Oklahoma Magazine March 2025

A Spring Awakening

The annual home & garden spotlight

Real Estate Rundown Experts explain the market

Top Real Estate Agents Listing Plus: The Food Scene

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Features

22 The Boys from Oklahoma

Red Dirt music legends will converge in Stillwater for the musical event of the year this April. We sit down with several of the headliners.

28 A Spring Awakening

As the world thaws from another Oklahoma winter, it may be time to reinvigorate your home – whether that’s in a design overhaul, pool installation or gardening frenzy.

37 A Real Estate Rundown

Experts are ready to help those looking to jump into real estate this year.

40 Top Real Estate Agents Listing

Oklahoma’s real estate agents are helping clients buy and sell their homes like pros. However, some are a cut above the rest.

44 The Food Scene

We review a handful of dazzling Oklahoma restaurant that opened in the last year or so.

March 2025

State

6 Starting Off 10 Travel 11 Sports 12 Business

The American Airlines base maintenance facility supplies jobs and positively influences the market.

13 Holidays 14 Insider

Life & Style

16 Destinations

In South America, the concept of Pachamama allows natives and visitors the chance to honor the Earth.

18 Health

19 FYI 20 Outside the Metro

Taste

48 First Bite

Inviting and delicious, Sapori on Tulsa’s Cherry Street welcomes all.

49 Local Flavors

50 Chef Chat

51 Tasty Tidbits

Where & When

52 Entertainment

March’s schedule is jam-packed.

55 Film & Cinema

56 Closing Thoughts

WILL VON BOLTON

Letter from the Editor

March is a weird one in Oklahoma; we could have an ice storm, or we might find ourselves digging in the back of the closet for shorts. (Hope fully not the latter – I deeply need a tan first.) While the weather may be tumultuous, it’s still time for some spring cleaning either way, and our annual Home and Garden feature (page 28) can help get you started. We talk to experts about the newest trends in interior design, affordable ways to make your home sustainable, the best plants for an Oklahoma garden and how to create the perfect patio for year-round enjoyment.

If you’re ready to take the plunge into the world of real estate, we’ve got just the feature for you (page 37). Oklahoma agents discuss the mar ket at large, ways to increase your home’s value, and those pesky hidden financial drains to plan for – whether you’re buying or selling. Alongside, check out the Top Real Estate Agents listing (page 40), highlighting some of our state’s highest-performing agents.

Fans of Red Dirt music won’t want to miss our sit down with Cody Canada, Mike McClure and Jason Boland, frontmen of Cross Canadian Ragweed, The Great Divide, and Jason Boland and the Stragglers, re spectively (page 22). They discuss their upcoming (and already sold-out) four-day concert series at OSU’s Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, as well as the origins and future of this deeply Oklahoman music genre.

You asked, we delivered: More culinary content! Our new feature, The Food Scene, drops this month. We sing the praises of some top-shelf res taurants opened within the last year or so in the Sooner State (page 44).

We aren’t finished just yet. Head to the State section for our deep dive into Scouting programs and how they’re helping create tomorrow’s leaders (page 6); some spring break suggestions that won’t break the bank (page 10); and a look inside Tulsa's American Airlines maintenance facility that’s helping our state cement itself as a leader in the aviation industry (page 12).

Also – don’t forget to wish us a happy birthday this month! That's right – Oklahoma Magazine is officially 29 years old. Sweet treats are encouraged!

Happy spring ... maybe?

Mary Willa Allen Managing Editor

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The State

ALL THINGS OKLAHOMA

More Than Cookies and Camping

Scouting programs help create dynamic, empathetic future leaders.

Scouting, in its many forms, has a longstanding presence in Oklahoma. In fact, the first Boy Scout troop in the country – Troop #1 – was organized in Pawhuska in 1909. Since then, tens of thousands of children across the state have joined Scouting America and the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A.

Although they may be known for cookie-selling and camping, these youth programs accomplish much more. Studies show that kids involved in Scouting programs are more likely to exhibit leadership qualities, form healthy relationships and feel more confident than their non-Scouting counterparts.

Creating Leaders

Some people may be natural-born leaders. But for most, leadership skills are developed over time. Kids in Scouting

America and the Girl Scouts get the advantage of learning about leadership and team work early in their lives – and in a supportive environment.

All troops are also self-governed.

“It’s a different learning model,” says Bill Hensley, Scoutmaster of Troop 15 at the Last Frontier Council in Oklahoma City. “Most of the leadership and teaching is done by older Boy Scouts. The adults are there to keep things safe.”

The Scouts ultimately decide which activities to organize and which badges to earn.

Similarly, Girl Scouts are girl-led, giving young women the opportunity to see themselves as true leaders.

“I love helping empower girls,” says Melissa Bogle, interim CEO at Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma (GSEOK). “I have had some amazing women in my life that helped pave the way for me and my career, and I feel a huge responsibility

to do that for the next generations.”

GSEOK takes this goal a step further with its STEM initiative, which aims to prepare young women for careers in underrepresented fields. Girls can experiment with robotics and join competitive Lego Leagues at the STEM Lab in Tulsa's Hardesty Leadership Center.

“They do everything from building machines to coding… and compete at different events across the country,” says Joey White, GSEOK’s chief mission officer.

Helping Others

Beyond learning practical skills, both organizations place an emphasis on community service. Scouting America and the Girl Scouts organize annual programs that help address food insecurity, clean up neighborhoods and provide support to seniors and veterans.

As a part of the Scouting for Food

From community service projects to random acts of kindness, Boy Scouts with OKC’s Last Frontier Council are learning valuable life skills. Above and bottom right facing page photos courtesy the Last Frontier Council

annual program, the Last Frontier Council collected 65,000 pounds of food to donate to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma in 2021. The council continues to collect thousands of pounds of food year after year.

The Scouts also perform smaller acts of service, such as mowing lawns for their neighbors or cooking breakfast for local churches.

“What really makes me proud is that I’ve never once had one of the boys complain about doing something for other people,” says Hensley.

This year, Scouting America has introduced a new program, Scouting for Clean Waterways, which will encourage Scouts to preserve local water sources and promote sustainability in their communities.

“We’re not just picking up trash, we’re learning about how it affects our drinking water… and how we can prevent it in the future,” says Maryann Edgington, Deputy Scout Executive and COO at the Indian Nations Council in Tulsa.

Troops with GSEOK are also focused on giving back. The Girl Scouts cook meals at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tulsa, craft Christmas cards to send to senior centers and hand out thank you notes on Veterans Day.

Another important program that GSEOK offers is Girl Scouts Beyond Bars,

which enables Girl Scouts to visit their incarcerated parents safely. Over 116 girls have enrolled in the program.

“In the 22 years that the program has been going on, none of the girls who have been in the program have been incarcerated themselves,” says White. “It’s a really effective program.”

Making a Difference

Civic responsibility is integral to earning the highest distinctions – the Eagle Scout Award and Gold Award – with Scouting America and the Girl Scouts, respectively. Both awards require the youth to obtain leadership positions in their troops and propose a community service

project of their own. If their proposal is approved, they must lead the project, collaborating with their peers, community organizers and institutions.

To earn the Eagle Scout Award, one Scout constructed picnic tables for Sister BJ’s Food Pantry in Oklahoma City and another built flag poles and installed signage at Veterans Park in Owasso.

Hensley says that learning to serve others is one of the most important parts of joining the Scouts.

“We wrap that fundamentally into our program,” he explains. “It’s just as much a part of learning to grow as learning how to tie a knot or build a fire.”

The Girl Scouts with GSEOK have spearheaded several projects. One Scout collaborated with her school to develop a comprehensive safety plan, which included conducting regular emergency drills and creating a training manual for students and faculty.

Another Scout developed a Greenwood Rising patch program, which encourages girls to learn about the Historic Greenwood District in Tulsa and cultivate a deeper understanding of racial injustices.

“Being able to see the girls grow, gain confidence and give back to their communities is wonderful,” says White. “It’s very rewarding.”

FAITH HARL

Civic responsibility is integral to earning the highest distinction in Girl Scouts: the Gold Award. Photo courtesy GSEOK

Spring Break Getaways

Explore the state without breaking the bank this spring.

Beavers Bend State Park

Beavers Bend State Park is located in the mountainous region of southeast Oklahoma along the shores of Broken Bow Lake and the Mountain Fork River.

“There are so many things to do here for spring breakers that I don’t think I can list them all,” says Kaitlyn Rivas, a communications specialist and researcher for Beavers Bend State Park. “Inside the park, we offer hiking, fishing, camping and swimming. We also have a restaurant; mini-golf course; canoe, kayak and paddle board rentals; canoe float trips; a miniature train ride; a horseback riding stable; a zipline; a museum; and a gift shop."

She continues: “Our park is divided into two types of areas, our river area and our lake access area,” says Rivas.

In the river area, the park offers rental cabins, RV and tent camping. In the lake access area, the park provides lodging with the 40-room Beavers Bend Lodge, as well as RV and tent camping options.

Little Sahara State Park

Little Sahara State Park is a prime example of Oklahoma’s diverse terrain. It boasts over 1,600 acres of sand dunes, ranging in height from 25 to 75 feet. Located south of Waynoka in northwest Oklahoma, the park offers RV sites with water, electric and sewer hookups, tent sites, picnic areas and comfort stations.

The main attraction at Little Sahara State Park is dune buggy and ATV rid-

ing across the sand dunes. Visitors can either bring their own ATV or rent one off-site by a private vendor.

Oklahoma City Adventure District

Located in northeast Oklahoma City at the crossroads of I-35 and I-44, the Adventure District is home to some of the most outstanding tourist attractions in the state, according to the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department. Experience the excitement at Remington Park Racing and Casino, or make memories with the family at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex. Take a journey through the exciting world of the Oklahoma City Zoo, learn about the old west at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, or step into the amazing and fun world of science at Science Museum Oklahoma. The sky’s the limit.

Mount Scott/Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

Worn by time and nature, the Wichita Mountains loom large above the prairie in southwest Oklahoma and are a lasting refuge for wildlife. Situated just outside the Lawton/Fort Sill area, the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge preserves approximately 60,000 acres of mixed grass prairie, ancient granite mountains and freshwater lakes and streams.

It’s best known for roaming herds of bison, longhorn and Rocky Mountain elk, and the Wichita Mountains also offer quality opportunities for recreation, including fishing, bird watching, wildlife photography, hiking, camping and kayaking.

Alabaster Caverns State Park

Enter one of the largest natural gypsum caves in the world at Alabaster Caverns State Park. Located in Freedom, this rare cave is open to the public, and is the only gypsum show cave in the United States. Daily guided tours leave promptly on the hour from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Alabaster Caverns State Park also features reservable RV and tent sites. Enjoy hiking trails, picnic areas, group shelters with electricity, grills, water access and a volleyball court.

Boiling Springs State Park

An oasis on the plains, Boiling Springs State Park captures some of the finest elements of nature. The park is one of seven original state parks built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Named after a natural “boiling” spring that still flows, visitors can view the park’s namesake attraction in a natural wooden shelter and interpretive center. All RV, cabins and tent campsites within the 820-acre park can be reserved online. There are more than 150 picnic tables and grills throughout the park. Enjoy swimming in the pool or fishing in the 7-acre spring-fed Shaul Lake. The Boiling Springs State Park Trail System includes five hiking and mountain trails of various lengths that are perfect for beginners.

