What to Do in Tulsa This Weekend, Valentine's Day Edition

A heard every Friday morning on the KRMG Morning News with Joe Kelley, here's what to do in Tulsa this weekend. If you'd like to view this weekend's events through Valentine's Day-colored glasses only, click here for the complete list of ways to get lovey-dovey in Tulsa this weekend. And don't forget to make reservations for dinner.

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Tulsa Valentine's Day Round-Up

Here it is, folks - the list of love you've been longing for. Here's what to do in Tulsa for Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day weekend and beyond.

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August: Osage County Arrives in Tulsa

Urban Tulsa Weekly arts writer Holly Wall put together a set of stories on the debut of native Tulsan Tracy Letts' August: Osage County for the Jan. 21 edition and let me tell you, it has me all excited in a my-family-is-dysfunctional-too! sort of way.

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What To Do in Tulsa This Weekend

While most of us are still trying to get back in the groove of the daily grind after the holiday season, the folks behind the music halls, stages and destinations of this city have been hard at work making sure you have plenty to do this weekend. Just remember to bundle up before you head out on any excursions.

As heard every Friday morning on the KRMG Morning News with Joe Kelley, here's what to do in Tulsa this weekend.

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TDT Holiday Gift Guide: Tulsa Ballet's The Nutcracker

For $15, for Christmas one could buy:

• A nicer-than-Hanes pair of socks;
• A nicer-than-Fruit-of-the-Loom pair of underwear (men's only);
• A gift card, the near thoughtlessness of which is not redeemed by its 27-percent chance of taking up permanent residence in the back of a junk drawer;
• The hot toy of the year 2009, a Zhu-Zhu Pet - that is, if you can find one in a store where the fabled $8 price is charged.

Or, one could offer an experience, the chance to take part in a Tulsa tradition.

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Jumping the Gun

Looking for something to do to get the weekend kicked off early? Try on a few of these events for size.

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What to Do in Tulsa This Weekend

The leaves are turning, the northerlies are blowing and the falling pecans are better than springtime, softball-sized hail at keeping me awake at night.

Yep, fall is in full swing here in T-Town. Everything seems ablaze at the home of the Center of the Universe, the Golden Driller and more art deco architecture than you can shake a stick at.

Wait - Tulsa. My home town. At the center of the entire universe. Ha! Who knew?

Needless to say, there's lots going on in a town of such great gravity (and pecans). As you do every Friday morning when you listen for weekend stuff to do on the KRMG Morning News with Joe Kelley, mark up your itineraries now with the most exciting events in Tulsa from this week's edition of the Weekend Rundown.

Tasha's Picks for the Weekend of Oct. 23

Friday

Oktoberfest Tulsa
When: Thursday-Sunday
Where: RiverWest Festival Park, 2100 S. Jackson Ave.
Break out your lederhosen, folks - it's time for the chicken dance. At this year's Oktoberfest, get your fill of everything from kids' activities and carnival rides to bratwurst and, for the first time ever at Oktoberfest Tulsa, locally brewed beer. If you head out on Friday, be sure to swing by the Ttownmoms.com booth and find me. I'll want to give you a good old-fashioned howdy.

Saturday

Thrill the World 2009
When: Saturday, 7:30pm
Where: in Claremore
What could be more gratifying than landing in the pages of the Book of Guinness World Records? You have what looks like a really good chance at doing just that this weekend, practically in your own backyard. The Thrill Claremore project is part of the larger Thrill the World, a worldwide attempt to break the World Record for the Largest Simultaneous Dance using Michael Jackson's hit, “Thriller.” The goal? To get 270,000 Thriller dancers grooving at once, all to beat a record set in 2002 by 197,569 Canadian elementary school students doing the Hokey Pokey. Be nice and pre-register, and don't forget to show up at 5:30pm (wearing a zombie costume, of course). You'll want to be organized undead, after all. Proceeds of the event benefit the United Way.

Sunday

Music on the Lawn
When: Sunday, 3pm
Where: Tulsa Historical Society, 2445 S. Peoria Ave.
One of the things I love dearly about this city is its rich history. It's a bit strange, yes, and even tragic and shady in certain spots, but no one can deny that it's captivating. Get your fill of Okie-style history this weekend at the grand opening of Your House, My House, a hands-on exhibit sponsored by Tulsa Children's Museum. Mid-Life Crisis Band will bring the tunes as long as you bring a picnic basket and some buddies. This event is free and open to the public – mmm, just the way I like it.

Music

KISS Tickets
When: Saturday, 10am
Where: BOK Center
KISS has added five more dates to their North American tour, and Tulsa has been given the green light to get ready to rock. Tickets to the Dec. 8 KISS concert in Tulsa at the BOK Center go on sale this weekend. Prices range $29.50-128.

Mute Math
When: Saturday, doors at 7pm
Where: Cain's Ballroom
Don't miss this Grammy-nominated group, declared by Alternative Press as “the #1 band you need to see live before you die.” Tickets are $23.25 in advance, $29 the day of the show.

Bob Dylan and His Band
When: Saturday, doors at 7pm
Where: Brady Theater, 105 W. Brady
This American pop and folk and poetry and painting and songwriting icon and general Renaissance man will be rockin' right here in the Brady District this weekend. Tickets are $49.50 and $59.50.

The Music of Italy
When: Saturday, 7:30pm
Where: Tulsa Performing Arts Center
Watch Tulsa Symphony break out its version of The Italian Job. Maestro David Lockington, music director of the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra, returns to conduct a concert of music from or inspired by Italy. Tickets range $10-65. Be sure to catch the pre-concert at 6:30 with Lockington, y'all.

Drive-By Truckers
When: Sunday, doors at 7pm
Where: Cain's Ballroom
Drive-bys and truckers - didn't think they went together, did you. James McMurtry and Taddy Porter are openers. Tickets are $15.


Halloween

Get Zombified!
When: Friday, 4:30-5:30pm
Where: Martin Regional Library
Learn survival strategies with local zombie expert Chris Askers as he leads a discussion on zombie history and biology and shows how to produce realistic-looking injuries. For teens. Preregistration is required. Call 669-6340 to register.

Psycho Path Haunted Attraction
When: Now-Saturday; Oct. 29-Halloween; 7-11pm
Where: 15157 E. 106th Street North in Sperry
The woods are shrouded by a blanket of fog. All you can see is the narrow path taking you deeper and deeper into the darkness, where creatures wait behind every twist and turn. Your blood suddenly runs cold - you've realized there's no turning back. The Psycho Path may be your only way home. Yikes! When there's a haunted path, a spooky ride-through and a haunted house, there's sure to be scares and screams for all. Tickets range $8-40; visit the Psycho Path site for details and ticket sales.

The Hex House
When: Now-Saturday, 7:30pm; Oct. 28-30, 7:30pm; Halloween, 7pm
Where: Southeast corner of 71st and Memorial, next to Incredible Pizza
Hex House claims to be Tulsa's only extreme haunted attraction. One thing's for sure: It's not for children. Not for wimps or the faint of heart, Hex House promises to stupefy and terrify.

Halloween Glassblowing
When: Anytime during October
Where: Tulsa Glassblowing, 19 E. Brady
For the low, low price of $45, anyone aged 12 and older can walk right in to Tulsa Glassblowing on Brady and whip themselves up a good lookin' glass pumpkin or witch ball. The possibilities, they are endless - and spooky, too.

Tulsa Corn Maize
When: Now-Nov. 8; Wed-Fri, 5-10pm; Sat, 10am-10pm; Sun, 12-6pm; Closed Mondays; Haunted Maize open at dark Fri-Sat., Fall Break and Halloween
Where: 32506 E. 61st Street in Broken Arrow
There's more to do at the Tulsa Corn Maize than just get lost. Let me count the ways: a paintball shooting range; campfires; a haunted maze; a cow train; hay rides; rubber ducky races; and a corn box (you have to see it to believe it). Admission is $6 per youth aged 4-12, free for kids 3 and under and $8 for adults.

Haunted Castle Halloween Festival
When: Friday-Saturday; Oct. 29, 30 and Halloween; Hours are 6-10pm
Where: The Castle at Muskogee, 3400 Fern Mountain Road
Fun for kids and the young at heart alike, The Castle at Muskogee delivers nine spooktacular events, ranging from not-so-scary to really-really-scary, across a 60-acre Halloween-themed park. From the sinister, fog-shrounded forest to the carnival atmosphere of Halloween Land, everyone is sure to find performances and activities they'll never forget. Check out the ticket combos, which are printable from your desktop and range $15-$25, on The Castle Web site.

Scream Country Haunted Forest
When: Friday-Saturday; Oct. 30-Halloween, 7:30-11pm
Where: Deep in the woods of Drumright
Located deep in the woods, haunting more than 40 acres of dark, twisting forest, Scream Country will have been scaring the pants off Oklahomans for the 12 year in a row in 2009. See the haunted forest, the haunted house (a.k.a. Dead Block, the world's first maximum security zombie prison) and the corn mayhem, all with one ticket. Admission is $18, or skip the line and pay $35 for a scream pass.

