Tag: Culture

Juneteenth Celebration Events In Fort Smith

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KNWA:

Numerous events were announced Tuesday for downtown Fort Smith in celebration of the Juneteenth holiday.

According to a press release, 64.6 Downtown and the Fort Smith Round Table will be presenting free live music on Thursday, June 16th and Sunday, June 19th.

Thursday, June 16th will open with “Miss K’s Dance Bungalow” followed by headliner “New Breed Brass Band,” a youthful ensemble bringing their own flair of heritage brass band sonics from New Orleans. The show will be from 6:45-9 p.m. at the Riverfront Park Amphitheater.

On Sunday, June 19, host comedian Joe Torry will present the U.S. Army Field Band Jazz Ensemble’s Songs of Freedom. The production will celebrate the contributions of individuals during the Civil Rights movement. It will be held from 5-10 p.m., also at the amphitheater.

Sunday evening will continue with two 2021 Levitt AMP Fort Smith Music Series performers, jazz artist Rodney Block and crowd favorite, Fort Smith native Genine Latrice Perez.

“64.6 Downtown is pleased to work in concert with the Round Table to expand free, live music downtown leading up to the Juneteenth holiday. We are elated the U.S. Army Band Jazz Ensemble selected Fort Smith to perform their tribute. They wanted to contribute to a communities Juneteenth celebration with their production of Songs of Freedom, and it came together.” stated Talicia Richardson, Executive Director of 64.6 Downtown.

Man Arrested For Shooting A Hole In Johnny Cash Water Tower So It Looks Like He’s Peeing

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Stereogum:

“Kingsland, Arkansas has a real Cash flow problem.” Give an Emmy to the whoever wrote that opening line for a THV11 newscast earlier this week. The report explained that someone had shot a hole in a water tower in Johnny Cash’s birthplace, a tower emblazoned with Cash’s silhouette, and that the hole was strategically placed so that the ensuing leak made it look like Cash was pissing. Bravo to everyone involved, honestly, from the perpetrator to the person at THV11 who headlined the YouTube video of the report “Arkansas water tower springs leak in Johnny Cash’s groin.”

Thousand Of Motorcyclists In Tulsa For Black Wall Street Rally

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KTUL:

Thousands of motorcyclists are in Tulsa for the Black Wall Street Rally.

The organizers say it’s an effort to show the world the resilience of the Greenwood District nearly 101 years later.

“We’re honoring our past, but we’re also looking at the present of what Greenwood looks like today. For us to be able to put on an event here to bring black entrepreneurs from all over have them selling their wares and showing their services here it speaks to the spirt of Greenwood,” said Carmela Hill with the Black Wall Street Rally.

They are estimating more than 5,000 motorcyclists riding into Tulsa.

There’s no doubt this event is bringing a major economic boost to Greenwood, as well as Tulsa, with thousands of bikers staying in hotels across the city.

Calling Craft Beer Lovers! Oklahoma Beer Week Is Here

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KFOR:

Want a cold brew and support local small independent Oklahoma breweries?

The Craft Brewers Association of Oklahoma (CBAO) is announcing the inaugural Oklahoma Craft Beer Week!

The fun is set for May 16-20.

During the week, several special events will happen in taprooms around the state.

Something unique in the spotlight of this event is the rollout of ‘Trail Mix’ a beer collaboration among 44 Oklahoma Breweries.

Bob Dylan Center Opens To Public In Tulsa Near OKPOP Museum, Woody Guthrie Center

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The Oklahoman:

The center’s capacity has been capped at 500 visitors for opening day, which is sold out. After Tuesday, downtown Tulsa’s newest cultural attraction will settle into its normal hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.   

The public opening day follows the VIP Grand Opening Weekend festivities that attracted hundreds of guests from around the world, from scholars and journalists to local musicians and Rock and Roll Hall of Famers (although the enigmatic Dylan himself apparently wasn’t one of them).  

KISS’ Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons Hosting Grand Opening Party For Rock & Brews Casino

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Tulsa World:

Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of KISS will host a grand opening party Tuesday, May 10 for the Rock & Brews Casino in Braman, Oklahoma.

