Oklahoma City Metro Arts, Events, Songs & Entertainment

[Laramie]

Tinker air show canceled amid lingering pandemic

Tinker Air Force Base has canceled its 2021 air show that was scheduled for June. The main attraction would have been a demonstration from the U.S. Air Force Thunderbird, which last flew over Oklahoma in 2017. In this photo from that show, pilots maneuver their F-16 aircraft within feet of each other while one is flying inverted. [THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVES]

Oklahoma's continuing battle against COVID-19 has forced Tinker Air Force Base to cancel its popular air show scheduled in June.  In a statement posted to Facebook, Col. Paul Filcek wrote that the high number of cases in Oklahoma led to the difficult decision.--Oklahoman, January 11, 2021
                   

[Laramie]

  'Celebrating America,' Oklahoma dancers, singers, landmarks featured in    President Biden's inauguration day special


                  
                          Brandon Graves, of Oklahoma City, dances atop the Midtown Plaza Court in the
                          primetime inaugural special, which aired Wednesday. [Oklahoman, Photo provided]

                  
                       Lenny Hatchett, of Choctaw, is shown at the Downtown OKC Community Basketball Court in
                       the "Celebrating America," the primetime inaugural special that aired Wednesday. [Oklahoman, Photo provided]

                  
                       Petra Germany, of Yukon, is seen biking in Heritage Hills as part of the "Celebrating America"
                       primetime inaugural special, which aired Wednesday. [Oklahoman, Photo provided]

                  
                       Sgt. Denny MedicineBird, a Cheyenne & Arapaho and Kiow dancer from Jones, dances across
                       the Skydance Bridge as part of the "Celebrating America" primetime inaugural special that aired Wednesday.
                      [Oklahoman, Photo provided]

                  
                       Jaclyn Gass, of Midwest City, is featured outside Carl Albert High School in the primetime inaugural
                       special "Celebrating America," which aired Wednesday. [Oklahoman, Photo provided]

“It was a pleasant surprise and a great source of pride to see Oklahoma City so well-represented in our nation’s inaugural program,” OKC Mayor David Holt said in a statement. “From our neighborhoods to our Indigenous culture to our skyline, OKC was all over it. My gratitude to everyone who made it possible!”

                  @Demi Lovato: "Lovely Day" Around the U.S.A. | Biden-Harris Inauguration 2021 https://youtu.be/f6ktM-CRPlo

[Laramie]

Skydance, Red, White & Blue...

The Skydance Bridge is illuminated in red, white and blue on President Joe Biden’s inauguration day. The pedestrian bridge crosses Interstate 40 in Scissortail Park near downtown Oklahoma City. [BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN]

[Laramie]

Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts



(Return 2021, June 22-27 for six day festival)

                                                           People look at artwork displayed in a row of tents along Colcord Drive at the 2019 Festival of the Arts in
                                                            Bicentennial Park in downtown Oklahoma City, Thursday, April 25, 2019. [Doug Hoke/The Oklahoman Archives

Downtown Oklahoma City's long-running Festival of the Arts will return June 22-27 this year after it was canceled in 2020.  The festival traditionally takes place the last full week of April.

The festival is one of the biggest events in Oklahoma City each year as it attracts more than 750,000 visitors over six days.

 

 

[Laramie]

  Oklahoma City Scissortail Park art piece ("Taking Flight") revised



Seven ton Feather Sculpture planned for Scissortail Park


The original design for “Taking Flight” (pictured above) was scrapped after a similar-size spheric sculpture was revealed as part of plans for Thunder Alley Entertainment Block (pictured sphere in plans below) across the street from Scissortail Park.

[Laramie]

                       The 200 Largest Cities in the United States by Population 2021

                                                (Two cities in Oklahoma are among the 200 largest cities)

                       (24)   Oklahoma City, Oklahoma   669,347  Metro Population 1,439,640
                       (48)   Tulsa, Oklahoma  402,742  Metro Population  1,009,610

                                                        [Click on the city to obtain its current Metro Population]

          Link:  https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities 

     Don't know if this is an official link; although it has a link with the U. S. Census Population Data - May 21, 2015.

 

[Laramie]

First Americans Museum (FAM), Oklahoma City


Progress on finishing the $175 million First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City is coming to a close.

The long-awaited First Americans Museum, situated southeast of the I-35/I-40 interchange near downtown Oklahoma City, is set to open in September. [ABOVE FIRST AMERICANS MUSEUM PHOTO]

Support from National Endowment for the Arts is helping Oklahoma City’s long-awaited First Americans Museum to open and benefiting three other state institutions.