Costumes
When: Now-Saturday, 8pm; also, 2pm on Saturday
Where: Linnaeus Garden Barn, southeast corner of Woodward Park
Rather celebrate the sweetly spooky side of Halloween than the ghastly and the goulish? Costumes, a Halloween musical by local actors and musicians, might just be the thing for you. The audience is encouraged to come in costume, and the walkway-lit garden will be open for exploration during intermission. Tickets are $10, which is donated to Tulsa Garden Center. Make reservations by calling 746-5125. Thanks to Tulsa People for publicizing this song-worthy event.

Camp Cute & Spooky
When: Saturday; Oct. 28, 29 and 30, 7-9pm
Where: Discoveryland!
Kids 10 and under can hit the trail to west Tulsa for an evening of great Halloween fun at Discoveryland!'s entertainment complex. Catch everything from a trick-or-treat trail through a lighted enchanted forest to a haystack jump to the "Monster Mash" dance stage. Admission is $6 (or $5 for the crafty among you who head to Quiktrip or Incredible Pizza for those $1 off coupons) and includes all activities. Don't forget to don those costumes.

Owasso Harvest Festival
When: Saturday, 11am-9pm
Where: Centennial Park in Owasso, 15301 E. 86th Street North (park at Owasso High School and ride the shuttle to the festival)
This festival, held in conjunction with the Oklahoma State Chili Cook-Off, packs an entire day of activities for the entire family. Look for hay rides, a costume contest, a scarecrow contest, pumpkin carving, face painting, balloon art, a car show and, of course, chili tasting. It's all free and open to the public.

Barktoberweenfestivary
When: Saturday, 1-3pm
Where: Dog Dish, in The Farm Shopping Center at 51st and Sheridan
Dog Dish is celebrating its lucky seventh anniversary, and we, along with our four-legged friends, are all invited. In this party – the anniversary, Barktoberfest and Howl-oween rolled into one – features a costume contest, Oktoberfest fare for our furry friends and, of course, pupcakes. Look also for complimentary canine hors d'oeuvres and door prizes.

Vampire Prom Nite Murder Mystery
When: Saturday, 7pm; Oct. 31, 7pm
Where: Whispering Vines Vineyard & Winery, 7374 W. 51st Street
Solve the murder and win a bottle of award-winning, Oklahoma-grown wine, not to mention bragging rights. These three-hour shows sold out last year, so get your tickets now. Tickets are $59.95 and includes dinner, the show, tax and tip.

Catch more info on all the Halloween goings on, right here at TashaDoesTulsa.com. Check here for pumpkin patches, here for kids fun, here for grown-ups fun and here for anything and everything free – and spooky.


For the Kids

Starry Safari
When: Friday, 6pm-Saturday, 9am
Where: Tulsa Zoo & Living Museum
Ever dream of waking up to the roar of lions, the barking of prairie dogs or the howling of monkeys? This weekend, you'll get your chance. Become a Tulsa Zoo member and head for Mohawk Park for a not-so-typical camp out, a stargazing activity featuring the Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium and the Nature Exchange show, Xtreme Science Live. Campers will be fed dinner and breakfast, and they'll have the run of the zoo train and enjoy carousel rides, evening docent chats, marshmallow roasting and songs and tales around the campfire. Call the Zoo at (918) 669-6603 for more details and to reserve your spot.

Mother & Son Dance
When: Friday, 6:30-8pm
Where: Owen Park Community Center, 560 N. Maybelle Ave.
Moms, aunts, grandmas and older sisters, now is your chance to teach that boy to dance. Enjoy games, cookies and punch and, of course, lots of dancing to music by a live deejay. Cost is $5 per couple.

OK Video Game Exhibition
When: Saturday, 9am-5pm
Where: SpiritBank Event Center
If the kids won't crawl out from the hole they dug in Bueno and Burger King wrappers around the TV and game console, catapult them (don't ask me if this is legal, because if it's not, I don't want to know) to SpiritBank Event Center this weekend. Check out classic/retro gaming, game tournaments, arcade games and vendors and exhibitors buying, selling, trading and, of course, showing off. Admission is $5, and kids 7 and under get in free.

Route 66 Pecan & Fun Fest
When: Saturday, 10am-5pm
Where: The Nut House in Claremore, 26677 S. Highway 66
'Tis the season for pecan pickin', my fellow Okies. Get your grabber-on-a-stick and head to Claremore this weekend for everything from a pecan pie eating contest to an open car show. That's all free and open to the public, and if you stick around until 8 that evening, you can ditch your clodhoppers at the Route 66 Sock Hop. Tickets to the dance are $15.

Smith Farm Marketplace Health Fair and More
When: Saturday, 10am-1pm
Where: Smith Farm Marketplace, in Owasso just off of HWY 169 and 96th Street North
Looking for a free way to get healthy? Thanks to St. John Owasso and medical providers from St. John Health System, anybody and everybody can head to Owasso this weekend to scope out free health goodies, scads of info and health screenings. The Red Cross Bloodmobile will be there, too, along with fire engines, ambulances and, weather permitting, a LifeFlight helicopter fly-in and landing. Look also for the Jupiter Jump and the chance to win prizes from the radio remotes and Smith Farm Marketplace merchants during the event.


Theater

Side Show
When: Friday, 8pm; Saturday, 8pm
Where: Tulsa Performing Arts Center
Who doesn't love a tale of conjoined twins? This musical, nominated for four Tony Awards, tells of the twins' search for survival and love through both the high and low points in their search for careers in vaudeville. The best part? This musical is based on a true story. Judging by the popularity of reality television shows, we all love that very, very much. Tickets are $30.

Dear Nebulon
When: Friday, 8pm; Saturday, 8pm
Where: Nightingale Theater, 1416 E. Fourth Street
Recorder, locally famous for their costuming and sad robot lullabies, will collaborate with Tulsa playwright extraordinaire John Cruncleton to produce a one-hour visual presentation. Tickets are $7.

Finders Creepers
When: Friday, 8pm; Saturday, 8pm; Sunday, 2pm
Where: Sapulpa Community Theatre, 124 S. Water
Two boys pack up and hit the trail to spend the weekend with their Uncle Bob, only to discover that he's a mortician and there's a funeral scheduled for Monday. It's not long before things start to go bump in the night. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students. Reservations are required, so call the theater at 227.2169 before heading out.

The Exonerated
When: Friday, 8pm; Saturday, 8pm
Where: Heller Theatre @ Henthorne, 4825 S. Quaker
Don't miss the drama of the true stories of six former death row prisoners who were released from prison after their convictions were reversed. Take a closer look at their false accusations, wrongful convictions and eventual exoneration.


Sports

OU v. Kansas

When: Saturday, 2:30pm
Where: Lawrence
Watch the Sooners take on the Jawhaws on Cox Cable Channel 8.

OSU v. Baylor
When: Saturday, 11:30am
Where: Waco
Don't miss the Cowboys smackin' down the Bears this weekend.

U.S. Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show
When: Now-Oct. 31
Where: Expo Square
What's this little horse show all about? It's about being the most prestigious North American championship in the industry of Arabian show horses, of courses. This event offers Arabian, Half-Arabian and Anglo-Arabian horses while both amateur and professional riders or handlers compete in competitions from halter and native costuming to western and hunter classes. Believe it or not, this horse show also offers world-class shopping and barn parties.

Oklahoma Boulderfest
When: Friday-Sunday
Where: Chandler Park, 6500 W. 21st Street
Want to hang someone off the side of a rock? Hey, don't threaten the Chandler Park Climbers Coalition with a good time. The CPCC is gearing up for the second annual Boulderfest, an outdoor rock climbing festival features food, music, overnight camping and a whole lot of “bouldering.” Keep in mind, this event is for experienced climbers only, but it's worth a day at Chandler to check it out.

Spaghetti Dinner for Route 66
When: Friday, 7pm
Where: Spaghetti Warehouse, 221 E. Brady
Make plans now to join Fleet Feet Tulsa in downtown Tulsa for Williams Route 66 Marathon Night. This dinner promises to be a great chance to obtain insight into the race and needed final prepartions, thanks to the advice of experienced marathon runners (a.k.a. super humans) and leaders in the running community. Plus, there will be lots of carbs in attendance. Who's to argue with that? Don't forget to RSVP.

Oilers Opening Game
When: Saturday, 7:35pm
Where: BOK Center
It's here! Tulsa's own hockey team will take on the Wichita Thunder in its first home game in the 2009-2010 season. Tickets are $10-30. Plus, it's Big Al bobble head night. Plus, Oilers Ice Girls. Have I said enough? See you there.


Benefits

Red Ribbon Run
When: Saturday, registration at 7:30am; 1-mile fun run at 8:30am; 5K run at 9am
Where: Starting and ending at Riverside Drive and 31st Street
Whether your group is looking for a last practice before the Tulsa Run the morning of Halloween, or for just a nice Saturday morning event, check out what's going on at Riverside and 31st this weekend: The eighth annual Red Ribbon Run, benefitting Tulsa-based nonprofit Operation Aware. The run is part of the national Red Ribbon Week, which celebrates the choice to live drug free. Plus, runners get free massages and the chance to take home sweet prizes. Preregistration for $15 is available today (Friday) at the Operation Aware office, 7226 E. 41st Street, and race day registration for $20 starts at 7:30am Saturday. The race is free for students aged 11 and under.

