The Oklahoma Today Podcast

Schools might be going back into session soon, but summer is not over yet. Savor those final days of freedom during Red Brick Nights, which bring fun, games, food trucks, and live music to historic downtown Guthrie. Red Brick Nights occur during the first Saturday or every month May through September, including this Saturday (August 3). Make your plans to head to Guthrie this weekend to see Oklahoma-favorite headliners Beau Jennings & The Tigers. Event organizer James Long joins the show to talk about what else people can expect and how Guthrie has grown through the years.

Also on this week's show, the editors discuss their favorite annual festivals in the state, and all aboard the crazy train for podvents. You won't want to miss it! 

Good news for all your Olympic fans out there: The summer games return better than ever this week! After a couple of the international games being subjected to pandemic restrictions, Paris 2024 will bring the Olympics back in full force. Oklahoma is a state with numerous Olympic ties, and one of those is the USA BMX headquarters and Olympic training facility in Tulsa. The Oklahoma Today Podcast partnered with USA BMX for a series of interviews with USA BMX athletes headed to Paris for the games that begin this Friday. 

Also on this week's episode, the hosts discuss their personal favorite Olympic events, and podvents presents us with a unique event featuring a Pro Football Hall of Famer. You won't want to miss it!

Don't ask to see Aunt Meg's place when you venture out to Wakita in far-northern Oklahoma—if you remember Twister well enough, you know the house doesn't make it to the end credits. But die-hard fans of the 1996 cult-classic disaster film won't be disappointed when they visit the tiny town's Twister Movie Museum—dedicated to telling the story of Wakita's brush with Hollywood since before the movie even premiered. As the long-awaited sequel Twisters hits theaters across the country this week, we venture out to the museum for an interview with its caretaker, Linda Wade. With Twister fever back at a fever pitch, visitors from all over the world are making the trek out to Wakita.

Also on this week's episode, the editors discuss which movies they have seen the most in their lives, and podvents tells us the story of two peaches. Plus Karlie is back! You won't want to miss it!

Downtown Tulsa is home to one of the most storied live music venues not just in the state, but in all the country. Cain's Ballroom, first made famous in the 1930s as the home of Bob Wills' radio broadcasts, celebrates 100 years in 2024. The springy wooden dance floor is one of the best places to see a show, but don't just take our word for it. Ask the parents of pop star du jour Chappell Roan, who recently relayed their affection for the place to Cain's co-owner and operator Chad Rodgers. Chad joins the podcast this week to reflect on his journey as an owner of this historic gem and how the live entertainment industry has evolved in the past couple of decades. 

Also on this week's show, the editors give their picks for Oklahoma buildings that should be preserved forever, and podvents brings us a Christmas celebration . . . in December? You won't want to miss it.  

The July Fourth holiday is here again, and there are countless ways to celebrate in Oklahoma. One of the best is with a trip to Pawhuska and scenic Osage County for the Pawhuska Freedom Celebration and The Pioneer Woman Mercantile's Patriotic Party on the Prairie. Pawhuska Chamber of Commerce director Mike McCartney joins the show to talk about the full day of activities planned in the town for Independence Day.

Also on this episode, the editors share their plans for the upcoming holiday and Ben gives a booming rundown of July Fourth celebrations in podvents. You won't want to miss it!

One of the most iconic crew members from Hollywood's golden age is the focus of a new standout exhibition at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Edith Head—the eight-time Academy Award winning costume designer who worked with a who's who list of stars including Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, John Wayne, and Elvis Presley—has seventy of her career costume work on display in the exhibit Edith Head: Hollywood's Costume Designer, which is open at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art now through September 29. This is an exhibit years in the making, and in no small part comes to fruition thanks to the work guest curator Catherine Shotick. Shotick joins the show to talk about costuming as an artform, the evolution of Head's role in the film industry over time, and the work that went into developing this intricate overview of an iconic designer.

Also on this week's episode, the editors discuss the go-to colors in their wardrobes, and podvents takes us to a free showing of an essential Oklahoma classic. You won't want to miss it. 

Many trains have come through the old Bristow train depot over the years, but now a new touring exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution is making its stop. Voices and Votes: Democracy in America is on display at the Bristow Historical Society and Museum now through July 13. The multi-part walk-through display incorporates interactive components and historical artifacts to take viewers through the history of voting and access to democracy in the United States. Bristow has made the exhibit its own with the help of a local collector, who is loaning the museum a collection of historical documents and prints the include the actual signatures of Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and more. 

Also on this week's episode: Oklahoma State Parks social media coordinator Chad Crow joins the show as a guest host. Together with editors Nathan, Kiersten, and Ben, the team discuss their go-to ice cream favorites. You won't want to miss it! 

Tito Jackson is a lot of things: an original member of the Motown legends Jackson 5, a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, and father of three talented sons. And now there is one more label he can add to that list: Oklahoman. That's right, for the past year Tito Jackson has been living on several acres out in northeast Oklahoma, and Oklahoma Today was fortunate enough to sit down with Jackson at his new residence for a quick Q&A. In the interview, Jackson shares the reason for his new place of residence, including the Jackson family's surprising connection to the Sooner State. He also shares stories from the early days of the Jackson 5 band and talks about what to expect from his upcoming keynote speaking engagement at the Claremore Museum of History's upcoming Juneteenth celebration, set to take place Saturday, June 15. 

 

Also on this week's episode, the editors share who they think should be the next celebrity to move to Oklahoma, and podvents takes us into dad joke territory. You won't want to miss it!

The ding of the bat. The chants from the dugout. The thud of a fastball against the catcher's mitt. There is nothing like a ballgame at the Women's College World Series. It is no secret that the state of Oklahoma loves its softball, and the fact that USA Softball and their Hall of Fame Museum are based in Oklahoma City certainly has something to do with it. The sport is already widely popular, but does it still have some room to grow? USA Softball CEO Craig Cress is the perfect person to answer that question, and he is today's guest for the Oklahoma Today Podcast. Before you take in the rest of the action of this year's World Series, hear what Cress thinks is in store for the sport. 

Also on this week's show, the editors discuss their favorite memories from childhood summer vacations, and podvents sees Karlie put a special twist on an ice cream rap. You won't want to miss it!

For however many people are on Earth today, it's a drop in the bucket compared to all the insect, spiders, and arthropods that also populate the world around us. There is no avoiding them, so we might as well learn to coexist. When we put our prejudices aside, the lives of these critters can be quite fascinating. There is no one better equipped to spread enthusiasm for bugs than Andrine Shufran, director of OSU Insect Adventure, the Stillwater home to a fascinating menagerie of beetles, centipedes, and so much more. With summer vacation upon us, there is no better time to plan your trip for some hands-on educational encounters.

Also in this episode, the editors share their personal favorite bugs, and podvents takes us to Ponca City for a one-of-a-kind mural festival. You won't want to miss it!