SHARON MCBRIDE

Beavers Bend State Park is a must-visit vacation spot in southeastern Oklahoma. Photo courtesy Oklahoma Tourism

Little Sahara State Park is one of Oklahoma's most unique destinations. Photo by Lori Duckworth/Oklahoma Tourism

Barreling Down the Competition

An equine event like none other, barrel racing combines athleticism, grace and precision.

Dirt flies as barrel racer Lindsay Emerson takes off into the arena, heart racing, wind in her hair and a sparkle on her lucky earrings – as well as her eye.

“I’ve been barrel racing basically all my life,” Emerson, 41, of Tecumseh says. “I grew up around horses and we went to rodeos all the time. I’ve been riding competitively since I was nine or 10.”

Barrel racing is a heart-pounding trial against the clock, where riders follow a course of three barrels in a cloverleaf pattern, according to the National Quarter Horse Association. Riders choose to circle either the right or left barrel first, race to the opposite barrel and complete the course after circling the third barrel and racing down the center to stop the timer. Knocking over a barrel carries a five-second penalty.

“It encompasses so much,” says Ross Wright, founder of Better Barrel Races (BBR) an association that produces toppaying competitions that draw riders

from all over the world. “There’s speed, there’s really nice horses, athletic ability and just being part of that western lifestyle, which has really been embraced lately.”

It’s a life that is a family tradition for many.

“My mom ran barrels before I was ever born,” Wright says, “so I was pretty much born into the sport. I’ve been barrel racing my whole life.”

Emerson, who placed in the BBR Top 10 a few years ago, brought her daughter Delaney, 11, into the sport as well.

“I started when I was six,” says Delaney Emerson, who, along with her horse, Blackjack, has already picked up a few buckles in her career. “I like riding horses because I kind of grew up around them, and I like riding them because I think they’re fun. The only times I get nervous are when I’m warming up, and then once I’m in there, I’m just relaxed.”

Certain qualities mark a successful barrel racer, Wright says, beyond just having a great horse.

“You definitely have to have persever-

ance and determination,” she says. “And the self-motivation to go out every day and ride.”

Camaraderie is one of the reasons riders love – and stick with – the sport.

“You develop a lot of great relationships that are pretty everlasting,” says Wright. “You make a lot of friends from all over the country, and sometimes all over the world. You meet people and get to find out different things about different places that you might not otherwise. There’s a lot of opportunity.”

Emerson mentions that anyone can become a fan of barrel racing.

“The majority of barrel races, with the exception of rodeos, are free to watch,” she says. “So find a barrel race in your community and go watch. It’s fun and exciting to pick your favorite horse and your favorite rider and cheer them on.”

The Better Barrel Races World Finals competition comes to OKC’s Oklahoma State Fair Park for action-packed days in the arena beginning on April 21.

GRETCHEN EICHENBERG

The Better Barrel Races World Finals come to OKC this April. Photos courtesy the Better Barrel Races

An Economic Powerhouse

Situated at Tulsa International Airport, the American Airlines base maintenance facility supplies well-paying jobs and positively influences the market.

The numbers are huge.

More than 5,000 people are employed by the American Airlines Base Maintenance Facility, also known as Tech Ops – Tulsa, for an estimated annual economic impact of $3.3 billion.

Upgrades currently underway at the base are budgeted at $400 million. And jobs added in 2023 and announced in late 2024 will total 621, thanks in part to a $22 million Business Expansion Incentive Program grant from the State of Oklahoma.

The capital project “really helps solidify American’s investment in the Tulsa region,” says Brien Thorstenberg, vice president for economic development for the Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce. “If those jobs were to leave, it would be very difficult to get those jobs back in the community. These are very high-quality jobs. These are fantastic jobs, and a fantastic employer.”

ternational Airport in 1946, having been moved from LaGuardia in New York.

“The hangars were already here; there was a big military presence here,” Sangricco says. “It was the perfect location.”

Ed Sangricco, managing director of base maintenance, says that $400 million worth of improvement projects adds up to a hefty list: new roofs, boilers, chillers and cooling towers alone will total $81 million. All the water and sewer lines are being replaced, and employee spaces such as restrooms and breakrooms will be re-done. New IT infrastructure calls for switching to fiber optics, and the plating shop is being modernized, too.

“It’s all being painted, with new signage,” says Sangricco. “It’s really making a big difference. When they are finished, you won’t recognize the place.”

Most of the infrastructure work will be completed in the next one to two years, and more projects are on the horizon.

“We are also considering building a new hangar,” says Sangricco.

And all those upgrades are putting even more Oklahomans to work. “There are a lot of contractors on this base every single day,” he mentions.

The 246-acre base opened at Tulsa In-

In addition to heavy maintenance work on about 400 aircraft every year, functions at the six-hangar base include engine overhauls, work on landing gear and components, a brake and wheel center and a large supply center.

“I’m incredibly proud of this operation,” Sangricco says. “I think the secret to our success and the reason we are growing is the people. Last year, we signed a formal agreement with Tulsa Tech that guaranteed their top performers the chance to interview here.”

The facility recruits nationwide, but the Oklahoma hires are the people most likely to stay, Sangricco says.

“The Tulsa base is very generational,” he says. “We have fathers and sons, even grandfathers and sons and grandsons. Everybody knows everybody. And with an average pay rate in the $58 to $60 an hour range, it’s a pretty big economic powerhouse.”

The facility is very connected to the community, Sangricco says, with employee groups doing volunteer work

at sites such as food banks, Habitat for Humanity and veterans’ hospitals.

All told, between the direct and indirect economic boon and what the employees contribute to the quality of life of the area through their volunteerism, “it’s just really a comprehensive impact to the Tulsa region,” Thorstenberg says.

KIMBERLY BURK

The American Airlines Base Maintenance Facility, also known as Tech Ops-Tulsa, has an estimated annual economic impact of $3.3 million. Photos courtesy American Airlines

Feeling Green – In a Good Way

Saint Patrick’s Day shenanigans return to the Sooner State.

St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, meaning it’s time for delicious food, great drinks and entertainment aplenty. As usual, Oklahoma has a plethora of options for the Irish holiday, so make sure to plan accordingly. We present just a few of the many offerings.

McNellie’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

The well-known Tulsa-based bar and restaurant is back with another memorable, multi-day event.

“All three McNellie’s locations – downtown, south city and OKC – are pulling out all the stops,” says Dru Jackson, manager and digital creator at McNellie’s Group.

The celebrations run March 15-17 with live music, DJs, drinks and beloved bar fare. Additionally, downtown Tulsa and OKC’s locations will host street parties on March 15.

“Enjoy festive drinks, delicious food and an electric atmosphere as we turn the streets into the ultimate Irish party zone,” says Jackson. Details are being finalized as of this writing, so make sure to check social media channels and the group’s website – mcnelliesgroup.com –for a full line-up.

ShamROCK the Gardens

Running March 17 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., ShamROCK the Gardens at OKC’s

Myriad Botanical Gardens features a bevy of family friendly events, as well as performances from three Irish acts: Ravens Three, Flowers of Edinburgh, and McTeggart Dance.

“ShamROCK the Gardens is a favorite holiday tradition in downtown Oklahoma City,” says Stacey Aldridge, chief marketing officer for Myriad and Scissortail Park. “Not only is it a great day to celebrate Irish music and dance, it is a great precursor to spring.”

Face painters, crafts and other free activities will occur on the Devon Lawn, alongside plenty of food, drink and merchandise sales.

“And be sure to come back to the Gardens on March 29-30 for our annual Tulip Festival,” adds Aldridge.

Stockyards City St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Starting at 10 a.m. on March 15 in OKC’s Stockyards City district, the Stockyards City St. Patrick’s Day parade encourages you to bring the entire family out to watch the epic parade and celebrate Oklahoma's Irish heritage and history.

“The parade will be led by Slash-ORanch Longhorns,” a herd of longhorn cattle from Woodward, says Debbie Harrison, executive director of Stockyards City. “You can see St. Patrick, marching bands, bagpipes, Irish dancers, the Shriners, cool cars, community groups, pageant royalty, equestrian entries and so much more.”

The parade begins at Exchange and Pennsylvania Aves., and is followed by activities for kids including balloon art, face painting and games.

“We will be having a cowboy leprechaun art contest,” says Harrisson. “Admission to the event is free. It will be fun for the whole family.”

ShamRock the Rose

Now in its eleventh year, Broken Arrow proudly presents another vibrant St. Patrick’s Day celebration on March 15th from 5-10 p.m. Along with live music, food and drinks, the event also offers the Soldier’s Wish ceremony that aims to make a meaningful impact on the life of veterans.

On top of that, there’s a craft beer garden, a VIP area and a kid’s zone, ensuring the entire family feels welcome. General admission is free, with additional costs for the beer garden and VIP areas.

DREW JOSEPH ALLEN

At Myriad Botanical Gardens, ShamROCK the Gardens presents three Irish musical acts alongside family-friendly entertainment.

Above and below photos courtesy Myriad Botanical Gardens

Along with a herd of longhorns, the Stockyards City St. Patrick’s Day parade offers balloon art, face painting and games. Photo courtesy Stockyards City

Celebrating Eicher Wednesdays

A musical tradition started in 2015 remains stronger than ever.

The long-running series of Tulsa musical events collectively known as Eicher Wednesdays provides, among other things, a pretty nice example of the old saw (often attributed to Alexander Graham Bell) about how when one door shuts, another one opens.

Here’s the origin story: One evening back in October of 2015 at the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, after vocalist Annie Ellicott, guitarist Mark Bruner and fiddler Shelby Eicher had finished the latest in an impressive run of Wednesday evening shows around town, one of the trio decided it was time for a change. That’s according to Eicher, who remembers that Bruner simply said, at the end of their performance, that he thought he wanted to start doing something different on Wednesdays.

“I don’t know if he wanted to teach or look at another opportunity to play with another band or something,” Eicher muses. “But I said, ‘Oh. Okay,’ and at the same time I was thinking, ‘Gosh, what am I going to do on Wednesdays?’ I wanted to keep that regular Wednesday night gig.

“Then I thought, ‘It’d be fun to do something with Nathan.’”

Nathan is Nathan Eicher, son of Shelby Eicher and his wife, Janet Rutland, the Oklahoma-based stage and cabaret star. As you might imagine, it’s a musical family, and Nathan’s instrument is the bass –a perfect complement to his dad’s fiddle, mandolin and guitar.

The idea of a regular Shelby-Nathan team-up was quickly greenlit by Jazz Hall management, and on October 28, 2015, the first Eicher Wednesday concert took place. Joining the two Eichers were Annie Ellicott and West Coast guitarist Pat Kelley, a Tulsa native, who happened to be visiting his hometown that week.