Laps for Little Ones
When: Saturday, 8am
Where: Cascia Hall Track
The Little Light House is a Christian center of development for children aged birth to six years with special needs. It's mission is huge, and so is its need for your help. Do your part by running or walking around the track at Cascia Hall this Saturday. To register, to sponsor a runner or even to participate as a couch potato (now, this is my kind of running event), visit The Little Light House on the Web.

Mission Run
When: Saturday, starting at 9am
Where: Fifth Street, downtown Tulsa
Get revved up for the Tulsa Run next weekend by running for the homeless this weekend. Mission Run, which will benefit the John 3:16 Mission, features everything from a fun run (starting at 9:50am) to a 10K (starting at 9:45am). The course starts on Fifth Street between Elgin and Frankfort, and awards and prizes will go to the quickest. Race day packet pickup and registration will be at First Baptist Church downtown starting at 7am.

MDA Bad (Bikers Against Dystrophy) Ride
When: Saturday, 10am
Where: Registration at Myers-Duren
Donate a minimum of $25 to ride in this biggest, baddest ride around. Check out this annual fundraiser for Muscular Dystrophy Association, which features a ride, prizes, food and fun, all for a very worthy cause. Don't miss the afterparty at SoCo's Sports Bar & Grill for lunch and prizes, including a weekend getaway.


Other Stuff

Big Rig Expo
When: Friday-Saturday, 10am-6pm
Where: Tulsa Convention Center
If you like big trucks, you'll love what's going on at Tulsa Convention Center this weekend. Check out the Four Aces Truck Competition on Saturday at 10, and don't forget to try your luck on winning a 2010 Chevy Camaro RS. Admission to the exhibits is free, but the some of the educational workshops come at a cost. Check out Big Rig Expo online for more details.

WWII: A Day of Living History
When: Saturday, 10am
Where: Helmerich Library, 5131 E. 91st Street
This weekend brings history buffs the opportunity to explore the life of a WWII solider as created by the re-enactors of the 45th Infantry Division. See original military equipment, uniforms, period personal effects, vehicles and other memorabilia from the home front. Plus, visit with WWII veteran guest speakers.

Harvest Art Faire: Potters, Paints and Posies
When: Saturday, 10am-3pm
Where: Downtown Tulsa at 15th and Boston
Check out the “Little Square” at 15th and Boston, which boasts not only Mrs. DeHaven's Flower Shop, believed to be the oldest existing business in T-Town, but also The Gadget Company, another little shop with mind-boggling ties to Tulsa. Showcased there will be more than two dozen local artisans, as well as the debut of the newest rose varieties available this winter and holiday season. Admission is free, and pets (leashed, of course) and kids (both leashed and unleashed) are welcome.

350kies Take a Stand for Climate Action
When: Saturday, 2pm
Where: Centennial Park, Sixth and Peoria
Who's not on the green team these days? Now's the time to take part in what might turn out to be the largest day of climate change activism ever, consisting of 2,000 communities in more than 150 countries. The Tulsa event will feature a bike ride around downtown Tulsa, a collaborative art project, a group photo and speakers. Plus, all the cool kids will be there.

Playdate Tulsa
When: Saturday, 8pm
Where: Flytrap Music Hall
What is Play Date? It's an alternative to the typical night out, that's what. There will be drinks, food, music, Hungry, Hungry Hippos and Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots. After all, and as the saying goes, you don't stop playing because you get old; you get old because you stop playing. Admission is $10.

Nimrod's Conference for Readers and Writers
When: Saturday, 10am
Where: University of Tulsa, Allen Chapman Activity Center
If you're a writer – or a reader, for that matter – you can't miss this annual joining of the minds. This conference features a slew workshops and classes about everything from poetry and fiction to travel writing and fantasy, all taught by writers and lovers of words. Don't miss the readings at lunch, and don't – read: do not – miss the one-on-one editing sessions with Nimrod writers. Registration is $50. RSVP by writing the folks at Nimrod.

Kitchens a la Tulsa
When: Sunday, noon-5pm
Where: See the Kitchens a la Tulsa site for locations
If you're at home in the kitchen, you won't want to miss this self-guided tour of six new and renovated kitchens turning up the heat in Tulsa. The tour, which also comes with yummy morsels prepared by local chefs and food purveyors, benefits the Parent Child Center and the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless Clinic. Tickets are $10 in advance (the price increases $5 if you wait to pay at the door) and are available at the Day Center, 415 W. Archer.

Breast Impressions
When: Sunday, starting at 3pm, gala at 7pm
Where: Woodland Hills Mall
You've seen articles about it in all the newspapers and on all the local news shows – plus, you've seen me talking on Twitter and Facebook about how many owners of the casted boobies I found out I knew after they were on display in south Tulsa at Woodland Hills Mall. Now it's time for a runway fashion show, a gala and a live auction of some of those breast casts I mentioned before, all in the name of saving the ta-tas with Tulsa Project Woman. Tickets are $50.


Movies

Saw VI
When: Opens Friday
In this latest installment of the horror saga, Detective Hoffman emerges as the unchallenged successor of Jigsaw's legacy of terror. Rated R for grisly, bloody violence and torture. Plus, language. Yikes!

Astro Boy
When: Opens Friday
A young robot boy endowed with incredible powers embarks on a journey of acceptance and learns what it means to be a hero. Sounds like a fun flick, especially since my boyfriend Nicolas Cage is starring – bring the kids along. Rated PG.

Cirque du Freak: The Vampires Assistant
When: Opens Friday
In this newest John C. Reilly film, a teenage boy finds his destiny when he stumbles upon a vampire and his traveling freak show. Guess how this one ends (not that I know. I was hoping you would). Rated PG-13.

Amelia
When: Opens Friday
Hilary Swank somehow bears a striking resemblance to the pioneering aviatrix Amelia Earhart in this film about her as the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Rated PG. For smoking.

Pecan photo from The Nut House in Claremore.

Halloween in Tulsa: For Everyone, For Free

Looking for a way to celebrate all that is All Hallows' Eve on the cheap in Tulsa this year?

Yeah. Aren't we all.

Good thing there's lots to do in Tulsa this Halloween that won't cost you a dime. Plus, Ttownmoms.com has a forum full of ideas for everything from inexpensive costumes for the kids to how to spookify your house on a budget.

Make your agenda from the events listed below and you'll be ready to save your fright-induced nail biting for the big day, rather than use it up on the way to the bank.

Out and About

Pumpkin Patches Galore
When: Now-Halloween
Where: All over Tulsa
Even if the pumpkins aren't free, most of the activities available at Tulsa's pumpkin patches are, so check 'em out.Click here for a mega-list of the pumpkin patches in the Tulsa area.

Owasso Harvest Festival
When: Oct. 24, 11am-9pm
Where: Centennial Park in Owasso, 15301 E. 86th Street North (park at Owasso High School and ride the shuttle to the festival)
This festival, held in conjunction with the Oklahoma State Chili Cook-Off, packs an entire day of activities for the entire family. Look for hay rides, a costume contest, a scarecrow contest, pumpkin carving, face painting, balloon art, a car show and, of course, chili tasting. Mmm. It's all free and open to the public.

BooHaHa
When: Halloween
Where: Brookside
Starting at 8am, Tulsa's favorite strip will be transformed into a Halloween treat. The Kids' Zone opens at 11am, and trick-or-treating gets into gear at noon. The pet costume contest will commence in the Food Pyramid parking lot at noon, followed by the children's costume contest. Stick around for the annual BooHaHa Parade at 3pm, from 33rd-49th Streets. It's all free and open to the public.

New! Free Thriller Dance Class

When: Halloween, noon-3pm

Where: Ida Red Boutique on Brookside, 3346 S. Peoria Ave.

You know you've always wanted to learn it - it's the Thriller Dance, the moves that the late Michael Jackson made famous. This Halloween, you have the chance to learn it for free. Find your way to Ida Red on Brookside for the class (starting at 2pm), along with a special Halloween set by local band The Red Alert (starting at noon) and a costume contest (starting at 3pm).

At the Libraries

Halloweek Stories and Magic with Storyteller Michael Corley
When: Oct. 22
Where: Suburban Acres Library, 10=10:45am; Nathan Hale Library, 4-4:45pm; Brookside Library, 6:30-7:15pm
Oklahoma's only storytelling magician will take you on an spooky trail of ghost stories, from legendary monsters like the Weindgo to pirates from beyond the grave. Always spooky but never too scary, Corley will be in full costume, performing magical effects with lots of audience participation. For ages 5-12. Sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust.

Get Zombified!
When: Friday, Oct. 23, 4:30-5:30pm
Where: Martin Regional Library
Learn survival strategies with local zombie expert Chris Askers as he leads a discussion on zombie history and biology and shows how to produce realistic-looking injuries. For teens. Preregistration is required. Call 669-6340 to register.

