• Memorial Day weekend events abound
From patriotic salutes to the troops and Renaissance revelries to Native American art and championship baseball, special events are planned throughout Oklahoma for Memorial Day weekend.
Here are some of the events planned around the Sooner State:
• 28th Annual Chuck Wagon Festival: The family favorite features outdoor cooking, children’s activities, live music and more. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE
63. Information: www. nationalcowboymuseum. org.
• 12th Annual Rocklahoma, Pryor: The wildly popular three-day camping and rock music festival rocks Friday through Sunday at the Catch the Fever Festival Grounds, 1421 W 450 Road, off U.S. 69 north of Pryor. In addition, the campground stage hosts performances during the Thursday night campground party and in the afternoon and late-night hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This year’s festival will feature about 80 current and classic rock acts including A Perfect Circle, Godsmack, Poison, Cheap Trick, Ghost, The Cult, Halestorm, Vince Neil, Stone Temple Pilots, I Prevail, Clutch, The Used, Underoath, Machine Gun Kelly, Cinderella’s Tom Keifer, Andrew W.K. and many more. Information: www.rocklahoma.com.
• 42nd Annual Paseo Arts Festival: The festival will feature more than 90 visual artists, special hours for the historic neighborhood’s 20-plus galleries, live music on two stages, several food vendors, two children’s areas, a free shuttle service and more. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with music continuing until 10 p.m., and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday in the Paseo Arts District, between NW 28 and Walker and NW 30 and Dewey. Admission is free. Information: www. thepaseo.org.
• Bethany 66 Festival: Festivities include live entertainment, a car, truck and motorcycle show, a children’s princess and action hero parade, food trucks, arts and crafts booths, a performance by gospel singer Sherman Andrus (of the Grammy-winning group the Imperials) and more. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in downtown Bethany. Information: www.bethany66. com.
• Artesian Arts Festival, Sulphur: The event will include artwork from numerous Native American artists, live music, tribal dance demonstrations, artist talks, food vendors, children’s activities, a senior citizens’ arts and crafts booth and more at the Artesian Plaza, adjacent to the Artesian Hotel, 1001 W First Street. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Information: chickasaw. net/artesianfest.
• Oklahoma City Zoo holiday hours: Extended hours will be offered from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday through Monday at the OKC Zoo, 2101 NE 50. Information: www.okczoo.org.
• Clinton Route 66 Festival: Activities include a car show, pony rides, sidewalk chalk contest, wiener dog races and more family-friendly fun from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in downtown Clinton. Information: 66festival.com.
• Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship: Games continue through Sunday in the two-division doubleelimination tournament at the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, 2 S Mickey Mantle Drive. Winner of the championship games earns the Big 12’s automatic berth into the NCAA Championship field. Information: www.big 12sports.com.
• Bricktown Beach opens for the season: For the third year, Downtown Oklahoma City Partnership and The Bricktown Association, with the help of JE Dunn Construction Group, are bringing back the popup beach with more than 150 tons of sand, plus umbrellas, lounge chairs, sand volleyball equipment, outdoor games and more. A new addition this year is a “Beach Hut” that will be staffed by Downtown Guides, who will check out game equipment and help visitors. Located on the Third Base Plaza at the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, it will open through the end of August. Information: www.DowntownOKC.com.
• 23rd annual Oklahoma Renaissance Festival, Muskogee: The family-friendly festival includes magicians, musicians, jugglers, jesters and other medieval-style performers, festive food and shopping for handcrafted items. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday through June 3 at the Castle of Muskogee, 3400 Fern Mountain Road. The festival is also open on Memorial Day. Information: www.okcastle. com.
• Route 66 PatriotFest, Tulsa: This family-friendly event includes a Route 66 cruise, car and motorcycle show, food trucks, craft vendors, live music, carnival rides and more from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at 3770 Southwest Blvd. Information: www.rt66patriot fest.com.
• Boley Rodeo and BBQ Festival: The historic event features traditional rodeo events, barbecue, a parade and more. The parade begins at 3 p.m. Saturday on Boley’s Main Street. The rodeo bucks into action at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and a concert is planned at 5 p.m. Sunday, both at the rodeo grounds. Information: 918-2124880.
• 72nd annual Will Rogers Stampede Rodeo, Claremore: The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event will feature steer wrestling, team roping, bull and bronc riding, with the action starting at 7:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday at Will Rogers Stampede Arena, E Blue Starr Drive. More than 550 entrants are expected in the competition. It is billed as the only rodeo in Oklahoma to feature steer roping, and the steer ropers will be featured at the Clem McSpadden TubHandle Classic, marking the 10th anniversary of the rodeo legend’s death, at 7 p.m. Thursday. Information:www.will rogersstampede.com.
• The Roots Ball, Medicine Park:Listen to Groovement, Dirtfoot, Carrie Nation & The Speakeasy and more Friday through Sunday in downtown Medicine Park. The Roots Ball replaces the Red Dirt Ball. Music begins at 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Information: www.medicinepark.com.
• Tour de Meers Bike Ride: An annual fundraising event for the Meers Volunteer Fire Department, Saturday’s venerable bike ride offers cyclists varying lengths for the routes, including 10, 22, 36 or 60 miles, in the vicinity of Meers, Medicine Park and the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Information: www.tourdemeers. org.
• The Cherokee Nation welcomes all veterans and widows of veterans to honor fallen Cherokee warriors at a ceremony at 10 a.m. at the Cherokee Nation Veterans Center, 17675 S Muskogee Ave., just east of the W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex. The event will feature a volley salute by American Legion Post 15, taps performed by the Muskogee Honor Guard, a wreath-laying ceremony and a continental breakfast.