The long-gestating Oklahoma City museum, which is set to celebrate its grand opening September 18, 2021 is one of four state institutions to receive grants as part of the National Endowment for the Arts’ first round of funding for its 2021 fiscal year. Totaling $115,000, the grants will support projects that will serve Oklahomans across the state.

Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations and develop their creative capacities.

First Americans Museum, Venerable arts institute, Tulsa Race Massacre centennial & Long-awaited OKC landmark

The four Oklahoma projects are among 1,073 across the country totaling nearly $25 million that were selected during this first round of fiscal year 2021 in the Grants for Arts Projects category.--The Oklahoman, February 12, 2021.

[Laramie]

Oklahoma City Cox Convention Center now Prairie Surf Media

[Laramie]

Oklahoma City, 'The Modern Frontier'


Top of Persimmon Hill, Oklahoma City



National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street



Cowboys, Indians and Western Heritage


William 'Bill' Cody, ' Buffalo Bill.'


'The End of the Trail'

Coming soon...


First Americans Museum

[Laramie]

                         OKC named among top 15 'best places to live and work as a moviemaker in 2021'


                                    

15.  Oklahoma City

Bold, innovative, and very funny Oklahoma City moviemaker Mickey Reece has averaged at least two films a year for a good decade — without leaving home. “A lot of out-of-town folks come to shoot in Oklahoma to take advantage of our 35% tax rebate incentive, but just within the last year or two (thanks to filmmakers working outside of the traditional system) our state has become more recognized, nationally, for our talent and work ethic,” he says. “We’ve created our own industry outside of Hollywood. Our actors are hungry, our crews are hungry and our locations are among the most unique in the country.”

The proof includes films like Reece’s festival darling Climate of the Hunter. And recent high-profile projects include Sean McNamara’s Reagan, starring Dennis Quaid. The region is also blessed with vintage theaters, passionate film societies, and the state’s largest film festival, deadCenter. Additionally, the new Prairie Surf Studios in the Cox Convention Center promises to house the largest clear-span sound stages in the Midwest.

And we all saw plenty of Oklahoma’s diverse landscapes, authentic small towns, and miles and miles of unspoiled land in Netflix’s Tiger King docuseries. Oklahoma and the tigers may be the only ones who came out looking good.


                                                  

MovieMaker's annual list of "Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker" included Oklahoma City at #15 of the big

 cities list, outpacing cities such as San Diego, Seattle, Kansas City and Portland. The magazine highlighted not only the state's tax rebate incentive but also the

 "talent and work ethic" of local crews, according to filmmaker Mickey Reece as quoted in the piece, as well as OKC's "vintage theaters, passionate film societies,

 and the state’s largest film festival, deadCenter.

           1. Albuquerque
           2. Atlanta
           3. Austin
           4. Chicago
           5. Vancouver
           6. Philadelphia
           7. Montreal
           8. Miami
           9. Boston
          10. Calgary, Alberta
          11. Toronto
          12. Dallas
          13. Cincinnati
          14. Cleveland
          15. Oklahoma City
          16. Memphis
          17. San Diego
          18. Baltimore
          19. Portland
          20. Washington D.C.
          21. Kansas City, Missouri
          22. San Antonio
          24. Milwaukee
          25. St. Petersburg

VELOCITY https://www.velocityokc.com/blog/inside-okc/okc-named-among-top-15-best-places-to-live-and-work-as-a-moviemaker-in-2021/?utm_source=VeloCityEmail&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=IntAccolade&utm_content=MovieMakerBestPlaces3_12_21

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[Laramie]

Oklahoma City's


 First Americans Museum, (FAM)

[Laramie]

Oklahoma City USA Hall Hall of Fame Stadium Complex

  

ESPN’s Large Onsite Presence Accentuates Growth of the Women’s College World Series: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2019/06/04/espns-large-onsite-presence-accentuates-growth-of-the-womens-college-world-series/

New Era for USA Softball in Oklahoma City  2020 - 2035

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma’s de facto homefield advantage at the Women’s College World Series could continue for a very long time.

Softball officials announced on Thursday that the WCWS will stay at Oklahoma City’s ASA Hall of Fame Stadium through 2020. It could remain through 2035, pending the completion of a four-phase renovation process agreed to by the NCAA and Oklahoma City.

 

Construction finished at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex just in time for a global pandemic.

And for USA Softball, having that complex open has been beneficial as other states canceled large events.

The City of Oklahoma City started the 4,000-seat addition at the complex in summer 2018, after that year's NCAA Women's College World Series. Construction paused for the 2019 WCWS then work continued on the $20.3 million project, that added many amenities to the complex, including more space and better technology for media, kitchen space, restrooms and elevators. The money was part of the 2017 voter-approved general obligation bond package.