Scary-N-Sperry!
When: Monday, Oct. 26, 5:30-7pm
Where: Judy Z. Kishner Library
Enjoy a fun-filled family evening featuring hot dogs, games, face painting, buried treasure and candy. Wear a costume!

Preschool Story Time: Halloween Fun
When: Tuesday, Oct. 27, 11-11:30am
Where: Martin Regional Library
Enjoy shivery songs, jack-o-lantern stories and creepy finger plays to get in the spirit. Wear a costume! For ages 3-5.

Storytelling 101: Scary Stories and Ghost Tales
When: Tuesday, Oct. 27, 4:45-6pm
Where: Helmerich Library
Explore jump tales and urban legends in celebration of Halloween. Snacks will be provided by the Friends of the Helmerich Library. For ages 10-13.

Pumpkin Decorating
When: Wednesday, Oct. 28, 4:30-6pm
Where: Nathan Hale Library
Creative pumpkin decorating. For all ages. Class size is limited, so call NHL to register.


At the Parks

Halloween Carnival Spooktacular
When and Where: Oct. 27 at Reed Park, 6-7:30pm; Oct. 29 at McClure Park, 6-7:30pm
Join other ghosts and goblins for our spooky, kooky carnival. Play fun games in a safe, indoor environment. Be sure to get in on the free costume contest, too. each game will cost 1 ticket, or 25 cents. Ages 2-11 are welcome, and everyone is admitted free.

Pumpkin Bash
When: Oct. 29, 4:30-5:30pm
Where: Owen Park
Toss your pumpkin and watch it explode and win prizes for the biggest mess. Woot! There's no fee, but do pre-register. Pumpkins will be provided. Ages 5-11 are welcome, and everyone gets in free.

Flashlight Candy Scramble
When: Oct. 29, 7:30-8pm
Where: Lacy Park & Community Center
Kids will have fun hunting for wrapped candy in the dark. Don't forget a flashlight and a container for all those goodies. Please bring a canned good donation. Oh, and did I mention prizes? They'll be there. Ages 1-12 are welcome, and everyone gets in free.

Halloween Spook Hunt for Candy
When: Oct. 29, 8:25-8:30pm
Where: Hicks Park
Join other kids for a candy hunt in the dark. The hunt won't last long so be prepared with flashlight in hand and arfive no later than 8:10pm. Ages 8-11 are welcome, and everyone gets in free.

Annual "Pumpkin" Hunt
When: Halloween, 5:30pm
Where: Central Park in Broken Arrow, 1500 S. Main Street
Guess how many "pumpkins" (read: plastic eggs with Halloween goodies inside) will be hidden in Central Park this year, just for kids ages 1-7 to hunt? 4,000, that's how many. It's all free and open to the public, and the kiddos are encouraged to come in costume. Stick around for the Main Street Merchants Night Out Against Crime, which packs free activities, food, safety and crime prevention information all into one fun-filled evening.

Halloween Carnival
When: Halloween, 6-8pm
Where: Chamberlain Park
Join the Chamberlain Park Staff and community volunteers for a sook-tacular time. Little ghosts and gouls can participate in carnival games, get candy and have fun. Ages 1-12 are welcome, and everyone gets in free.


For the Adults

Brady Fall Arts Festival
When: Halloween, 10am-6pm
Where: Brady Outdoor Stage, 300 N. Main
Think you can handle 50 local artists? How about enough food and music to make you scream? It's all at Brady Fall Arts Festival all day on All Hallows' Eve. Presented by Local Art Matters.

Grown-Up Trick or Treat
When: Halloween, 6-8pm
Where: Brady Outdoor Stage, 300 N. Main
If you think your costume has what it takes to get the treats and leave the tricks, hit up the Brady Merchants Association at the Grown-Up Trick or Treat this Halloween. The fun kicks off just at sundown.

Spider Ball
When: Halloween, 8pm
Where: Enso's and IDL Ballroom, downton at First and Detroit
If you can monster mash with the best of 'em, get ready to boogie at the first annual Spider Ball, a dance party so big it'll take two clubs to contain it. At Enso's will be Steve Cluck doing his deejay thing, and IDL will feature a live performance by PDA and hot spins by DJ Synthcon. The event is free, but you must be 21 or older to attend, and you have to come in costume - that, or black and white clothing only. A full liquor bar will be ready to rock so, as the Facebook event page for this event says, "bring your sexy."

What are you doing to stretch your budget this Halloween? Share with us in the comments.

What to Do in Tulsa This Weekend

Well, Tulsa, we've officially made it through the summer and into the first weekend of fall.

Not only are we set up for excellent weather, but there's also a full slate of events to keep us busy until time to head into the next workweek. Anyone who whines that there's nothing to do in Tulsa needs just one glance at this weekend's roster o' fun to know that we live in one of the most cosmopolitan, strange, funky and downright exciting cities in the country.

And now, as heard on the Friday morning edition of KRMG Morning News with Joe Kelley, here's how to get down with T-Town during this most supreme of Oklahoma weekends.

Tasha's Picks for the Weekend of September 25, 26 & 27

Friday

Greek Holiday Festival
When: Now-Saturday, 11am-10pm
Where: 12th and Guthrie
Opah! Tulsa's oldest ethnic festival is here again. Get your fill of everything from Turkish coffee to baklava to spanakopita as you sit back and enjoy the skilled moves of more than 80 authentically costumed dancers, live music and tours of the beautiful Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. Admission is a measly $2 after 4pm; before that, it's free.

Saturday

Oklahoma Championship Steak Cook-Off
When: Saturday, noon-8pm
Where: Trinity Episcopal Church, downtown at Sixth and Cincinnati
Get ready to salivate, people: This is the largest steak dinner in all of Oklahoma. Teams of cooks will compete in the grilling competition and vie for $5,000 in cash awards. At 5pm, guests can buy a 16-oz., certified Angus ribeye with all the trimmings for a mere $20. This meatastic feastival is sponsored by the Brotherhood of St. Lawrence. For still more details or to enter the competition as a grilling team, visit the cookoff on the Web.

Sunday

STBC Sixth Annual Car Show
When: Sunday, 5-7pm
Where: South Tulsa Baptist Church, 103rd and Sheridan
We're talking 400 cars here, from Model Ts to Dodge Vipers. DJ Dale Turner will be on hand with some stealthy tunes, and plenty of burgers and dogs will be hot and ready for the feasting. Admission to the festival is free; you even get an autograph by Taylor Treat, a.k.a. Miss Oklahoma. STBC will accept donations of non-perishable food at the event for its Ministry Center in West Tulsa, so be sure to show up packin' at least a couple of cans.


Music

GrooveLily
When: Friday, 7:30pm
Where: Tulsa Performing Arts Center, John H. Williams Theatre
Who'da thunk it: Broadway-inspired tunes in the styles of jazz, folk and rock, all wrapped up in musical theatre and, of all things, electric violins? If you're reading this before Friday morning at 8am, you still have a chance to win a pair of tickets to this show over at Tulsa Art Blog. Bonus!

Sixth Annual Blues Challenge
When: Saturday, doors at 3pm
Where: VFW Post 577, 1109 E. Sixth Street
Joint the Blues Society of Tulsa as its decides who to send to Memphis at the 2010 International Blues Challenge. Plenty of food and drinks will be on hand. Admission is free and all ages are welcome.

Woodystock
When: Saturday, 5pm
Where: Naifeh Ranch, near Sapulpa at 9700 W. 81st Street
Help to raise money for Sapulpa High School engineering and science students and rock out to some sweet tunes by the likes of Earl Clark and Men Behind the Wire at the same time. Admission is a donation of $20, and all proceeds go to the school in honor of Woody Naifeh, who was a local engineer, wood carver, music lover, banjo player and all around Renaissance man.

Tulsa Symphony: The Music of Germany
When: Saturday, 7:30pm
Where: Tulsa Performing Arts Center, Chapman Music Hall
Get your fill of Bach and Brahms, and I don't mean the candy and the ice cream. Ticket prices range $10-$65.

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey Album Release Show
When: Friday, 8:30pm
Where: The Marquee, 222 N. Main Street
JFJO has a ton of new material, and the guys can't wait to tell you all about it. Tickets for the show are available at Dwelling Spaces, Starship Records, Shades of Brown and TicketStorm.com. They're $10 in advance, $15 the day of the show.

Daughtry Tickets on Sale
When: Saturday, 10am
Where: BOK Center
Daughtry will perform with Theory of a Deadman and Cavo at BOK Center Dec. 15. Tickets are $31.50-$41.50.

Taylor Swift in Concert
When: Sunday, 7pm
Where: BOK Center
Guys, you can't complain too much when the wife or your girlfriend drags you to BOK Center Sunday evening for this concert, which also involves one, Kellie Pickler. If you're just hearing about this concert for the first time, don't get your hopes of snagging tickets up too high – the event is totally sold out. Maybe you could still hear the show if you pressed your ear against the side of the arena. If anyone gives that a shot, let me know how it turns out.