“So that was our first concert, and we thought, ‘Why don’t we just try to have different featured guests every week?’” says Nathan. “Both of us have had long careers as sidemen, in addition to being bandleaders, and what you learn about being a sideman is that it’s a little bit like being a chameleon, or an actor. With everybody you play with, you play a character. But it’s always you that you bring to the stage, or a version of yourself. And with every person, you bring something different.”

“I grew up playing bluegrass, which isn’t something a lot of jazz players are going to say,” adds Shelby with a chuckle. “But that’s a community with a lot of

jam sessions – not unlike jazz. So there’s some real crossover to me. Even though the styles of music are so different, there are similarities in the culture of the music.”

At this writing, in early 2025, the Eicher Wednesday lineup has featured more than 100 different performers, in addition to Nathan and his dad. They include such names as the New Yorkbased Brazilian guitarist Richard Miller, the aforementioned Kelley, and Bruce Forman, the West Coast jazz guitarist who created the Western-swing group Cow Bop.

Of course, many of the other featured guests are from the Tulsa area, including regular vocalist Rutland and guitarist Tommy Crook, one of the first wave of Tulsa rock ‘n’ rollers.

“Tommy came out of retirement to play Eicher Wednesdays, and he has been a real staple over the years,” Shelby says. “We’ve just had a lot of great artists. Sometimes, they’re not jazz artists, but they’re artists that our people like, and there’s a jazz element to them. Like Jacob Tovar. He does more like old country swing.”

Nathan continues: “That’s a good example, his style of music. If you were going to put it in a genre, a category, it’s a lot different than the other guests we have. But there’s an approach to making music that allows us to find some kind of magic there.

“We’ve been fortunate to have so many wonderfully talented guests. Jacob is one of ‘em. Richard was one of ‘em. We both have such an appreciation for people who have excellently honed their craft and have something exciting they want to bring to the table. It’s fun to share that with them and see what we can do together.”

The weekly shows were staged at the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame through February of 2022, when that building was closed for renovations. The Eichers moved to the Greenwood Cultural Center for a few weeks, and then found their current venue: Baxter’s Interurban Grill at 717 S. Houston Ave., in Tulsa.

“It’s very centrally located, and there’s a nice room, like a meeting room, which is great,” notes Shelby. “All the restaurant stuff happens on the other side. They’ve

Fiddler Shelby Eicher is pictured here with his wife, cabaret star Janet Rutland. Eicher began the musical tradition of 'Eicher Wednesdays' in 2015. Photos courtesy Eicher Wednesdays

got a bar, and they bring the food over, and parking is easy. It’s just a really great environment for playing music.”

It’s not an expensive one, either. The Eichers encourage their Wednesday evening patrons to make the same donation they did when the event began at the Jazz Hall of Fame, nearly a decade ago.

“You don’t have to pay us, but we would love to suggest that you donate ten dollars,” says Shelby. “That way, we can bring in the [other] artists, and explore having new people in.”

Although guest performers have always been a part of Eicher Wednesdays, Nathan and Shelby dealt with the exigencies of the pandemic by initially doing some two-man virtual performances from the Jazz Hall. Even then, however, they found ways to add other artists – figuring, as Nathan says, “We could spread out, put six feet between us, mask up, and do shows with them.”

Those challenging concerts will always stick in their minds. But there are other Eicher Wednesdays they’ll especially remember. For instance, one that featured, in Nathan’s words, “dueling vibraphones,” played by Howard Potter and Nick Mancini.

“We’ve had both of them as guests multiple times,” he adds, “but this one time, we got both of them in a room together. We opened with a Chick Corea song that I’d never played – or, I think, even heard, ‘Sea Journey.’ So we started playing it, and it was just this very magical sound. I remember being so excited. And when we got done, it was like, ‘What? What was that?’

“And then, another one. I grew up as a

huge fan of the music of [the innovative bluegrass, folk, and jazz mandolinist] David Grisman. His music is such a niche thing that I thought I’d never get the opportunity to play it. And then, we did a tribute to the David Grisman Quintet, the only difference being that we had two acoustic guitars instead of two acoustic mandolins. We had both my brothers in the band, and [bluegrass artist] Kentucky White. And, again, it was electric –although it was an acoustic event.”

He laughs.

“The crowd loved the energy at both those events, and I don’t think they fully knew what to expect. I don’t think we knew what to expect,” he adds. “We knew the music of David Grisman. But the experience of playing it in an ensemble like that and bringing it to life – that was a real high point for me.”

or

So is being able to play shows on a regular basis with members of his gifted musical family.

The Professionals

What new savings opportunities are coming in 2025 thanks to changes in 401(k)s?

Congress passed the Secure 2.0 Act in 2022 to expand saving opportunities for individuals who have access to savings vehicles like 401(k)s and workplace savings plans. Several of the bill’s provisions go into effect in 2025. Explore the changes happening to 401(k)s: 1. Expanded standard contribution limits for all. For those that are able to “max out” their workplace savings plan, there is an increased contribution limit in 2025. Employees of any age will have the ability to save up to $23,500 (or 100% of their income, whichever is less) in their 401(k) plan. 2. Special rules for those ages 60 to 63. Under SECURE 2.0 Act provisions, 2025 brings new savings limits for those who turn age 60, 61, 62, or 63 by the end of the calendar year if their plans offer catch-up contributions. 3. Automatic enrollment. The SECURE 2.0 Act provisions expand automatic enrollment in 401(k) and 403(b) plans to companies that have employees who are not already enrolled. Under the rules, plans established on or after Dec. 29, 2022 must, in 2025, implement an automatic enrollment feature. This means that employees, by default, will be enrolled to participate in the plan. Employees can choose to opt out of plan participation, but this automatic enrollment feature is set to encourage employees to take advantage of workplace retirement savings plans. Check with your employer to see if the automatic enrollment feature will affect your contributions.

David Karimian, CFP®, CRPC®, APMA® Prime Wealth Management

A private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial 2431 E 61st St, Suite 400, Tulsa, OK 74136 918.388.2009

David.x.Karimian@ampf.com www.primewealthmgmt.com

Is there a treatment for cellulite reduction and skin tightening that has no downtime?

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“That’s a nice thing – they all get to be guests,” he says. “My mom we have very frequently, not just because, you know, we love her, but because she’s a wonderful artist. We can do a jazz tune, an old country thing, or maybe some kind of pop tune re-imagined with her; she has so much flexibility as an artist.

“There’s also definitely a father-son dynamic that makes this very special,” he concludes. “And my dad is such a fabulous musician, who plays at a very high level, that it makes me a better player when I play with him. That is definitely a high point, every week. I come away inspired, and driven to do what I do better.”

JOHN WOOLEY

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DAVID KARIMIAN CFP®, CRPC®, APMA®

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DR. CRISTIE HAWKINS

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Life & Style

The First Taste is for Pachamama

In South America, the concept of Pachamama allows natives and visitors alike the chance to honor the Earth.

If you travel to South America, prepare to be enlightened by the concept of Pachamama. Also known as Mother Earth, Pachamama is celebrated in various rituals that honor environmental and cosmological principles. In the Andes Mountains regions, Pachamama originated as a goddess of fertility, planting and harvesting with a focus on sustaining life on Earth. Reportedly, people believe Pachamama is the origin of water, earth, sun and moon. Although she is mostly viewed as benevolent, Pachamama has a feisty side to her – as it’s believed that if people take too much from the Earth, she’ll respond with earthquakes.

After the exploration and settlements of South America occurred, religious syncretism adapted Pachamama to be more of an association to the Virgin Mary, the good mother, and the Virgin

The Andes Mountain range provides a beautiful backdrop for South American adventures. Photo by Gina Michalopulos Kinglsey

of Candelaria. The common thread was that the concept of Pachamama was to remind people to respect the environment – believing that problems occur when people take from nature without giving back.

While it’s prevalent throughout many South American countries, the practice of Pachamama in Peru and Ecuador, specifically, is present in tourism activities. Driving through the sprawling landscapes, one can see signs and symbols of Pachamama rituals. Protruding from earthen dwellings or lodgings, sticks with red sacks tied in a balloon-shaped fashion identify a practice occurring there.

On backyard patios amidst fluttering

chickens and vining florals, cauldrons can be found containing a fermenting concoction extracted from corn and yeast. It’s a beer called chicha, and the residents sell cups of it to tourists and tour guides. Raise your cups in the air for salutations and anticipate that your tour guide may pour a trickle of the golden chicha beer onto the ground proclaiming, “And the first taste for Pachamama!” Pooling and absorbing into the fertile ground, the chicha beer becomes part of the ritual of honoring the Earth first and giving back before you indulge in the Earth’s pleasures.

Historically, priests or shamans sacrificed offerings of llamas and cuy (guinea pigs) to Pachamama. People buried food and burned incense, plants or wood in gratitude for good crops and harvests. Some families cooked all night in preparation for honoring Pachamama on a particular day of significance, Aug. 1, the beginning of the sowing season. On this day of gathering, the guests don’t eat the meal until the host first presents a plate of food to Pachamama. In fact, reserved food is poured onto the ground (like the chicha beer) in dedication to the earth mother.

Certain travel agencies are incorporating new age practices of Pachamama into their excursions and itineraries. There are retreats focused on the principles of it, as well as tours visiting the sites of Machu Picchu and Cusco offering opportunities to participate in the rituals. Some ceremonies involve wool, flowers, herbs and condor feathers assembled into the shape of a heart. Coca leaves and instrumental music have also been involved in some ceremonies, as people focus their intentions as they connect with nature, condors and other animals. (Since the condor is the emblematic bird of South America, how appropriate that it’s part of the process!)

Winding your way through the Andes Mountain regions, you are constantly confronted with verdant beauty and pristine nature. The fields are punctuated by saw-toothed agave plants and succulents. The luminosity of a terra cotta burnish fills the landscape. Descending into the Urubamba Valley, a rushing river sparkles and roars between peaks.

Perhaps it’s the respect for Pachamama that is evident there. Pachamama promotes and protects the sanctuary of our land, Mother Earth. Observe and appreciate the cultural nuances and remember: “The first taste is for Pachamama!”

GINA MICHALOPULOS KINGSLEY

Photo by Gina Michalopulos Kinglsey

Photo by Gina Michalopulos Kinglsey

Understanding Endometriosis

March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. Learn the effects of this chronic condition.

Approximately six and a half million American women have endometriosis, according to the Office on Women’s Health, and many suffer with chronic pelvic pain, severe menstrual cramps and the physical and emotional toll of infertility.

“Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus, typically located on the walls of the pelvis and/ or the ovaries and tubes,” says Jessica Putman, M.D., a minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon with OU Health in Oklahoma City. “It can sometimes affect other organs in the abdomen. There are certain symptoms that can raise suspicion for endometriosis, but definitive diagnosis is surgical with visualization of the lesions and pathological confirmation.”

While there’s no known cause for endometriosis, Putman says the most common theory is retrograde menstruation, where menstrual blood flows back through the fallopian tubes and into the pelvis.

“The blood may contain endometrial cells from the uterine lining that can then stick to the pelvic walls or organs,” she says. “Estrogen stimulates the

growth and spread of endometriosis. Family history, particularly in mom or a sister, is a major risk factor. The majority of patients are diagnosed after the age of 25, however, most patients develop symptoms long before that. It can take months up to 10 years to get a diagnosis depending on symptoms and discussions with your doctor.”

