided to runners after the race. Just know that if you miss it, you'll be saying, "Dang me!" September 9-10. Registration, $25-$75. facebook.com

The dancers will show off their skills during Oklahoma City's India Food & Arts Festival at Scissortail Park. Photo courtesy India Association of Oklahoma

Experience a taste of Indian culture and cuisine during the annual India Food & Arts Festival at Scissortail Park in Oklahoma City. India is about one-third the size of the U.S., so expect to find dishes from various regions of the country to sample, check out fashions and jewelry, and keep an eye out for the multitude of dance performances from classic and folk all the way up through modern Bollywood dancing. Bring the whole family along and try making traditional Indian crafts in the artists' zone. September 10. Admission, free. iaok.org

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.