Theater

HOT L Baltimore
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 8pm
Where: Liddy Doenges Theatre, Tulsa Performing Arts Center
Forget Mrs. Dalloway and get down with this much seedier, less British edition of the day-in-the-life meditation. A tale of how the residents of the Hotel Baltimore (so run down that the E is missing from the marquee) meet and interact with each other during the course of a single day turns into a call for Americans to recover lost values and restore itself not just in its own eyes, but also in the eyes of the world. Be sure to meet my buds/power actors Justin McKean and Brigid Vance after the show.

Government Death Cheese: A Decomposition on Dying American!
When: Friday & Saturday, 8pm
Where: Nightingale Theater, 1416 E. Fourth
Anarchist healthcare reform shadow puppetry. What more could you want? Tickets are $5.

Rabbit Hole
When: Friday and Saturday, 8pm; Sunday, 2pm
Where: Heller Theatre, 4825 S. Quaker
Escape your own rabbit hole for one night and make your way to the newly opened Heller Theatre at Henthorne Park for this production of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize winner.


For the Kids

Sidewalk Astronomy
When: Friday, 7:30pm
Where: Bass Pro Broken Arrow; Riverwalk Crossing in Jenks
Did you know that it's the International Year of Astronomy? Well, it is, and the Astronomy Club of Tulsa is ready to help you get hip with the cosmos with their public observing events. Simply follow the giant telescopes.

Tallgrass Prairie Preserve Open House
When: Saturday, 11am-5pm
Where: Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Pawhuska
Saddle up for the 60-mile drive northwest to Pawhuska, home of the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, for an open house to celebrate 20 years of every naturalist's idea of heaven. Bring a brown bag lunch and stay tuned for trail hikes, naturalist walks, nature photography and driving tours of the lands where bison roam free.

Momma's Saturday Book Club: The Inaugural Edition
When: Saturday, 11:30am
Where: Joe Momma's Pizza downtown, Second and Elgin
Bring your kids for food specials, the making of a piece of art entirely out of meatballs, and a chance to toss their own pizza dough. Then settle in for a reading of the book most appropriate for this particular party, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. Be sure to grab your chance to win passes to the theatrical release of the movie version of the book, along with gift certificates to Dwelling Spaces and Joe Momma's. Now that's what I call a nice little Saturday.

Education Rocks!
When: Saturday, noon to 8pm
Where: Veterans Park, 18th and Boulder
Looking for a way to make higher education possible? Look no further. Tulsa Community College has put together not only a clearinghouse of information on how you can rock the unsuspecting college campus of your choice come next fall, but has also amassed some of Tulsa's hottest musical acts for a free concert, just for you. See? Learning can be fun after all.

Smithsonian Day
When: Saturday
Where: Philbrook Museum
Enjoy free general admission for you and a worthy buddy, thanks to Smithsonian magazine.

Jellydots Jam
When: Saturday, 11am and 3pm
Where: Tulsa Performing Arts Center, John H. Williams Theatre
The Tulsa Children's Museum presents this Austin-based, eclectic rock and roll band that is known for its quirky, inventive songs about the feelings we all encounter in childhood: The disappointment of a dropped cookie, the excitement of racing toy cars or the freedom found on a bicycle. Tickets are $10.

Starry Safari
When: Saturday-Sunday
Where: Tulsa Zoo & Living Museum
Starry Safari, a Tulsa Zoo-sanctioned sleepover on the wild side, is just one more reason to be a member of Tulsa Zoo Friends. Check out stargazing and an Xtreme science show, along with dinner, free zoo train and carousel rides marshmallow roasting and songs and tales around the campfire. In the morning will be breakfast and a zookeeper chat featuring African penguins. For Tulsa Zoo Members only. For more info on the event and how to become a Zoo Friend, call 669-6603.


Guy Stuff

Tulsa Classic Car Auction
When: Saturday, 10am-5pm
Where: Tulsa Convention Center, Exhibit Hall AB
Behold and vie to own 150 classic cars, from classic vintage pickups to street rods and sports cars. Admission is $5, or free with an American Parking stub.

Tulsa v. Sam Houston State
When: Saturday, 6pm
Where: Chapman Stadium
Catch TU's home opener as they take on Sam Houston State. Don't forget to get your tailgate on before the game at Hurricane Alley and Tailgate Alley. Do remember to wear blue, as you'll look like a tourist (or worse) otherwise.

Strikeforce Challengers
When: Saturday, doors at 7pm, show at 8
Where: SpiritBank Event Center, at 101st and Memorial in Bixby
Fight, fight, fight! Watch the Cummings v. Kennedy, Mixed Martial Arts throwdown, presented by none other than Rockstar Energy Drink, for $25.


Other Stuff

Creek County Free Fair
When: Now-Monday
Where: Creek County Fairgrounds, south of Kellyville on Highway 66
If you're in the market to get revved up for the Tulsa State Fair, this is the way to do it. Check out horse and livestock shows, a carnival, free concerts, a hypnotist and monster truck rides, all ready for you absolutely free.

September Harvest at Stone Bluff Cellars
When: Saturday, 7:30am until midafternoon
Where: Stone Bluff Cellars, 24145 E. 191st Street South (get directions online) LINK!!!!
If you've never helped with a grape harvest, this is where you have to be bright and early Saturday morning. Join Stone Bluff winemakers Bob and Sandy McBratney as they take the fruit off the vine and then, in the flamboyant style of Lucille Ball, stomp the grapes to kingdom come. Bring comfy clothes, a pair of boots and get ready to work as hard in the morning as you'll play in the afternoon.

Tidy Up Tulsa with Taylor
When: Saturday, 8-11am
Where: Green Country Event Center, on 31st Street b/w Garnett and 129th
If you're a whiz with a pointed stick and a trash bag, don't miss this clean-up event coordinated through the Tulsa Metropolitan Environmental Trust, the City of Tulsa, the Tulsa Beatification Foundation and the George Kaiser Family Foundation.

Downtown Adventure Walk
When: Saturday, 9-11am
Where: Owen Park Community Center, 560 N. Maybelle Ave.
Discover downtown in a whole new way. Join this adventure walk will be led by a Tulsa native who will school you on Tulsa's heritage in art deco architecture. Grab a cup of coffee and bring the whole family along for this free – yeah, I said free – event. Be sure to pre-register by calling 596.1485, just to make your impending presence known.

Drillers Garage Sale
When: Saturday, 8am-2pm
Where: Inner parking lot directly in front of Drillers Stadium, 15th Street and Yale Avenue
The baseball season is over. That means it's time for the Drillers to clean up and clean out – this time, for good. Help Tulsa's favorite baseball team get packed and ready to head to their new downtown stadium by snagging some hot deals on Drillers stuff at the team's garage sale. Items for sale will be stadium picnic tables, folding chairs, TVs, stadium signs and concessions equipment – just what you always wanted. Team jackets, batting helmets, cracked bats and leftover Drillers merchandise will also be up for grabs. You might want to use the Gate 7A entrance next to the Health Department for access to the garage sale. Because the Drillers said so.

Tulsa Walk to Stop Child Trafficking
When: Saturday, 9am-2pm
Where: Riverwalk Amphitheater in Jenks
You, your business and/or your student group can help to raise money for STOP Child Trafficking Now! by participating in this inaugural walk. Check in is at 8am. Register at Stop child Trafficking Now! on the Web.

Calabash at Tidal School Vineyards
When: Saturday, 5:30-8:30pm
Where: Tidal School Vineyards in Drumright, 54560 W. Highway 16
If you love seafood, you'll love Calabash, a celebration of the old-school fishing community tradition of serving up fresh-caught seafood with live music and local wines and beers. The menu of the modern festival will feature crab legs, fried shrimp, baked white fish and fried clam strips, not to mention a hardy helping of side dishes and desserts. Bring $35, a mega pack of wet wipes, one of those plastic bibs with the lobsters printed on them and be ready to chow down.

An Evening of Wine & Roses
When: Saturday, 7-9pm
Where: Tulsa Garden Center, 2435 S. Peoria
Love wine? How do you feel about food? If I just managed to grab your attention, then you need to be in Midtown Saturday night at the Tulsa Municipal Rose Garden at a fundraiser event for Tulsa Garden Center. Make a bet with your date about which of you can taste the a greater number of the 150 wines that will be available, all complimented by hors d'oeuvres and desserts. Tickets are $60 for Tulsa Garden Center members, $75 for non-members. Reservations and required, so call 746.5125 to claim your spot.


Movies

Fame
When: Opens Friday
At least this yet-another-coming-of-age-film-with-the-competitive-performing-arts-hook is a remake of the 1980 hit film of the same name. Redeemed! Rated PG.

Pandorum
When: Opens Friday
Murderous warriors. Erased memories. Deep space. Sounds like the movie version of my laundry room. Rated R.

Surrogates
When: Opens Friday
In this movie, Stepford Wives meets The Matrix meets Second Life meets Bruce Willis. Mmm...Bruce Willis. Rated PG-13.

Midnight Movie at Circle Cinema
When: Friday and Saturday, 11pm
Where: Circle Cinema
It's Aliens this time around. These Midnight Movie events are an absolute blast. If you've never been, go. It's your one excuse to wear pajama pants in public. Tickets are $8.25.

GrooveLily. Plus, A Giveaway.

One of the many hip things going on in Tulsa tomorrow night (Friday) is this GrooveLily concert downtown at the Tulsa PAC.