The difficulty in diagnosing endometriosis often stems from symptoms being so similar to other conditions, and the varying degrees of severity and presentation of symptoms among individuals. Endometriosis symptoms can mimic conditions such as pelvic inflammatory disease, irritable bowel syndrome and uterine fibroids.

“The most common symptoms are painful periods, pelvic pain, pain with sex, pain with bowel movements or urination, heavy periods, bloating and infertility,” says Putman. “Most of the symptoms can be managed with appropriate treatment, but patients will often experience ‘flares’ where symptoms are worse for a period of time.”

She says up to half of patients with endometriosis will struggle with infertility, however, many with mild to moderate disease can still conceive.

“Some patients, particularly those with more advanced disease, may need reproductive assistance,” she says. “Any

patients with known endometriosis who are trying to conceive should reach out to their doctor for further workup if unable to achieve pregnancy within six months.”

Regarding treatment for endometriosis, Putman says symptoms are often managed with hormonal suppression medications.

“This not only improves symptoms but also decreases the risk of progression or recurrence of disease,” she says. “When medical management does not control symptoms, then surgical management may be needed. This can be anywhere from a surgery for removal of endometriosis lesions up to hysterectomy. It is important to know that endometriosis is a chronic condition and there is no cure, although patients typically have significant improvement in symptoms after menopause due to the drop in estrogen.”

For women navigating the journey of endometriosis, there are several organizations that offer resources and support groups, such as SpeakEndo.com, the Endometriosis Coalition Patient Support Group, the Endometriosis Foundation and a variety of apps that can help women track symptoms, medications and gain more knowledge about their condition.

REBECCA FAST

A Friendly Face Next Door

You can keep your neighborhood safe and your neighbors happy with a few tips and tricks.

Wheth-

er you live in a com-

munity where your neighbors are in close proximity or an area where the nearest residence is a great distance away, being a “good neighbor” may look a little different for everyone. However, a few tenants apply to all.

According to Myron Mayberry, executive director of the Neighborhood Alliance of Central Oklahoma (NACOK), a good neighbor is someone who is friendly, helpful, trusting and respectful.

“Good neighbors know the names and pertinent contact information of their neighbors,” says Mayberry. “My perspective has always been built on the principle to love your neighbor as yourself. It is a simple, yet complicated first step to build great communities.”

Mayberry goes on to say that “friendly neighbors are kind to current neighbors and welcoming to new ones.” He also notes there may be quiet and unassuming folks who wish to be involved in the community but may not want to be social friends. His advice? Give space and respect their wishes.

Another good idea to protect your neighborhood is to organize or join a group that is specifically composed of individuals living in your area.

According to their website, Tulsa

Crime Stoppers is a program of the Crime Prevention Network, Inc. and is Tulsa’s only nonprofit dedicated solely to public safety. Part of this group’s crime prevention suggestions is forming an alliance such as Alert Neighbors, a program provided to engage neighborhoods in discussions about crime and public safety.

The program instills effective collaboration and communication within neighborhoods to prevent crime and help fulfill a neighborhood’s needs for security, and decreased incidents of crime are frequently reported in neighborhoods which participate in such alert programs. The website further states the sense of community formed by this kind of program often serves as a catalyst for neighborhoods to thrive and curate cohesiveness.

An Alert Neighbors program helps inform residents regarding how to secure their homes, how to be safer in their residences and while out among their neighbors, and how to recognize and report suspicious activity. The Alert Neighbors program results in effective communication between neighbors and fosters improved relations between the community and local law enforcement officials.

Treating others with respect – an effort we should all strive for – includes honoring personal boundaries, but is especially necessary with the individuals

with whom we share physical space.

“Being respectful involves maintaining tidiness, understanding limitations and adhering to community rules,” explains Mayberry. “Trusting neighbors have their neighbors’ best interests at heart. They also keep their word and follow through when asked to do something.”

One last piece of advice from Mayberry?

“Providing your neighbor with your information is a great way to keep in touch and start the foundation of a strong relationship,” Mayberry says.

DEBI TURLEY:

Good Neighbor Tips:

• Pay attention to how much noise you make.

• Join in with efforts to keep the neighborhood clean.

• Have pets? Be responsible, keep them secured and clean up their messes.

• Curb appeal is important to everyone. Take pride in your home’s appearance.

• Employ tact while discussing issues.

Perry Good

Filled with history, culture and community, Perry stands as a proud beacon of Okie pride in northern Oklahoma.

Asmall yet historically significant city, Perry is best known for its deep connections to the Land Run of 1893 and its remarkable wrestling tradition. Located along Interstate 35, Perry is the seat of Noble County and offers visitors a unique blend of history, culture and good old community pride.

Perry’s Beginnings

Perry’s origins date back to the Cherokee Outlet Land Run; on September 16, 1893, a pistol shot rang around noon and one of the largest land runs in U.S. history began. This event saw tens of thousands of settlers race to claim land in what was previously Cherokee Nation territory. Perry was established almost overnight and named after J.A. Perry, a government official overseeing the land run.

“The significance of this race is that it not only was the largest and last land run of the unassigned lands, but brought thousands of immigrants and cultures to America,” says Maddy Flores, executive director of the Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School.

The town quickly became a bustling hub, with businesses, homes and civic institutions.

Preserving Perry’s Pioneering Past

For those interested in exploring Perry’s pioneer history, the Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School are essential stops, Flores says. The museum provides a comprehensive look at the history of the Cherokee Strip, the Land Run of 1893, and the development of Perry and surrounding areas. Exhibits include artifacts from early settlers, historic photographs and interactive displays that bring Oklahoma’s frontier past to life.

“Presently, so many of the last names you see around town are the same last names of settlers that came to settle the strip in 1893,” Flores says. “I am one of those people who can date my family back to the land run! They established

their roots north of Perry in 1893 and we bought the land back ten years ago that they established.”

Adjacent to the museum, Rose Hill School offers a glimpse into early Oklahoma education. The restored one-room schoolhouse provides visitors with an immersive experience of what schooling was like for children in the early 20th century. The site hosts educational programs that allow guests to step back in time and experience a typical school day from the past.

A Tribute to a Legacy of Champions

One of Perry’s most unique and celebrated attractions is Perry Wrestling Monument Park. Wrestling is a deeply ingrained part of the city’s culture, with Perry High School boasting one of the most successful wrestling programs in the country. With 43 state championships to date, a national record, and a reputation for producing elite athletes, Perry has rightfully earned the nickname of the Wrestling Capital of the World.

“Wrestling is a way of life in Perry,” says Roger Tetik, president of the Perry Wrestling Foundation. “People come to the Perry Wrestling Monument Park to find names etched in granite of their father, brother, uncle or someone they know that wrestled for Perry.”

The park stands as a tribute to the town’s rich wrestling history and features statues of Danny Hodge and Jack VanBebber, Perry natives that not only went on to have collegiate success at Oklahoma University and Oklahoma A&M, respectively, but also as Olympic champions.

“The Perry Wrestling Foundation wanted to honor Danny Hodge, and [the establishment of the museum] grew to where we wanted to recognize both of our Olympians and the Perry Wrestling program and all its accomplishments,” says Tetik. “We wanted to recognize all the state championship teams and the individuals and coaches that made up those teams that helped us win our 43 state championship titles.”

ROCCO GEPPI

One of Perry’s most unique and celebrated attractions is Perry Wrestling Monument Park. Photo courtesy Perry Wrestling Park

The Boysfrom Oklahoma

Red Dirt music legends including reunited acts Cross Canadian Ragweed and The Great Divide will converge in Stillwater for the musical event of the year this April. John Wooley sits down with frontmen Cody Canada and Mike McClure, as well as another top-billed powerhouse, Jason Boland, ahead of the concert.

By John Wooley

Jason Boland, originally from Harrah, will lead Jason Boland & the Stragglers in multiple shows this April in Stillwater.

Photo by Will Von Bolton

It might indeed be, as Mike McClure laughingly calls it, a signal that “the Red Dirt apocalypse is coming.”

For sure, it’s something that continues to amaze Cody Canada – who, like his good friend McClure, is one of its major participants.

“I honestly thought, ‘If we do this, we’re going to have a good crowd,” says Canada. “But I had no idea.”

What both musicians are talking about here is a massive event dubbed The Boys from Oklahoma, set to take place over four days, April 10-13, at Oklahoma State University’s Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater. All four shows at the venue, which has an official capacity of 53,855, have been sold out for months. And both Canada and McClure are part of the reasons for the sellout, with Canada sitting atop the multi-band lineup with his former, now reunited, group, Cross Canadian Ragweed, and McClure appearing with his own reassembled aggregation, the Great Divide. Other top-billed acts include the Turnpike Troubadours, Stoney LaRue, and Jason Boland and the Stragglers.

To find an antecedent for this level of concert success in Oklahoma, you’d have to go back to Tulsa a decade ago, when Garth Brooks sold out seven

shows at the 19,199-seat BOK Center.

It may not be entirely coincidental that Brooks – like all but the Tahlequah-based Turnpike Troubadours on the Boone Pickens Stadium shows – not only came out of Stillwater, but was also deeply involved in that town’s unique music scene sometime in the late ‘80s-early ‘90s time frame, when what would become known as Red Dirt music had begun percolating around Oklahoma State. In fact, a case could be made that Garth Brooks was the first Red Dirt act to hit it big.

So, what is Red Dirt? Like a lot of our other musical genres and subgenres – the Tulsa Sound comes immediately to mind – it resists pinning down, no matter how hard many of us have tried to do just that over the years. Often placed under the country banner, it’s certainly music that’s lyric-based and close to the earth, more rural than urban, deeply sincere, often emotional without being maudlin, and carrying with it the kind of self-effacing sense of humor that’s deeply ingrained in the Oklahoma character.

After decades of trying to come up with the perfect Red Dirt definition, the closest I can come is to evoke the names of two more great Oklahoma music figures: First, Western-swing popularizer Bob Wills, whose love of musical experimentation is shared by the Red Dirt acts, as is his determination to help his

Award-winning Red Dirt group the Great Divide, led by Mike McClure, returns to its original stomping grounds, Stillwater, for a 4-day concert series this April. Photo courtesy RPR Media

listeners escape their worries, if only for a while. The other is Woody Guthrie, a musical populist, whose socially conscious lyrics were more often than not aimed toward pointing out social inequities and improving the lives of common people.

Those two giants are the sources of the musical rivers that flow through Garth and beyond, into every one of the acts on the Boone Pickens Stadium roster. And each of them is a major torch-bearer for the genre.

That includes the top-billed Cross Canadian Ragweed, which has gotten back together for the shows after disbanding in 2010, when Canada left to form a new unit, Cody Canada and the Departed.

“I figured that people would go nuts [for the Stillwater event] because Ragweed was going to come back together, on top of Turnpike being there,” says McClure, whose impressive list of musical achievements include producing tracks for Cross Canadian Ragweed and other acts. “Turnpike could come close to filling the stadium on its own, and you couple the magnitude Turnpike has reached with the excitement of Cross Canadian coming back – there’s so much nostalgia with that. A lot of people don’t remember how big they were, but they were really, really big, and then they called it quits and walked away. Now, you’ve not only got all those people they affected but also all their kids, who grew up listening to Ragweed in the background. The same goes for Great Divide.”