Gates open to the public at 1 p.m. The event will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony, food, drinks and live music from the AC/DC tribute band Back in Black.

Rock & Brews, co-founded by Stanley and Simmons, is a rock-inspired restaurant and entertainment brand. The Rock & Brews team oversees more than 20 restaurants across the U.S., but the Rock & Brews Casino Braman is the first foray into owning and operating a casino (formerly SouthWind Casino Braman).

The casino includes a Rock & Brews Restaurant. The restaurant’s decor includes a “Great Wall of Rock,” a KISS-inspired selfie wall and art murals paying tribute to Oklahoma music artists like Hanson and JJ Cale. The restaurant also features a stage for live music performances.

Rock & Brews Casino Braman is located at 9525 N. Hwy. 177 in Braman, exit 231 off I-35.

Move over, Detroit.

Organizers Say Outlook Good For Fort Smith Steel Horse Rally

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Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette:

Expectations are positive for the River Valley’s annual, family-friendly motorcycle rally this weekend.

The Steel Horse Rally will roll into town Friday and Saturday. Attendees will be able to partake in live music, entertainment and a host of motorcycle-related activities along Garrison Avenue in downtown Fort Smith, with one in Pocola, Okla.

Dennis Snow, founder and president of the nonprofit Steel Horse Rally, encouraged people Tuesday to come out for the event in light of forecasts of “gorgeous weather” this weekend. The organization hopes to continue to improve rally attendance — estimated at more than 135,000 in 2021 — and the economic impact the event has on the local area.

“We’ve all had a tough time through the pandemic, and a lot of businesses are still recovering,” Snow said. “We had an economic impact of almost $20 million last year, so we encourage everybody to come and enjoy the beautiful downtown Fort Smith area and have a great time and spend your money and leave with a bunch of great memories in the 2022 Steel Horse Rally.”

Tulsa Greek Festival Drive-Thru Underway

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KJRH:

The Tulsa Greek Street Festival Drive-Thru started Friday, giving Tulsans a chance to get a taste of Greece.

They say it takes a village, but for Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, it’s taken faithful parishioners coming together to share their time, gifts, and authentic Greek recipes with Tulsa. When you step foot in their kitchen, you feel like you’re in Greece.

“It’s really a celebration of just the Greek heritage,” Denis Boone, Chairman of the Greek Festival Steering Committee said.

For nearly 60 years, his congregation has been celebrating their Greek heritage through their annual festival.

“We’re one of the oldest festivals in Tulsa,” Boone said.

We Have To Protect Juneteenth From Cultural Appropriation Pimps

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The Black Wall Street Times:

Nothing is sacred for Black people in America. Not our music, our bodies, food or hairstyles. And now here come people trying to whitewash our holiday, Juneteenth.

Twitter wasted no time circulating a flier for the Juneteenth Soul Food Festival and Market with the pictures of featured hosts, Rex Nelson, Heather Baker and David Bazzel boldly printed on it.  And by the way, Rex, Heather and David are all white and it’s a good chance none of their ancestors were freed from enslavement on June 19,1866. 

I know this is low-hanging fruit, but nobody’s “ancestors were freed from enslavement on June 19,1866.” That is merely the date on which the freedmen of Galveston, Texas first celebrated the anniversary of Union Army General Gordon Granger’s General Order Number 3—by which they had learned of their emancipation in June of 1865. Like I said a year ago, the Federal repurposing of Juneteenth as a national holiday commemorating the final emancipation of all African-American slaves really makes no sense at all, but that’s what we got.

I have no idea who Rex Nelson, Heather Baker, and David Bazzel are, but that flier does look kind of silly to me. Another thing that seems kind of silly is the idea that The Whites cannot host or actively promote and participate in Juneteenth celebrations. Gordon Granger was a White, after all. There were plenty of Whites at the Juneteenth celebration I attended last summer, and everyone had a great time together. At least five of my six Unionist ancestors were Whites, and if I am supposed to believe that they all enlisted to fight the Confederates for the purpose of abolishing slavery, then it would seem like their descendants have a legitimate and important interest in promoting a national holiday commemorating the final emancipation of all African-American slaves.