  

The Alliance and USA Softball are now partners, so more events from the league could be coming to Oklahoma City.

While there’s a lot still being discussed for 2021’s events at the complex, including possible Team USA exhibition games before the Olympics.

    

  

[Laramie]

The University of Oklahoma Board of Regents approved revised design phase plans and updated programming information for a new $22 million softball facility.?

It is proposed that the new softball home be located at the northwest corner of Jenkins Avenue and Imhoff Road, approximately one-half mile south of the current facility. This plan alters the previous masterplan for renovation of the present location to allow space for implementation of the required programmatic facility elements, make further use of adjacent athletics facilities and take advantage of existing parking in the immediate vicinity.

The new stadium is projected to seat 3,000 fans, more than double the capacity of the current facility.

In recent years, the current OU Softball Complex has been stretched beyond its seating capacity of 1,378. On May 26, with the addition of temporary bleachers, a record crowd of 1,927, one of 18 sellouts during the 2018 season, watched the Sooners defeat Arkansas 9-0 in the NCAA Super Regional championship game. That kind of interest has stressed not only the seating capacity, but also the services available to those visiting the facility. It is projected that the new facility will have capacity for 3,000 fans.?

In terms of other fan amenities, the current concept, which is subject to updates and alterations, includes three concessions stands with a total of 11 points of sale (an increase of nine) and six restrooms (an increase of 60 fixtures). Other changes include a 10,000 square-foot indoor practice facility, which is nearly double the size of the current facility, and several team spaces including a training room, locker room and classroom.

    

OU Approves Plan For New Softball Stadium https://okcfox.com/sports/university-of-oklahoma-sooners/ou-approves-plan-to-build-new-22-million-softball-stadium

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[Laramie]

Oklahoma City's opportunity to host a 64 team WCWS bubble.


Four softball fields at USA Hall of Fame Stadium Complex.


Hall of Fame Stadium seats 13,000

"We are already the home of the Women’s College World Series, of course. Got an expanded and renovated stadium all ready for it, too. But we’ve got way more than that — we’ve got the ability to do the whole NCAA softball tournament.

Now, this might seem like a pie-in-the-sky idea. But as one person who works in the world of softball reminded me, everyone is thinking outside the box right now. When it comes to ideas about how to give teams an opportunity to play, nothing is too far fetched...

...The NCAA softball tournament is a three-week event that starts with 64 teams. They are seeded into four-team, double-elimination regionals, then the winners of the 16 regionals advance to two-team, best-of-three super regionals. The eight winners of the super regionals advance to the WCWS.

So, how would May Madness in OKC work?

The biggest issue would be where everyone plays and how our available facilities are put to use, but we have enough high-quality fields as long as a couple small tweaks are allowed...

...By the way, I’m told the metro has plenty of hotel rooms to accommodate teams and ancillary tournament personnel. Everyone might not get to stay in downtown OKC, but if the fields at OU and OSU are used, for example, everyone might not want to stay downtown.

Another aside, I wouldn’t allow OU or OSU to play on their home fields. That’s how the men’s basketball tournament is doing business — games will be held at Indiana, Purdue and Butler, but those teams won’t play on their home courts if they make the tournament — so that rule could easily apply to softball.

Listen, I know this plan would require sacrifices. Sacrifices by the teams. Sacrifices by the NCAA. Sacrifices by the facilities.

But the benefits are numerous.

For the NCAA, travel costs would be slashed. That’s the tournament’s biggest expense, and while lodging costs would rise, not having to buy hundreds of plane tickets on short notice for players, coaches and support staff to jet all around the country would make up the difference.

For the metro, we would get a softball-stravaganza that would be a balm for the loss of the WCWS last year. That was a complete and total gut punch, but we could have three full weeks of NCAA games. It would be great for the city and a boost to the economy.--Jenni Carlson, January 7, 2021 Oklahoman

Oklahoma City has an opportunity to really host an event (64-team WCWS softball tournament) with an economic impact boost to our city's hotels that could be a real shot-in-the-arm with out-of-state money flowing into our local economy.

Omni Oklahoma City

Hilton Skirvin Oklahoma City

Embassy Suites, Oklahoma City


     Oklahoma City Downtown Hotel Summary: https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=34292

[Laramie]

Tulsa race massacre and OKC bombing products 'of the same kind of hatred': AG Garland



Video:  https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/tulsa-race-massacre-okc-bombing-products-kind-hatred/story?id=77163739

Garland discusses domestic terror, gun violence and voting rights





We Remember, 26 years ago, today