The Great Divide is another groundbreaking Red Dirt act. Coming up, like Ragweed, in the mid- to late-’90s, the Divide was the first in the genre to put songs on Billboard magazine’s national country-music charts (1998’s “Never Could” and “Pour Me A Vacation”). With McClure as singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter, the band continued until 2003, when he left to start his own group, the Mike McClure Band.

Then, in 2011, the members reunited, and they continue recording and touring to this day. Their second-time-around success, in fact, helped inspire Cody Canada to do some of his own fence-mending.

“Mike has always led me, from the minute we met,” he notes. “Everybody knows how much I respect and love the guy. When I met him, I was looking for something I didn’t know how to find. I was just playing Garth Brooks songs and stuff, trying to find my footing.”

Some thirty years after that initial meeting, in 2022, Canada once again went to his friend for advice. A few months earlier, he’d done a Rolling Stone interview in which he’d said, referring to a Cross Canadian Ragweed reunion, “Man, that’s never gonna happen.”

“Then I read that interview, and I thought, ‘How negative is that?’” he recalls. “I started waking up a little bit and realizing, ‘You know, I think I’m the one holding us back. Let’s go for it.’ I called Mike then, and I said, ‘Dude, I think I need to make a move, but it has to be right.’

The Turnpike Troubadours, originally from Tahlequah, will also take the stage in Stillwater. Photo courtesy RPR Media

“He said, ‘I’m so proud of you. You were bitter for so long. We both were.’ And now I’m so ready not to be bitter. And really, it wasn’t even anything toward any person. When everybody [in Ragweed] started talking, and it was all happy, I said, ‘You know, we can’t talk about the past, because if we talk about the past we can’t move forward.’ Everybody was real excited about that.”

He laughs. “So Mike had a gigantic influence on this – he and my kids and my wife.”

“With the [reuniting of the] Great Divide, man, it was just so healing for me,” adds McClure. “And I know Cody saw that, and saw what it means to people who love the music and how important that is.”

Since getting back together, the Great Divide has continued to tour, with a notable recent appearance on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville (thanks to an invitation from country star Wyatt Flores, a Stillwater musician with ties to the band) and record, with 2022’s Providence its latest record. In addition to the original members –brothers Scotte and J.J. Lester on, respectively, guitar and drums and bassist Kelley Green – keyboardist Bryce Conway is now a part of the band, playing a Hammond B-3 organ.

“Having a B-3 onstage is just incredible,” says McClure. “A lot of the Great Divide records were heavy with B-3; a guy named Riley Osbourn, out of Austin, played all those parts. And man, it’s just that glue that holds everything together. And it frees me up, too. When I go solo [on guitar], there’s a rhythm guitar and that B-3 underneath. I can experiment and stretch out a little bit more.

“Bryce has always been a huge Great Divide fan, so he’s just excited up there, and that rubs off on us. And, man, it just makes it sound so much better.”

McClure is also busy writing songs for the group, which he feels is important to the band’s continued resurgence.

“Back in 2011, we came out and had a really big reunion show, and then we kind of fizzled out a little bit, mainly because we hadn’t put out anything new,” he reflects. “All the Great Divide songs I wrote in my twenties and thirties. And now, to be able to come from a 53-year-old brain – I’ve been through a lot more than I had when I wrote that stuff. I’ve also gotten better as a writer, and singer, and player. We set the bar really low when we were young,” he adds with another laugh.

His musical compadre Cody Canada, however, and fellow Cross Canadian Ragweed musicians Grady Cross (guitar), Jeremy Plato (bass), and Randy Ragsdale (drums) are taking a different tack – at least for the time being. In addition to not playing any jobs together before the four-day blowout at Boone Pickens Stadium, the members of Ragweed are going to stick to songs from their original repertoire.

“The first question I get is, ‘Are you going to tour?’” says Canada. “And then it’s, ‘Are you going to do new music [at the Stillwater shows]?’ I’ve said, ‘we’ll see what happens,’ to the first question, and ‘no’ to the second.

“I remember going on tour with [Lynyrd] Skynyrd, 35 shows, and every time they’d play a new song everyone would go to the bathroom,” he adds. “And I thought, ‘What a blessing and a curse it is to have so many songs.’

“So I said, 'Let’s just play the songs that people know, get some shows under our belt, and see what happens. Let’s not get in a rush. Let’s have some fun with this.’”

And, as he reflects on the tens of thousands of ticket sales these shows have generated, he admits that the response “still amazes me.”

“I thought we would do 20,000 tickets,” he says. “I really thought that’s what it would be. I’ve been trying to talk about it without sounding cocky, but I really didn’t realize we had that far of a reach, and I’m extremely grateful.

“My favorite part,” he concludes, “is talking to the guys again, and everybody being friends and hanging out together. It’s all sunny. It’s all nice. It’s good for the soul.”

Stoney LaRue joins the legions of Red Dirt legends at the four-day event. Photo courtesy RPR Media

Cody Canada will headline the Stillwater event with his reunited band, Cross Canadian Ragweed. Photo courtesy RPR Media

A Prolific Fountain

For most of the Boys from Oklahoma, their residency at Boone Pickens Stadium is a return to their roots – even if those roots first dug down into the red dirt a few miles outside of Stillwater, around a funky old yellow house jutting up out of the countryside. The place was dubbed the Farm, and for several years, from the late 1980s to around the end of the 20th century, it was a magnet for music and musicians. Singer-songwriter Bob Childers, known as the godfather of Red Dirt music, lived in a trailer on the premises. The members of the Red Dirt Rangers and Medicine Show, the two Red Dirt acts that carried the genre into the ‘90s, hung out there as well.

And so did a young OSU student named Jason Boland, who, with his band the Stragglers, would go on to become a leading light in the genre.

“It was something,” he recalls. “We were kind of toward the end of the Farm era, but luckily we got enough of it to drastically change the way we looked at music forever. The first time, you know, you sat around that campfire, and the song torch went around and got to you, you’d be like, ‘Oh, I thought I had some songs. But I need to go home,’” he adds with a laugh.

“Childers referred to it [the Farm] as a spring, or a well, that always drew people back to it. There really was something happening there. Who knows if it was something metaphysical or something tied to the earth? But it happened.”

It’s been a quarter of a century since Boland left the Farm and began touring and recording in earnest. And he admits with a chuckle that it’s “bewildering, flattering and embarrassing” to be coming back to Stillwater to play a series of stadium shows.

“You don’t realize what’s happening until you’re

years into it,” he muses. “You’ve just got your head down and you’re making music. But I do think most people from the Red Dirt scene are first and foremost music fans, and they always want to service the song and service their style – the way they put out their music.”

To find the antecedents for all of that, he points to another Stillwater-spawned act on the Boys from Oklahoma show, the Great Divide.

“They were influences on every other band on this bill,” Boland says. “We’re looking at a time when Top 40 country was just this monolithic thing, and nothing could exist outside of it. They were the first ones to say, 'Oh yeah it can. It can be from right here. And it can be completely do-it-yourself.’

“The friendship with Mike [McClure] and those guys was just really a pedagogical relationship,” he adds. They were teachers. I think Cody and Ragweed felt that way, too. And Stoney [LaRue] was in the same vein. It was about learning the artistic way of doing things. We were evolving at a time when you could take it out to the market. And we were trying to play both sides of the fence: Don’t compromise your music, but take it to as many people as you can.

“And then, here came the Troubadours to reset the bar on what was possible with taking it to the people. It was all just a healthy evolution of the sound, and everybody did a good job of getting it to a lot of people and, at the same time, keeping it true to the spirit of Red Dirt.”

It’s one spirit, he concludes, but many different styles, and he promises that those who attend one of the stadium shows will see and hear what he means: “Five wildly different bands – but all from the same fountain.”

As a student at OSU, Jason Boland often spent time at 'The Farm – a home just outside Stillwater where talented musicians would converge.

Photo by Will Von Bolton

A Spring AWAKENING

As the world thaws from another Oklahoma winter, it may be time to reinvigorate your home – whether that’s in a design overhaul, pool installation or gardening frenzy. Experts dive into the year’s hottest design trends, offer sustainability suggestions, explore avenues to create a year-round patio and suggest some of the top plants for a thriving Okie garden.

By Gretchen Eichenberg

Kathy Caviness of Caviness Landscape

The Great Indoors c

Trends In-Home

From lighting and color to space and lifestyle compatibility, interior design is about making bold statements in 2025. Ross See, principal of Sees Design in Oklahoma City, says lighting continues to be the jewelry of the home.

“Expect sculptural, oversized fixtures that double as art pieces, incorporating mixed metals, hand-blown glass and plaster fixtures,” he says.

Concealed kitchens are gaining popularity as they blend seamlessly into living areas with hidden appliances and sleek cabinetry.

“There’s also a growing appreciation for sculleries and butler pantries,” he mentions. “These functional spaces allow homeowners to keep the main kitchen clean and uncluttered while showcasing timeless details like exposed hinges or custom millwork.”

Bold colors are making a comeback, after years of neutrals dominating the design palette.

“Moody colors of dark blues, deep greens and warm hues like terracotta and mustard yellow infuse spaces with personality,” See says.

Biophilic design – a concept that connects people to nature through built designs – is a trend that’s only growing.

“Bringing nature indoors is more than a trend, it’s a lifestyle,” Sees says.

“Incorporating greenery alongside plaster finishes, natural stone and wood elements creates an inviting atmosphere that nurtures well-being.”

Saturating a room with a singular color in order to create a mood is called color drenching, and it’s rising in popularity this year, too.

“Using a single color across walls, ceilings and even furniture is becoming a bold statement,” Sees says. “This technique works beautifully with rich, moody tones or soft pastels."

Photo courtesy Caviness Landscape Design

Incorporating greenery and bringing nature indoors is a major design trend for 2025. Kitchen by Edmond Kitchen Bath Home, photo by Emily Hart Photography

Arches and curves in home design, See says, can bring a calming effect to a room or entire home.

“Organic shapes are softening interiors,” he says. “Arched doorways, groin-vaulted and barrel ceilings, and curved furniture bring a sense of comfort and timeless elegance to spaces.”

Combining antiques and textured walls with plaster finishes, like lime wash or Venetian plaster, are some of See’s current fancies, along with designing fun powder baths.

“Dramatic wallpaper, bold paint colors or an exciting tile pattern,” he adds. “We love treating it as the ‘jewel box’ of the home.”

Sustainable Choices

Sustainability, the practice of building and maintaining homes to reduce their environmental impact, continues to be a key consideration for people looking to build or remodel. Kent Hoffman of the Hoffman Group in Oklahoma City shares some of the ways he works to achieve greater sustainability.

“Energy efficiency is what we think of when we talk about sustainability,” he says. “How can we reduce the energy requirement of the home? And that has a lot to do with how well insulated the home is.”

Foam insulation is a system used to create a tight seal to improve efficiency.