Now, this isn't your typical PAC musical act. We're talking Broadway-inspired tunes performed in the styles of jazz, folk and rock. There will be magic. There will be the soothing away of those workweek worries.

There will be electric violins.

In the words of that beacon of American pop culture Paris Hilton, "That's hott." It really, really is.

I love what my Siamese twin Holly Wall said about it on her blog, the succinctly titled Tulsa Art Blog:

I took the opportunity to peruse the band’s Web site and download some tunes, and I ended up spending all day listening to mp3s and watching their videos on YouTube...

The really beautiful thing about GrooveLily’s music is that, though lovely melodies and rhythms, the band tells marvelous stories. A large portion of the band’s repertoire is its rock musicals, which turn age-old moral tales on their heads, giving them a new spin, to tell smart, humorous, creative stories.

If you find yourself unconvinced and not sufficiently motivated to get on the Tulsa PAC Web site and order your tickets for Friday's show right freaking now, have a listen. Prepare to be altered. Or, altared. One of the great things about Tulsa is that it's okay to have a public religious experience here - no one seems to mind.

If you'd go but can't spare the cash, try your luck to win a pair of tickets from Holly. She's giving away five (FIVE!) pairs of tickets to the show, and all you have to do is tell her about your favorite fable or moral story. You have until 8 in the morning to get into the drawing, so you best hop to it and enter now.

Good luck, everyone. See you at the show.

What to Do in Tulsa This Weekend

Temperatures have already cooled, yes, and everyone is already in full-on football mode, but this weekend officially marks an end to the summer of 2009. What better way to give this year's uncharacteristically mild season of sunburns and swimming pools a good send-off but to get out on the town to eat some ribs in the shadow of the BOK Center, catch some rockin' music at a selection of free outdoor concerts and run a foot race in a kilt? Would you believe me if I told you that it's all right here in Tulsa this weekend?

Well, you should. Because it is. And also because you heard it Friday morning on the KRMG Morning News with Joe Kelley.

Tasha's Picks for the Weekend of September 18, 19 & 20

Friday

Rock 'N Rib Festival
When: Now-Sunday; Friday, 11am-12am; Saturday, 11am-12am; Sunday, 11am-3pm
Where: BOK Center, Third and Frisco
Ever had the opportunity to gnaw on ribs with a fruit-based BBQ sauce from Australia alongside Johnson's fiery “Thermonuclear Sauce” from Virginia, all at one time, in one place? Consider your last living wish granted in the form of the first annual Rock 'N Rib Festival in downtown Tulsa. Admission for adults is $3 unless it's before 1pm Friday and Saturday (then it's free), and all kids under 12 get in for nothing the entire festival – not a bad price, considering some of the music acts that will be jammin' this thing into the history books. If you go BBQ hunting Saturday, don't forget to venture inside the BOK Center between 10am-2pm for the second annual free open house, which features tours, live music and a little token of gratitude for helping to give the arena a first year that was even better than it expected.

Saturday

Ladies First 5K & One Mile Run
When: Saturday, 5:00pm
Where: RiverParks West Amphitheatre
Men will literally be chasing skirts in this race, and their wives and girlfriends won't even mind – after all, the men have to catch up to the skirted ladies who got a three-minute head start, right? Entrants get a short sleeved Brooks technical fabric running shirt and free admission to the Oklahoma Scottish Festival (see below), and, good news, there's still time to sign up. Don't miss the fashion show with women's running apparel and men in kilts (rawr). I'll see you at the men's sexy leg contest.

Sunday

Mamma Mia!
When: Now-Sunday; Friday, 8pm; Saturday, 2pm & 8pm; Sunday, 2pm & 7pm
Where: Tulsa Performing Arts Center, Chapman Music Hall
A mother, a daughter, three possible dads. A sunny, funny tale indeed. And who could beat the ABBA soundtrack? Be one of the 40 million people all around the world who have added this story to their annals of the best of the best.


Music

P.D.A. “Act III: Wasted Talent” CD Release Party
When: Friday, doors at 8pm, show at 8:30
Where: The Marquee, 222 N. Main St.
I got a little preview of this album, and let me tell you, this is a CD release party not to be missed. For a preview of the awesomeness, check out the P.D.A. Myspace page and hit play. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Tip: Be one of the first 50 people through the door to get a free copy of Act III.

The Gourds
When: Saturday, doors at 7pm, show at 8
Where: Cain's Ballroom
Ramsay Midwood will open for this Austin-based band that claims to have never been much on sentiment. Not much on sentiment? Loves to shy away from tear-in-my-beer “country” ballads? I think I'm in love. Advance tickets are $16, day of are $18.

Regal Plaza Free Outdoor Concert: The Fabulous Mid Life Crisis Band
When: Saturday, 7-9pm
Where: Regal Plaza, 101st and Memorial
If you didn't get enough of The Fabulous Mid Life Crisis Band at Rock 'N Rib Festival Thursday night or at Kings Pointe Village Friday night (busy weekend, eh, fellas?), head out to Regal Plaza Saturday night, where stores will be open late to party with concert goers, and they'll be offering special concert pricing, too. Know what goes even better with free music than discount shopping? A deep-dish Sears Tower pizza and a Marshall's IPA from Savastano's, that's what.

Full Service
When: Sunday, doors at 7pm, show at 8
Where: Cain's Ballroom
Orra will open for the second Austin-based band at Cain's Ballroom in a weekend (Full Service isn't exactly what you'd call defiant country music, however). Advance tickets are $8, or $10 at the door.


Theater

Comedy Night for Playhouse Theater
When: Friday, 8-10:30pm
Where: Agora Coffeehouse, 51st and Memorial
The admission price of $10 will benefit Playhouse Theater of Tulsa. Who's to argue with a night of family-friendly comedy for a good cause? Be sure to say hello to the kids of Crayons! Improv while you're there.

HOT L Baltimore
When: Friday, 8pm; Saturday, 8pm
Where: Tulsa Performing Arts Center
Forget Mrs. Dalloway and get down with this much seedier, less British edition of the day-in-the-life meditation. A tale of how the residents of the Hotel Baltimore (so run down that the E is missing from the marquee) meet and interact with each other during the course of a single day turns into a call for Americans to recover lost values and restore itself not just in its own eyes, but also in the eyes of the world.

Government Death Cheese: A Decomposition on Dying American!
When: Friday & Saturday, 8-10pm
Where: Nightingale Theater, 1416 E. Fourth
Anarchist healthcare reform shadow puppetry. What more could you want? Tickets are $5.

Rabbit Hole
When: Friday-Saturday, 8pm
Where: Heller Theatre at Henthorne Park, 4825 S. Quaker
Escape your own rabbit hole for one night and make your way to the newly opened Heller Theatre at Henthorne Park for this production of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize winner.

Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School
When: Sunday, 7-8pm
Where: Nightingale Theater, 1416 E. Fourth
You want burlesque performers? Notable artists? Musicians? All kinds of other beautiful, interesting people, modeling just for you? You got it. Skip evening service at church and bring your best pencils and $7 to Nightingale and get ready for a one-of-a-kind life drawing experience.


Other Stuff

Oklahoma Scottish Festival
When: Friday-Sunday
Where: RiverWest Festival Park
Many folks discover they are a wee bit Scottish at this annual shindig. Head to the west side of the Arkansas to help celebrate the 30th year of this festival with live bands, athletes, pipe bands, highland dancers, kids glen, tug o' war, whiskey tastings and, introducing, MacBeerfest. Guess you'll have to show up at OSF to find out exactly what that means.

Third Annual Restaurant Week
When: Through Saturday
Where: All over Tulsa
The week of good food at an even better price wraps up this weekend. Dine on a three-course, prix-fixe (or fixed price, meaning you get a number of meal choices under the umbrella of a certain price – in this case it's $12.95 for lunch, $29.95 for supper) at selected Tulsa restaurants, including Avalon Steakhouse, The Brasserie, KEO and Palace Cafe - some of my very favorites. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma's Food 4 Kids Program.

Eighth Annual Fair Kick-Off Party
When: Friday, 6pm
Where: Expo Square Pavillion
Hit up what the folks at Expo Square like to call “the most unique party in Tulsa” in its eighth iteration. At the event will be live and silent auctions, dancing to music by the Red Dirt Rangers, a preview of the foodie feats by fair vendors and the VIP room, where party goers can catch a broadcast of local sports. Tickets are $50.

Oklahoma Indian Summer
When: Friday-Sunday
Where: Bartlesville Community Center, downtown on the corner of Adams and Cherokee
Love Native American Art? Get thee to Bartlesville this weekend for a juried art competition that will pull together the work of more than 30 American Indian artists. Authentic Indian sculpture, paintings, clothing, gourd art, pottery, wood sculpture, basket weaving, silverwork, beadwork, leather goods and more (!) will be available to ogle and purchase. Look also for the intertribal powwow and contests on Friday and Saturday, traditional crafting and cultural demonstrations all weekend long, Indian storytelling Saturday and church service and gospel singing Sunday. Did I mention food? Oh boy, will there be food.