Keep Fort Smith Beautiful Returns Christmas Tradition To Downtown

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Southwest Times Record:

A stunning magnolia tree towers 21 feet over Cisterna Park in downtown Fort Smith with white blossoms peeking out brightly.  

Ryan Rains looks forward to winter when the tree will shine even brighter.  

“It’s going to serve as a Christmas tree,” he said. “We’re going to light it every year.”  

Rains, the board president of Keep Fort Smith Beautiful, directed a project to bring a magnolia tree to downtown Fort Smith. Keep Fort Smith Beautiful funded the planting, aligning with the organization’s goal to preserve nature for the River Valley community. 

With the help of the Fort Smith Parks & Recreation department, the tree was planted Monday as onlookers gathered downtown.

An Exclusive First Peek At The Bob Dylan Museum

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Vanity Fair:

When news broke in 2016 that Bob Dylan had given his vast archive of recordings and artifacts to the George Kaiser Family Foundation of Tulsa, people were taken aback. Why was this cultural trove going there, of all places?

Now we know the answer. That initial cache of Dylanalia has become the cornerstone of an entire museum: the Bob Dylan Center. Recently I asked the singer-songwriter, who is 80, why he’d chosen Tulsa. “There’s more vibrations on the coasts, for sure,” he explained. “But I’m from Minnesota and I like the casual hum of the heartland.”

Sonic Youth Unearth 1989 Kyiv Concert To Raise Money For Ukraine Aid

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Rolling Stone:

Exactly 33 years ago Thursday, on April 14, 1989, Sonic Youth staged a concert in Kyiv, Ukraine, one of the last Western acts to play in the then-Soviet city prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the U.S.S.R. Amid the current Russian invasion, the pioneering band has unearthed a partial recording of that Kyiv gig to raise money for humanitarian efforts.

Live In Kyiv, Ukraine 1989, available to purchase through Sonic Youth’s Bandcamp page, includes nine songs from the band’s first-ever show in the city, including a near-full performance of their then-new album Daydream Nation.

Luckily for fans of the Azov Battalion, “Youth Against Fascism” came out in 1992 and will therefore not be included.

Oklahoma Prepares For Route 66 Fest In 66 Days

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KOCO:

In 66 days, people from across the world will celebrate the one and only Route 66.

Excited Oklahoma state leaders held an event at the Capitol on Wednesday, highlighting the one-of-a-kind road and the one-of-a-kind event.

“It is Americana. It is the best American road trip that you can do inside America,” Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell.

Route 66 runs from Chicago to California, with more than 400 miles stretching right through Oklahoma.

“Oklahoma has more miles than any other state,” Pinnell said.

To celebrate, AAA is hosting the National Route 66 Road Fest in June.

“No other state is going to beat Oklahoma when it comes to promoting Route 66,” Pinnell said.

Professional Bull Riding Shows To Return To Tulsa For 5 More Years

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News On 6:

PBR is staying in Tulsa for a few more years at the BOK center. Professional Bull Riding is back in Tulsa this weekend. A new agreement means the world’s best cowboys and bulls will keep coming to Tulsa for five more years.

“The way that is has elevated our national profile with a national audience it’s been tremendous, and it’s been a real point of honor for us to get to host the best athletes in the world when it comes to professional bull riding right here in Tulsa,” said GT Bynum, City of Tulsa.

The competition brings in thousands of people from all over the country to watch. Mayor GT Bynum said the event has brought in $50 million to the city and gives visitors a glimpse of Tulsa.

Tour De Tulsa Returns After A Two-Year Hiatus

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KRMG:

After a two-year hiatus, one of Tulsa’s spring cycling tradition is back on the calendar. Join cycling enthusiasts from across the state and region for the 33rd annual Tour de Tulsa presented by Ascension St. John. on Saturday, May 7 at 8:00 a.m.

This annual go-at-your-pace biking event begins at Dream Keepers Park. Cyclists will complete their choice of a 9-mile family ride, 21, 37, 52, 63 or 103-mile routes.

More than 70 volunteers will be working rest stops along the routes serving fruit, granola bars, water and Gatorade. Tour de Tulsa is hosted annually by the Tulsa Health Department (THD), the Tulsa Bicycle Club and Pathways to Health as a way to promote health in the community.