“It is like a blanket for the home, so that during these extreme summers and winters, the [heating and air conditioning] systems don’t have to run nearly as often as they used to run,” Hoffman says.

When it comes to heating and cooling, Hoffman suggests going geothermal. Geothermal heat pumps take advantage of the constant temperature of the shallow Earth to efficiently exchange temperatures. A few feet below the Earth’s surface, the ground remains at a relatively constant temperature year-round; GHPs take advantage of the constant subsurface temperatures by exchanging heat with the Earth through a ground heat exchanger.

“Geothermal heating and air is a way to take the earth’s temperatures and transfer it into your own home,” says Hoffman, “so that you aren’t using as much electrical or you don’t need natural gas because you’re getting that off the heat of the earth.”

Low voltage lighting, like LED, requires less electricity and less power to operate more lights, Hoffman adds. The use of natural stones that don’t require exterior painting, as well as synthetic roofs made of recycled plastic and rubber, are other ways to add sustainability to a home.

“It’s about having a well-balanced home where the energy footprint has been greatly diminished,” Hoffman says.

Technology to Watch

All roads lead to artificial intelligence (AI), and that is certainly the case when it comes to home security and technology.

“I think everybody is getting accustomed to AI,” says Austin Hannah, vice president of Kazar Security in Tulsa. “If you’re buying something and you go to a company’s website, there’s probably an AI assistant ready to help you. Similarly, your video cameras these days have a lot of AI technologies that can identify faces and vehicles. So as far as trailblazing new technology, that’s where security is heading.”

Hannah says people can just start with the basics.

“For home security, doorbell cameras, basic alarm systems and driveway cameras are a necessity,” he says. “You can get that kind of technology relatively inexpensively and in a lot of different ways.

Keyless locks are replacing metal keys, allowing homeowners and visitors alike to enter a code or be let in remotely. Automated shades are another upgrade Hannah says are more in demand than ever.

“It’s all about how much you want to embrace technology,” he says.

All Things Outdoors

dTrends In Garden

In a departure from more structured gardens, Kathy Caviness of Caviness Landscape Design believes Oklahoma gardens are going back to their roots.

“Depending on the size of your yard, the existing plant material and style of architecture, there are opportunities to incorporate softer designs, or what we like to call ‘organized chaos,’” she says. “Utilizing different colors, leaf structures, heights and mass groupings help to create a more nature-inspired design, and can attract more bees, butterflies and birds, which help pollinate.”

With the preservation of nature in mind, David Hillock, senior extension specialist in consumer horticulture at Oklahoma State University, says there are several ways to be intentional. A low water landscape, for instance, incorporates plants that require less water and mulching to conserve soil moisture.

“Water is becoming more and more of a precious resource and we need to be better stewards and managers of that resource,” Hillock says. “One way we can do that is by choosing more plants that require less water. That doesn’t mean you can’t put plants in the ground that still require moisture, but you could reduce the percentage of your landscape devoted to those high water use plants.”

Hillock says the concept of ‘fire-wise landscaping’ can reduce the risk of fire damage by keeping an area clear of yard debris, creating fire breaks with nonflammable materials and choosing fire-resistant plants.

“The more soft tissue a plant has, the more water is in it, and it’s going to be less flammable than evergreen plants,” Hillock says. “So succulents like cacti are full of moisture. A lot of ground covers, like the sedums or stone crops, ice plant, are going to be less flammable. Deciduous trees in general would be less flammable, too.”

Pool 101:What to Know Before Taking the Leap

One way to transform a home into an oasis is by adding a pool, but the definition of ‘oasis’ means different things to different people, Hoffman says.

“Some people look at a pool as a kind of a visual asset,” he says. “Some people use the pool as big time recreation and exercise. We have done some pools that are the lap-type pools or they’ll have sun decks with them. Or they might have a hot tub feature.”

When someone is ready to put in a pool, the first things to research are the property easements, any drainage issues, and the need for any retaining walls depending on the topography of the yard, Caviness says.

“Those are the foundations needed for any good design,” she mentions.

Oklahoma Plants: What Works Best?

Native plants and flowers are always solid choices for an Oklahoma garden, since they are naturally suited to the climate.

“When we talk about 'native,' we’re usually talking about the general area or region, or North America,” says Hillock. “A lot of our landscape plants are non-natives, but many of them have been chosen from a very similar climate, so they do really well here because they are adapted to our local conditions in terms of temperatures, soil types and moisture.”

That’s important in supporting native pollinators and beneficial insects.

“We’ve seen the decline in some of our beneficial insects, and that’s one of the reasons why there’s been a push towards going native . We know that in general, those native plants are going to support our local beneficial insects.”

Some of Hillocks favorite natives are brightly colored sneezeweed; rattlesnake flower, native to the prairies; and Oklahoma’s state wildflower, the Indian Blanket.

“The next to consider is a list of features in order, a realistic budget that can include as many of the features you want, and a good working relationship with the landscaper and pool designer.”

Making a pool as maintenance-free as possible is one of Hoffman’s top tips.

“Think about how this pool can not become a burden,” he says. “There are self-cleaning systems that you can have built in that keep the pool quite clean. Bigger isn’t better with a pool. Bigger is more expensive and requires more upkeep. So make it something that works for you.”

“Rattlesnake flower is a fun perennial and very drought tolerant,” he adds. “It doesn’t look like a rattlesnake, but they say that they would use the juices from the plants to treat snake bites."

Brazilian verbena, fan flowers, firecracker flowers and Mexican zinnia are recommended for Oklahoma gardens, Hillock says.

Kelly Caviness, CEO of Caviness Landscape Design, adds that canarti junipers, multiple types of ornamental grasses, deciduous trees and smaller ornamental trees seem to still do well here. They thrive even with the late freezes Oklahoma has had in recent years.

New cultivars of deodar cedars, Kelly says, seem to do much better than in the past, when people were just planting the seedlings that came up naturally and were balled and shipped from Oregon.

Making a pool as maintenance-free as possible is a top tip of Kent Hoffman. "Think about how the pool can not become a burden," he says. "Bigger isn't better – so make it something that works for you." Photo courtesy Hoffman Group

Growing Your Own Food

For budding gardeners who love the idea of growing their own food, Hillock says to start small – "even if it’s just a container or two,” he says. “Or if you have some space in the garden, keep it small so that you can get used to it. A lot of people like to start big, and then they get overwhelmed and quit.”

Choose only the plants you know you’d like to eat.

“If you don’t like it, or nobody in your family likes it, then there’s probably no reason to grow it,” he mentions.

Growing fruits and vegetables that are specifically suited to Oklahoma’s climate, and generally easier to grow, will give gardeners an advantage.

“Peppers do really well in Oklahoma,” Hillock says. “They love the heat of the summer. Everybody loves tomatoes, but they are more of a challenge as they can be prone to disease.”

Bringing the Indoors Outside Y

Creating a Year-Round Patio

A patio that can be enjoyed year round yields a good return on investment – if it’s done right. And, says Hoffman, "it’s big on the wish list of today’s customer. We almost don’t build a home without one, and they are generally an extension of the home.”

Temperature control, no matter the season, is the foundation for making a patio enjoyable all year long.

“Fireplaces, fire pits or integrated heating systems extend the patio’s use in colder months,” Sees says, “while fans or misting systems provide relief during summer.”

Layered lighting is a design technique that incorporates different light sources, like ambient, task and accent lighting, to create a functional and appealing space.

“Combine overhead lights, lanterns and uplighting to give a versatile ambiance,” See says. “Smart lighting systems that adjust brightness and color temperature are particularly effective.”

High quality furniture covers and smart furniture choices can make entertaining both stylish and comfortable.

“Furniture covers and flow-through cushions made from outdoor-friendly fabrics," are a must, See says. “For longevity, opt for materials like teak, powder-coated aluminum or weather-resistant wicker.”

Screens and curtains can make the outdoors feel like its own room of the house, and "adding retractable screens or outdoor curtains to shield against the elements" can enhance privacy and style,” See says.

Hoffman agrees.

“You can have screens that keep the bugs out or that keep the heat in,” he says. “As they let light in, they filter the light coming into the house. You can roll from the inside of the house to the outside on pretty spring days and nice fall days. And your home grows significantly, because you now have outdoor entertainment that’s all-weather.”

See adds that installing mosquito misters or other natural plants like citronella can keep the patio comfortable and bug-free throughout the year.

The experts agree: When growing your own food, start small – even if it's just a container or two. Photos by Mitchell Alcala, OSU Agriculture

A REAL ESTATE RUNDOWN

If you’re aiming to buy or sell a home this year, experts are ready to help.

We discuss ways to raise your home’s value, take a peek at the market trends for the year, offer advice on cutting down on the chaos and itemize the costs involved in buying or selling.

By Faith Harl

RAISING YOUR HOME’S VALUE

You may have made your house a home since purchasing it. But when it comes time to sell, you’ll need to look at it critically in order to raise that asking price.

“Do your very best to see your house through someone else’s eyes,” advises Blake Loveless, co-owner of and real estate agent at Walter and Associates in Tulsa.

Most sellers need to do some repairs and staging before putting a home on the market. However, it’s important to be deliberate in the changes you make; personalized amenities and fixtures may ward off buyers instead of

increasing the value of your home as anticipated.

Repainting your home in neutral colors and replacing dated carpeting can help brighten the space and make it feel move-in ready.

“A simple approach to decorating and setting up for showings is usually beneficial,” explains Taylor Chinowth, vice president at Chinowth & Cohen Realtors. “It’s much easier for buyers to see their own furniture and decorations in the space and not get distracted by what the seller has there.”

First impressions matter – so focus your efforts on your home’s curb appeal and entrance.

“Statistically, buyers make an emotional decision if they want a house within 30 seconds of walking into the front door,” says Leland Chinowth, president at Chinowth & Cohen. “They spend the rest of the showing trying to justify that gut feeling.”

The data agrees. According to the 2024 Cost vs. Value Report from the Journal of Light Construction, the two home projects that deliver the highest returns are garage door and entry door replacements. Both improvements recoup nearly 200% of the job costs.

If your house doesn’t need significant repairs, upgrading commonly used spaces, such as the kitchen and bathrooms, is another good strategy. And the changes don’t have to be drastic –small finishing touches, such as updating the light fixtures, repainting cabinets and replacing fixtures can have a transformative effect.

MARKET TRENDS FOR 2025

For the last couple of years, buyers have been at a disadvantage, with historically low inventory and elevated mortgage rates. Younger generations are finding it difficult to become homeowners, and older generations are staying put rather than downsizing.

The lack of housing options can be attributed to multiple factors. First, developers face red tape with restrictive zoning laws, and smaller houses are usually not profitable enough to justify building.

Second, large corporations and investors have been acquiring single family homes more aggressively. In fact, investors purchased over 26% of affordable homes that were sold in the U.S. in the fourth quarter of 2023, a record high.

“When that happens, those properties rarely go back on the market,” explains Susan Beach, principal broker at Keller Williams Advantage in Tulsa. “It would take 20 years for new construction to make up the loss of inventory that we have suffered since 2008. That’s just the reality.”