Enrichment Day 2009
When: Saturday, 9:30am-1:30pm
Where: Tulsa Zoo
It's a wild adventure to spend the day enriching animals with objects that appeal to their raw instincts, yeah, but it's also one of the busiest days of the year at Tulsa Zoo & Living Museum. Kids can watch zookeepers as they create critter versions of Grandma's Sudoku for every zoo animal and boogey to tunes provided by Radio Disney. Look also for an obstacle courses, dancing, music and other fun stuff.

tTownmoms.com Weekend Play Date
When: Saturday, 10am-12pm
Where: Galaxy Home Entertainment, 7813 E. Admiral Place
Join tTownmoms.com for a morning of fun and you just might return home with a free playset worth nearly $2000 (don't forget to enter!). For the kids there will be face painting, a balloon artist, snacks, drinks and crafts. For parents is an opportunity to get out of the house and have a little less action and a lot more adult-level talk.

Newsome Community Farm Workday
When: Saturday, 10am-1pm
Where: Newsome Community Farm, 2620 E. 56th Street North
Pull on your work boots and head north of town to help harvest, plant, till and generally get the Newsome farm ready for winter.

Cook Book Swap
When: Saturday, 11am-2pm
Where: Allen's Gourmet Grocery, 4329 S. Peoria Ave.
As part of the weeklong celebration of the store's one-year anniversary, Allen's Grocery is partnering with Booksmart Tulsa to host its first-ever cook book swap. Simply bring in your surplus (we won't say haggard or tired because in the world of cook books, there's no such thing - only thoroughly loved) cook books and swap 'em with others. Be sure to sample some of Allen's cheeses, meats and other treats. Plus, all purchases made during the swap will be discounted by 10 percent. Squee!

Oklahoma Authors at Gardner's Used Books & Music
When: Saturday, 1pm
Where: Gardner's Used Books & Music,
Don't forget to bring the kids to meet children's book author Darleen Bailey Beard, the writer behind Operation Clean Sweep, The Babbs Switch Story, Twister (appropriate much from an Okie author?) and The Flimflam Man. And guess what – she's bringing Elvis. Yes, that Elvis.

Spa, Pool & Sauna Show
When: Friday, 5-9pm; Saturday, 10am-8pm; Sunday, 10am-6pm
Where: SpiritBank Event Center
Looking for the good life now that summer is over and prices have dropped? Look no further than SpiritBank Event Center in Bixby this weekend. Admission to this seriously sudsy show is as free as you'll feel when you test out your birthday suit in your new hot tub.

Tulsa Comic and Anime Expo
When: Saturday, 10am-12am; Sunday, 10am-6pm
Where: Tulsa Convention Center
If the reason your bed leans to one side is because the stack of comic books underneath continues to grow, then you can't miss Oklahoma's largest anime, comic, fantasy, video game, sci-fi and gaming convention. Advance tickets are $23, $30 at the door.

Brookside Artzz
CORRECTION! When: SATURDAY, 11am-5pm
Where: Brookside, 37th-39th Streets
Art and jazz – just two more reasons why Brookside is such a Tulsa hotspot. Head to T-Town's original drag strip after church this week for everything from photography and giclee to pottery and jewelry, all by 30 local artists and set to the music of five Tulsa jazz bands.


Sports

FUHBAHL! Tulsa at Oklahoma
When: Saturday, 2:30pm
Where: Memorial Stadium in Norman

FUHBAHL! Rice at Oklahoma State
When: Saturday, 6:00pm
Where: Boone Pickens Stadium at Lewis Field in Stillwater

Komen Race for the Cure
When: Saturday, 6:00am-10:30pm
Where: CityPlex Towers
Join runners and walkers alike in this largest 5K in Tulsa and a celebration of life and those who have lost their lives in a battle with breast cancer. There's still time to donate, and time to sign up to run or walk, too. You could even join the team headed by LeAnne Taylor, News on 6 anchor, breast cancer survivor and 2009 president of Susan G. Komen Tulsa. Cool!

Super Shows Gun & Knife Show
When: Saturday, 9am-5pm; Sunday, 10am-4pm
Where: Expo Square Exchange Center
Don't miss your chance to visit the top guns of the state's gun, knife and ammo industry, all under one roof. Admission is $10.

American Miniature National Show
When: Now-Sept. 19
Where: Expo Square
We humans have a penchant for miniature stuff: miniature dogs, miniature people and, of course, miniature horses. Catch this show of tiny horses – big fun in a small package, as they're called – through Saturday.


Movies

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
When: Opens Friday
It's so nice to know there's someone out there in the world who thinks about meatballs falling from the sky to solve world hunger, let alone more people who thought it'd be cool to make a movie about it. Rated PG.

The Informant!
When: Opens Friday
Sigh. Matt Damon. Incidentally, the story has a plot – it's the story of the highest-ranking corporate whistleblower in U.S. history. Rated R.

Jennifer's Body
When: Friday
Different kind of sigh. Megan Fox. Incidentally, this story has no plot – not one above and beyond the ho-hum murderous cheerleader gimmick, anyway. Redeemer: The movie was written by Diablo Cody (of Juno fame). Rated R.

Love Happens
When: Opens Friday
Aniston and Eckhart – not exactly a Bergman and Bogart, but for this weekend, we'll take what we can get. A self-help author finds help from someone besides, ahem, himself.

Manhattan Short Film Festival
When: Sunday, 7-9pm
Where: Circle Cinema
Feeling critical? Exorcise the demons at this film festival where you're the judge. Each member of the audience will be given a voting card upon entry to the theater and will be asked to vote for the one film he or she thinks should win. The winner will be announced Sept. 29 in New York City.

Tasha's Labor Day Links

It's a holiday, everyone, and you know what that means: It's link day here at TashaDoesTulsa.com.

Link day around here isn't anything fancy. I don't pore over the Intertubes to bring you eccentric content from sites of gravitational subcultural appeal or anything like that.

Instead, I run down my list of local blogs and post my favorite finds here to assist you in your efforts to divert yourself from whatever you're really supposed to be doing on the computer right now.

Ready? Here goes.

Y'all ready to vote? That's okay - lots of folks out there aren't, especially when there are 11 Republicans vying for a spot on the ticket in the general election. Batesline.com blogger Michael Bates delivers again with a rundown of 2009 election info, all hot and ready for the primaries tomorrow. There's only one way to get that snazzy "I Voted" sticker, and tomorrow's an opportunity as good as any.

Queen-sized giving. Not only is her site new and improved and all super-swanky, but 918 Coupon Queen Sarah Roe also has a short tutorial on how to donate expired coupons to military families serving overseas. As a former military family, we really appreciated and most definitely could have used any help we could get during deployments and extended training. If you love our nation's men and women in service for reasons more than just their uniforms, snip your bit and send those expired coupons across the pond.

Got Turkey? This post from Yogi's Den inspired me during my own run earlier today, and trust me, I need all the inspiration I can get.

We all miss Pennington's Black-Bottom Pie. Grab a bite of something pretty darn close to the real McCoy at Kari Okies in Bixby, as featured on Tulsa Food Blog. Love, too, that you kids are looking to start cooking classes at Tulsa Community College this fall. You can come to my house with cookie bouquets and wedding cakes anytime.

It's okay to be different, thank God. The Tulsa City-County Library posted a reading list ranging from picture books to tween and teen books for those of us who struggle with our “eccentricities” on the TCCL blog. Thanks for showing us your books, TCCL.

Laborious. One hour, four hours, 12 hours or 25 – ladies, for how many hours were you in labor with your kids? Shannon Lowe at Rocks in My Dryer tells all.

How poetic. Charlie, the floppy Basset Hound/fifth child of Pawhuska-ish dweller Ree Drummond (of the inimitable bloggy conglomerate Confessions of a Pioneer Woman) waxes poetic about Labor Day.

He only speaks the truth. The wacky Irritated Tulsan shares with his readers an inspired list of things to be sure to do in Tulsa before Labor Day weekend is over and done with.

Home Sweet Loam. After spending what spare time they had during this growing season looking for their own personal land of milk and honey, Don Drury and Chelsea Coleman found a new home for their formerly Bixby-based Bootstrap Farm. Their new place is in the Council Valley just north of Cushing. This move brings the promise of farm tours, farm parties, farm table dinners and all manner of fun for the Green Country foodies and farmers. P.S. - If you want a piece of the farm that produced the markets' pride in cantaloupes this summer, not to mention some of the best tomatoes and peppers I've ever eaten, check out the Bootstrap Farm CSA (Community Supported Agriculture, a type of loan from consumers to farmers that pays dividends in veggies. Yum).

It's Only A Day Away. Tomorrow (Tuesday) marks the opening day of the new modern and contemporary design gallery at Philbrook Museum. The gallery will feature the exhibit, "Better Living By Design: Selections from the George R. Kravis II Collection." Come to the opening to see and be seen Thursday night at Philbrook at 5:30pm and on to Pohlenz Modern Cuisine on Brookside at 7.