Despite these factors, the real estate market is expected to gradually shift this coming year. Home sales are expected to rise as buyers become more acclimated to 6-7% mortgage rates.

“It’s a baseline that we’ve had for many years through the 2000s,” says Leland Chinowth. “Historically, what we’re at now is a really good rate for buyers.”

Home prices are projected to climb a percentage point above inflation rates through 2029, giving homeowners peace of mind in maintaining the value of their home. Further, Oklahoma home values tend to remain more stable compared to home values in coastal cities.

“While the rapid growth between 2020 and 2022 may make the current market feel slower and interest rates seem higher, this is actually a balanced, healthy market,” says Lindsey Schlomann, executive vice president and Oklahoma principal broker at McGraw Realtors. “It is a great time to buy or sell real estate.”

CUTTING DOWN ON THE CHAOS

For most people, their home is their biggest financial investment. Stress can be expected whether you’re buying or selling, and unexpected challenges are bound to happen. However, there are common mistakes you can avoid.

For buyers, the most important thing to do is to get pre-approved for a loan before shopping for homes.

“A lot of times, people will get too far down the road and then find there’s some surprise with their finances,” says Loveless. “That causes more stress than anything.”

Making a house wish list can also help you narrow your search. Determine exactly what you need versus what you want.

“A common mistake for both buyers and sellers is the inability to compromise, often stemming from unrealistic expectations,” explains Schlomann. “Challenges will arise, and it’s important for both parties to approach the process with a clear, level-headed mindset.”

Sellers can benefit from hiring a real estate listing consultant, especially if they need to sell their house by a certain date. A listing consultant helps price your home competitively and prepare it for showings.

Most buyers will set up a home inspection after making an offer. To avoid surprises, consider getting an inspection before listing your home.

For sellers, the bottom line of an offer takes priority – but consider who the buyers are.

“I put a lot of weight in the solidity of the buyer,” says Loveless. “[Having] a good, honest relationship between everyone is very calming.”

CLOSING TABLE TERMS

Closing is the final step, when home ownership is legally transferred between parties. Here are a few terms that you’ll probably hear in this leg of the process.

• Closing disclosure: A document that includes all the details of the home loan, including fees, closing costs, the interest rate and projected monthly payments.

• Cash to close: The total amount of money that the buyer must bring to the closing table to finalize the sale.

• Escrow agreement: A legally binding agreement that determines how assets, which are held in an escrow account, will be managed by a third-party agent.

• Underwriting: The process of researching a buyer’s finances, creditworthiness and employment history to determine if they can repay a home loan.

• Contingencies: Conditions made by the buyer that must be met before finalizing the sale.

• Annual percentage rate (APR): The yearly cost of the loan, including interest, origination fees and closing costs.

• Inspection: An evaluation of the home’s condition that generally happens after an offer.

TIPS & KNOWLEDGE FROM THE PROS

Choose your real estate agent wisely.

1 2 3

“You need to be able to trust your agent and communicate with them… You want an agent that tells you the truth, not just what you want to hear,” advises Loveless.

Taylor Chinowth continues: “One thing that can differentiate one Realtor from another is their local knowledge. Find someone that knows your local area, your market and the school districts nearby,” he says.

Borrow from a local lender.

“I’ve seen people regret just taking the bottomdollar on rates, because it can end up causing problems later if the lender doesn’t know the market or understand Oklahoma laws,” shares Loveless.

Beach echoes this sentiment. “You want to be with a local, reputable lender – no faceless organizations. You want to choose people who have reputations, and you’ve got to be comfortable with them.”

THE COSTS OF SELLING A HOUSE

According to U.S. News and World Report, sellers typically pay 10-15% of their home’s sales price in selling costs. Keep the following costs in mind for your budget.

• Real estate agent commissions tend to be the biggest expense for sellers. According to data collected from Clever, an online real estate education resource, the average commission rate for Oklahoma realtors is 5.68%.

• The principal balance on your home loan may not be the same as the mortgage payoff amount, which includes interest fees and prepayment penalties. You can request the payoff amount from your lender.

• Getting your home professionally staged will cost extra. The average staging costs in 2025 ranged between $837-$2,924 based on data from HomeAdvisor.

• If your home value has appreciated, you may need to pay capital gains tax on profits from the sale, which is taxed the same as income. Some homeowners are exempt from this tax under the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997.

• Sellers are responsible for closing costs, too. Average closing costs for sellers are 8-10% of the home’s sales price, according to Zillow.

• Moving costs and home repairs aren’t always avoidable. Factor both costs in your bottom line when considering offers.

Owning a home in Oklahoma comes with advantages.

“Oklahoma homes aren’t just budget-friendly; they’re designed with space and comfort in mind. Many properties feature large lots or expansive parcels of land, perfect for growing families or those seeking room to spread out,” says Schlomann.

Leland Chinowth adds: “You can buy a house here and safely rely on it gradually increasing in value over time. By the time you’re ready to sell, it’s worth more than you bought it for.”

THE COSTS OF BUYING A HOUSE

Most buyers are aware that they’ll need to save up for a down payment when purchasing a home, but there are more expenses beyond that. Know exactly what you need to save to secure your dream home.

• The amount you’ll need on a down payment for a home will depend on the home’s sales price, the type of loan you select, and your credit score. Conventional loans require at least 3% of the sales price.

• In the past, sellers were responsible for paying commission to their agent and the buyers. However, buyers may be responsible for negotiating and paying their agent fees now, following a settlement related to commissions in 2024.

• Closing costs include origination fees, title fees, underwriting fees, prepaid interest, mortgage insurance and other expenses. On average, buyers pay between 3-5% of the loan in closing costs.

• Appraisal and home inspection fees can vary but generally cost several hundred dollars each.

• Earnest money helps a buyer secure a home by showing their interest to the seller. These funds are deposited into an escrow account until the home sale is finalized. A typical earnest payment ranges from 1-10% of the sales price, and the funds are applied to the down deposit at closing.

TOP REAL ESTATE AGENTS LISTINGS

Oklahoma’s real estate agents are helping clients buy and sell their homes like pros – but some are a cut above the rest. Oklahoma Magazine’s Top Real Estate Agents listing gives firms of all sizes the chance to recognize their agents, showcasing their total volumes for 2024. All sales volume numbers come directly from their respective real estate agencies.

TULSA

Accent Realtors (Teams)

Paul Wheeler

918-665-8559

$27,300,000

Cenury 21 –Around the State (Individuals)

Suehzen Mosley Mosley Real EstateChickasha 405-222-8625

$13,344,267

April Vaughn

First Choice Realty - Tulsa

918-696-1617

$10,959,700

Cheri Hutson

First Choice Realty - Coweta

918-232-2432

$10,952,400

Justin Young

First Choice Realty - Fort Gibson

918-820-2946

$10,058,900

Monica Medley

First Choice RealtyMuskogee

918-704-5101

$9,003,063

Tresa Hunter

First Choice Realty - Tulsa

918-640-6375

$8,548,185

Amanda Curtsinger

First Choice Realty - Tulsa

918-822-1146

$8,039,310

Eric Sherwood

First Choice Realty - Tulsa

918-829-4747

$7,847,120

Michelle Young

First Choice Realty - Gore

918-260-0101

$7,755,500

Huiyang (April) Gao

First Choice Realty - Moore

316-821-1788

$7,688,520

Starla Gaddy

First Choice Realty - Elgin

580-514-6703

$7,576,399

Cindi Knippers

First Choice RealtyCoweta

918-694-8920

$6,637,300

Dana Cramer

First Choice Realty - Tulsa

405-882-2957

$6,170,642

Tyler Messec

First Choice Realty - Moore

405-905-9014

$5,859,352

Carla Weaver

First Choice Realty - Elgin

580-280-0715

$5,766,600

Sarah Payne First Choice RealtyCoweta

918-760-7340

$5,348,200

Jeff Holmes

First Choice RealtyCoweta

918-200-5362

$5,260,650

Chelsey Seibold

First Choice Realty - Elgin

580-678-7105

$5,138,800

Sharon Ford

First Choice Realty - Gore

928-300-4567

$5,000,575

Patsy Clinkenbeard

First Choice Realty - Fort Gibson 918-869-7504

$4,942,820

Chinowth and Cohen Realtors (Individuals)

Shawn Peters

918-808-2239

$26,081,260

Amy Prosser

918-805-9713

$18,574,510

Brad Borem

918-605-6086

$17,849,171

Carrie DeWeese

918-605-6172

$17,670,799

Gayle Roberts-Pisklo

918-269-7035

$15,474,472

Kay Sullivan

918-924-2405

$15,030,157

Missy Hagin-Pittman

918-955-8626

$14,046,300

Val Gaudet

918-605-7823

$13,622,536

Kristee Barlow

415-316-6080

$13,488,900

Taylor Bay 918-770-5721

$13,194,041

Melissa Mansfield

918-808-0075

$13,099,635

Kristi Reed

918-260-5200

$12,369,023

Jen Miller-Morrow

918-638-7653

$12,310,381

Tonya Ellison

918-277-3774

$12,303,415

Natalie Richardson

918-409-8497

$11,700,058

Keli Smith

918-706-3593

$10,366,800

Suzy Genet

918-809-8296

$10,265,206

Jennifer Robertson

918-688-1539

$9,787,000

Megan Forehand

918-906-0885

$9,745,559

Chinowth and Cohen Realtors (Teams)

True & Co. Group

Brandi True

918-688-4581

$31,687,425

Alli Hayes Real Estate Group

Alli Hayes

918-855-5868

$15,954,855

Tiffany Johnson Homes

Tiffany Johnson

918-671-4263

$14,803,745

The Hand Team

Cindy Hand

918-724-1089

$8,480,537

Homestead Group

Heather Johnson

918-720-2464

$7,893,988

The Ford Group

Jessica Ford

918-402-1813

$6,932,660

The Watts Team

Theresa Watts

918-521-7406

$6,650,590

Main Event Properties

Mike Hughes

918-639-5858

$5,619,150

Butler Team

Tina Butler

918-740-1000

$5,481,759

Highline Realty

Barbara Munter

918-899-4042

$5,139,000

Pat & Samantha O’Connor Team

Pat O’Connor

918-693-2455

$3,749,990

Elias Home Team

Trae Elias

918-576-8891

$3,115,490

Harwell Home Team

Susan Harwell

918-863-7000

$2,720,569

Martin Properties

Barbara Martin

918-520-4342

$2,087,500

Jessica Hamilton

479-252-1991

$8,247,000

Coldwell Banker –Around the State (Teams)

The G7 Group

Gregory Ganzkow 918-381-5656

$63,914,000

The Rainwater Team

Josh Rainwater 918-852-8500

$39,950,000

The Jenkins Team

Laurie Jenkins

918-951-4663

$30,770,000

The Tulsa Senior Lifestyle Group

Michele Travis

918-810-1971

$1,113,500

The C & J Home Team

Christy Farmer

918-260-3620

$835,000

It’s YOUR Move Home Team

Melinda Gilbert

918-899-7472

$559,000

Coldwell Banker

Select – Around the State (Individuals)