Music Together. The girls at tTownMoms will draw a winner for their latest contest, which will award two moms and their kiddos two free classes at the Music Together program, tomorrow (Tuesday) at 10am. Music Together is an early childhood music program at downtown's Barthelmes Conservatory for children ages 0-5 and the adults who love them. Good thing there's still time to enter, right? Simply post a reply on the contest threat ad tTownMoms.com to enter.


There, now. Wasn't that refreshing? I sure hope you Okie Dokes had a great holiday weekend. Catch you on the flip side. Until then, happy clicking.

What to Do in Tulsa This Weekend

The weekend weather forecast might not be the best we've ever had, but that doesn't change that what lies before us, friends, is a three-day weekend, thanks to Labor Day on Monday.

If you're looking for ways to live it up this holiday weekend T-Town style, you've come to the right place. As heard (and seen!) Friday morning on the KRMG Morning News with Joe Kelley, here's what to do in Tulsa this weekend.

Tasha's Picks for Labor Day Weekend 2009

Friday
57th Annual Cherokee National Holiday
When: Friday-Sunday
Where: Tahlequah, Capital of Cherokee Nation
The Cherokees and their culture represent a huge part of who and what Tulsa is. Learn about it inside and out, particularly the history behind the signing of the Cherokee Constitution in 1839, this weekend in the capital of the Cherokee Nation, just up the road from T-Town a piece in Tahlequah. Be sure to check out the plethora of arts and crafts, family activities (including a kids' fishing derby Saturday starting at 7:30am), a golf tournament, a variety of music, and dancing. Don't forget your walking shoes for a cultural tourism walking tour. Wi tse do lv I (that's Cherokee for “y'all come,” in case you didn't know).

Saturday
South Tulsa Music Festival
When: Saturday, 2pm
Where: Riverwalk Crossing Amphitheatre
See, Southies? You don't have to traverse the highways and negotiate the invalid IDL to catch some quality, local music after all. This weekend is the South Tulsa Music Festival, featuring arts and crafts vendors and a killer lineup of Okie-grown bands. It all gets kicked off at Dirty's Sports Bar before the main act ascends the stage at 4pm. And guess what? It's fuh-ree, baby. For the running order of acts, check out Hizer's story in this week's Urban Tulsa Weekly, and get a hardy preview of what's to hear at the festival at the STMF Myspace page.

Sunday
Family Fun Weekend at Bass Pro Shop
When: Saturday-Monday, Noon-6pm each day
Hold on to your hats, folks, because there's more than enough family fun at Bass Pro this weekend to knock your socks off: Paintball target practice, radio-controlled car races, bean bag toss, a chance to win Tony Stewart's $20,000 “Smoke” Nitro boat and a slew of other prizes. You'll need to sneak inside to grab a Starbuck's to keep up with it all.

Monday (Labor Day! Woo-hoo!)
Driller's Farewell Game
When: Monday, 6:05pm
Where: Driller's Stadium (version one), 15th and Yale
The time has come. As the Driller's pack their bags to ready for their move to their new stadium in downtown Tulsa, fans can watch The Team take on the NW Arkansas Naturals in not just the last game of the 2009 season, but the last game of an era. Tickets start at $6, but bring a few extra bills in case you “just get something in your eye” and forgot the Kleenex.

Music

North Indian Classical Music and Dance
When: Saturday, 7:30pm
Where: Tulsa Performing Arts Center, John H. Williams Theatre
The South Asian Performing Arts Foundation brings an evening of music and dance from the orient to the rolling hills and overalls-wearing folks of Green Country, Oklahoma. Check out two-time Grammy Award winner Zahir Hussain on the tabla (an Indian drum) and Antonia Minnecola busting the moves – I hear their performances are more than worth the $45 ticket price.

Wine & Jazz at Riverwalk
When: Sunday, 6-8pm
Where: Riverwalk Crossing in Jenks
Since a case of the Mondays won't be breathing down your neck this week this week, a Sunday night of good wine and good food at one of the Tulsa area's hottest spots for just chillin' sounds just like what the doctor ordered. Bring $20 and be ready to kick back, relax and maybe even make a few friends who understand your taste for the finer things in life.

Arts

First Friday Art Crawl
When: Friday, 6-9pm
Where: Brady District
If you haven't been on one of these art crawls in Tulsa's Brady District, you're missing out, plain and simple. Start the night at The Gypsy Coffeehouse and wrap things up at Club 209, and make sure to stop at the brand-spanking-new Living Arts Center in the old Bed Check building at Brady and Detroit, Tulsa Glassblowing Studio, CFC Chocolatier, Tulsa Artists' Coalition and Lola's at the Bowery.


Sports

Tulsa Hurricane Football
When: Friday, 7pm
Where: Superdome in New Orleans, LA
Hurricane Football kicks off the weekend and the 2009 season from New Orleans Friday night as the boys take on the Green Wave. Catch it at the watch party at Fair Meadows Sports Grill, as hosted by the TU Alumni Association and the Golden Hurricane Club.

Oklahoma State Football
When: Saturday, 2:30pm
Where: Boone Pickens Stadium at Lewis Field in Stillwater, OK
The game ain't in Tulsa, of course, but lots of folks here will be rooting on the Cowboys Saturday evening as they take on the Georgia Bulldogs. Hit your favorite pub to catch the game with some buds, some brew and a widescreen.

Oklahoma Football
When: Saturday, 7pm
Where: Dallas Cowboys New Stadium in Arlington, TX
Did your first words sounds something like “Boomer Sooner?” Then I'm about to tell everyone what you'll be up to Saturday night: Watching the OU game with your favorite boys and girls as the Sooners take on the BYU Cougars.

2009 Ariat Tulsa Reining Classic
When: Now-Sunday
Where: Expo Square in the Built Ford Tough Livestock Complex
Is it Reining in here? The forecast is calling for the thunder of stamping hooves at Expo Square this weekend where a world-class collection of Reining horses will be on parade. The first 100 kids through the door for the Ariat Tulsa Reining Classic Slide Zone (doors open at 1:30pm, show starts at 2) get a free Breyer portrait model of Big Chex to Cash and a chance to see the breathtaking palomino paint stallion in real life, ridden by NRHA Million Dollar Professional Andrea Fappani. That's one autograph you won't want to miss. Price of entry is $5 for kids, $10 for adults.

Oklahoma Palomino Show
When: Friday-Sunday
Where: Expo Square in the Pavillion
The beloved steed of Greek mythology – who could resist carving out a bit of his weekend to get a load of that? Bask in the presence of the pride of Queen Isabella's Spanish court until the cows come home to 21st and Yale Sunday evening.

Other Stuff

Aberson's & Friends Warehouse Sale
When: Now-Saturday. Friday hours, 9am-3pm; Saturday hours, 9am-12pm
Where: Family & Children's Services, 605 S. Peoria Ave.
Huge discounts – 85 percent, from what I hear – on clothing and home décor from Aberson's and 30 other local stores that represent the finest in what Tulsa offers the First-Class Shopoholic? Count me in. All proceeds benefit Family & Children's Services. Get a complete list of participating vendors here.

Cherry Street Farmers' Market
When: Saturday, 7am-11am
Where: On historic Cherry Street just east of Peoria
Load up on grillables for this weekend's cookout at the only place in Tulsa where a grocery getter can score the best range of anything from heirloom squash to artisan sausage, all straight from the farmer or rancher, all at once. Before you go off spouting about how expensive the food is at the farmers' market, read this article. See? It's okay - you were wrong, but I forgive you. I'll even save you a spot in line at the Three Springs Farm booth.


More Free Stuff

Tasha Does Tulsa | Run Training: Take One
When: Saturday, 10am
Where: RiverParks, starting at the Pedestrian Bridge; meet at the Riverside Drive overpass
Come one, come all, even if you haven't yet signed up for the “official” Tasha Does Tulsa | Run team. We'll be doing beginners' run/walk circuits around the Pedestrian Bridge/21st Street loop, rain or shine. Feel free to bring dogs, strollers and a top to pop at the finish line.

Movies

All About Steve
When: Opens Friday
A crossword puzzle constructor played by Sandra Bullock falls in love with a cameraman on the first date and consequently follows him all over the country to woo him. Nag much? No. Because this is Sandra Bullock we're talking about here.

Extract
When: Opens Friday
Jason Bateman is an extract man. He's not exactly what you'd call a lucky extract man. Plus, his wife is having an affair with a gigolo. I know what you're thinking, and it's something along the lines of, “I'm sorry, what?!” There's hope, people. If you're like me and miss Beavis and Butthead every day of your life, go to movies.yahoo.com for B&B's genius synopsis of this bizarre-sounding movie.

Gamer
When: Opens Friday
Like Second Life come to life, Gamer stars the pretty people Gerard Butler and Amber Valletta. If you've ever fantasized about acting out your innermost desires and fantasies in front of a global audience (Lord knows I'd attempt to eat 60-oz. steak in one sitting if it weren't for that whole“in front of a global audience” part), then this is the movie for your Labor Day weekend viewing pleasure.

In the Loop
When: Opens Friday at 5:30pm; Second showing at 7:45pm
Where: Circle Cinema, 12 S. Lewis
Like parodies? How about American politics? Get a dose of each with this spoof of the inner workings of U.S. and British government agencies and their international relations.