Maria Chupp

918-697-6589

$21,234,000

Kristin Winton

918-346-9213

$18,162,000

David Roberts

918-695-6979

$17,838,000

Jeanette Bagrosky

918-810-6034

$16,659,000

Suzanne Mobley

918-808-5576

$14,717,000

Michelle Jansen

918-884-5531

$13,421,000

Tamela McSwain

405-230-0613

$11,989,000

Sally Mulready

918-629-9897

$11,749,000

Caroline Gorinsky-Huesler

918-607-7315

$11,289,000

Kimberly Brewer

918-370-8147

$10,793,000

Christine Swart

918-698-3261

$10,178,000

Paula McGuire

918-625-1750

$10,120,000

Roger McClure 918-361-9724

$9,997,000

Ashley Wozniak

918-232-8052

$9,499,000

Janice Koss 918-694-9918

$9,155,000

Teresa Favors

405-640-4700

$9,130,000

Michelle Bradshaw

918-271-7355

$9,094,700

John Pellow

918-697-5237

$9,729,000

Amy Main

918-720-4010

$8,476,000

Chris Zinn

918-380-3599

$7,292,235

Nicole Dawson

918-731-2998

$4,359,580

Rachel Bjelke

918-347-1054

$1,645,781

Soledad Trevino

918-626-1733

$1,071,800

Engel & Volkers

Tulsa (Teams)

Chris Zinn Group

Chris Zinn

918-262-4030

$31,124,599

Maureen Kile Team

Maureen Kile 918-605-4150

$27,958,000

McGuire Cooley Team

Deborah McGuire

918-695-9711

$25,983,000

Alice Slemp Team

Alice Slemp 918-260-3735

$25,899,000

Jeb Perry Team

Jeb Perry

918-284-0664

$24,860,000

Alicia Parker Team

Alicia Parker 918-231-5995

$20,242,000

Jay Miller Team

Jay Miller

918-230-9876

$19,259,000

Trish Allison Team

Trish Allison 918-260-7653

$18,536,000

Beverly Jeanes Team

Beverly Jeanes 918-931-9434

$16,036,700

Pollard/Sams Team

Jenni Pollard

918-625-0351

$15,984,000

Kevin Rhoades Team

Kevin Rhoades 918-260-9072

$15,141,000

RCL RedDoor Group

Katherine Cook

918-693-3900

$14,446,000

Corrie Egge Team

Corrie Egge 918-230-8433

$14,355,000

Martin Bakovic Team

Tiffany Martin

918-852-2326

$12,062,000

The BK Team

Brian Kirk 918-869-7080

$11,165,000

Bonnie & Chantal Gross

Team

Bonnie Gross 918-695-8487

$9,842,000

Wilbourn Realty Group

Jessica Wilbourn 918-798-1808

$9,275,000

Turn Key Realty Group

Kelli Belvins 918-313-0241

$9,084,000

Engel & Volkers

Tulsa (Individuals)

Taylor Zinn 918-995-4172

$16,755,203

eXp Realty (Teams)

The Collective Real Estate Group at eXp Realty

Jaybee Hawkins 918-212-6506

$70,000,000

Keller Williams Advantage (Individuals)

Andrea Pinney

918-644-9950

$18,909,800

Kara Folkins

918-636-4628

$16,681,017

Carol Pankey-Davis 918-698-9939

$14,268,908

Michelle Akers

405-269-3316

$13,940,938

Jamie Goodnight 918-510-0887

$12,166,025

Amy Cavallin 918-760-9058

$12,128,009

Jen Sanders 918-829-5200

$10,164,091

May West Harrison

918-697-2733

$9,670,600

Kathryn French 918-720-5663

$9,283,573

Elizabeth Beaubien 918-408-0270

$9,215,125

Holly Berry

918-781-2563

$8,650,772

Braxton Thomas 918-520-9566

$8,503,340

Kevin Beaty

918-916-5067

$8,322,800

Dathel Golden 918-810-4530

$8,239,583

Nathan Araskog

918-607-6850

$6,774,000

Kenny Tate 918-607-6194

$6,327,690

JoAnna Blackstock 918-260-2838

$6,249,501

Chelsea Meek 918-640-5018

$5,784,745

Susan Olivarez 918-639-4824

$5,299,663

Lacey Prevett 918-650-2550

$5,262,300

Keller Williams Realty Advantage (Teams)

Teams of two are denoted with an asterisk*

Ary Land Co

Drew Ary, Eric Zellers

918-884-5263

918-691-7007

$123,562,170

The Wolek Group

Jennie Wolek

918-706-9846

$33,852,522

Amber Davis Home Team

Amber Davis

918-521-8417

$31,766,463

Aussie Real Estate Team

Kasia Olek

918-282-3451

$29,155,635

Heckenkemper Team

Max Heckenkemper

918-381-8883

$28,798,030

Jessica Scott & Associates

Jessica Scott

918-361-0104

$28,455,544

Pritchett Team

Apryl Prittchett

580-239-2689

$17,514,042

BayneBrook Group

Holly Baynebrook

918-409-2762

$17,208,259

Elite One Realty

Kim Cruse, Linda Hughes

918-906-9439

918-698-3214

$14,256,411

*Underhill-Miller Homes

Angela Miller, Ricky Underhill

918-688-8883

918-812-1004

$13,746,450

*MB Real Estate Team

Michelle Bausch, Raynece Million

918-645-6676

918-814-1870

$8,697,946

*Proffit Premier Home Team

Jackie Proffit

918-605-9707

$6,677,250

*Dream Maker Homes

Cindy Quinton, Alicia Skaggs

918-948-5666

918-429-9890

$5,699,500

The Gobbo Group

Keely Gobbo

918-640-4867

918-810-4630

$5,620,800

*DeJournett Property Group

Kara and Jeremy DeJournett

918-568-2173

918-720-9010

$5,121,700

*Homes the Wright Way

Denise Wright

918-951-0694

$5,111,100

*Olson Realty Team

Nicky Olson

918-691-5353

$4,924,379

*Thorn Home Team

Lara Thorn

918-798-8073

$4,452,700

*Bertotti Team

Tony Bertotti

918-520-7428

$4,081,500

*Peck Real Estate

Priscilla Peck

918-645-6633

$3,963,630

*The Scardino Team

Jeff Scardino

918-857-8366

$3,253,000

Keller Williams Realty Preferred (Individuals)

Tina Bell

918-853-2412

$14,665,187

Kristin Bell

918-636-0799

$13,653,227

Caleb Branham

918-839-3460

$10,933,150

Chet Wilson

918-691-2898

$10,646,549

Kurt Hantwerker

918-607-0208

$6,643,504

Richard Thompson

918-230-4566

$6,555,334

Heidi McMurray

918-313-1786

$6,537,100

Cheryl Wackenhuth

918-798-3593

$5,860,060

Ronda Butler

918-361-6231

$5,721,569

Anita Broyles

918-421-1615

$5,580,060

Jerid Cook

918-221-4481

$5,445,702

Pam Willson 918-237-1265

$5,340,150

Dawn Harvey

918-852-7242

$4,880,900

Haiden Davis

918-671-6680

$4,767,699

Raymond Morris 918-237-5006

$4,085,500

Christian Teague 918-340-1717

$4,033,731

Keller Williams Realty Preferred (Teams)

Teams of two are denoted with an asterisk*

The Rentz Team

Mark Rentz

918-859-5840

$67,660,151

Ellis Real Estate Group

Tracy Ellis 918-809-0112

$58,267,912

Brian Frere Home Team

Brian Frere

918-298-6900

$40,157,679

*Summer Ratlaff Team

Summer Ratlaff

918-850-6306

$22,288,518

*The Cochran Team

Austin Cochran

918-697-3889

$20,430,579

Hometown Home & Ranch

Cody Capell

918-413-0075

$17,422,325

The Ashley Group

Ashley Elizando

918-894-3434

$13,245,900

*Biersdorfer-McCoy Team

Emma Biersdorfer

720-490-3418

$9,845,153

Big Guy Home Team

Dustin Moseley

918-549-0303

$9,220,900

*Julie Hill Team

Julie Hill

918-760-6565

$7,152,383

*The Kaiser Team

John Kaiser

918-798-5552

$5,277,751

*Tom O’Stasik Team

Tom O’Stasik

918-417-2442

$5,203,650

Tulsa Premier Home Team

James Sumter

918-805-9315

$7,068,500

Cody Young Team

Cody Young

918-402-3376

$4,465,300

Keller

Williams

Premier – Owasso (Individuals)

Juli Sunday Edwards

918-260-7661

$14,290,501

Holly Bolay-Aldrich

918-724-5439

$11,302,521

Darren DeLozier

918-530-5167

$11,140,899

Jody Grubbs

918-798-7271

$11,119,975

Yer Thao

918-313-1005

$7,816,849

Kevin Abbott

918-244-9706

$6,779,660

Tara Hargrove

918-521-9475

$5,992,060

Kim Cox

918-724-0884

$5,433,800

Melissa Ehrhart

918-606-7400

$4,951,390

Karen Wells

918-698-9382

$4,532,900

Silvia Cuellar

918-327-2353

$4,425,850

Lana Hodge

918-606-1133

$4,379,545

Kellie Bland Dixon

918-961-9052

$4,271,250

Keller Williams Premier – Owasso (Teams)

Shields & Company

Jackie Shields

918-798-5581

$32,448,440

March

Colt Realty Group

Austen Colt

918-808-7522

$16,951,897

Dailey Properties

Ashley Crawford Dailey, Brittani Carns

918-760-1487

$15,308,939

First Family Home Team

Julie Villanella, Lynn Vandeventer

918-633-6895

$10,864,640

Real Estate By the Heart Group

Sara Alexander

918-557-9062

$6,828750

Five Star Group

Ronica Warden

918-636-9529

$6,754,200

Hill Property Network

Mark and Tara Hill

918-557-4733

$4,967,375

McGraw Realtors – Around the State (Individuals)

Curt Roberts

918-231-0691

$37,000,000

Laura Bryant

918-693-2961

$33,000,000

Mike Keys

918-808-4780

$26,000,000

Belinda Tucker

918-698-4418

$25,000,000

Angela Cozort

918-202-3675

$19,000,000

Rachel Close

918-698-2896

$16,000,000

Laura Hawkins

918-260-7885

$16,000,000

Tammy Ryan

405-226-5758

$14,000,000

Lewanna Shaw

918-409-3968

$13,000,000

Jamie Calkins

918-693-3183

$12,000,000

Diana Riley Patterson

918-629-3717

$12,000,000

Sue Ann Blair

918-813-3477

$11,000,000

Misti Aduddell

405-550-8334

$11,000,000

Anna Brooks

918-344-2275

$10,000,000

David Palik

918-812-2757

$9,000,000

Brian Dausses

McGraw Realtors –Around the State (Teams)

Hawes, Houchin, & Collins

Pam Hawes

918-640-7834

$54,000,000

Laura Grunewald & Associates

Laura Grunewald

918-734-0695

$41,000,000

Burns Home Team

Don Burns

918-607-2434

$37,000,000

Rise Home Group

Brent Clark

918-804-4101

$35,000,000

Luxe Real Estate Team

Chris Noel 918-740-2103

$33,000,000

Bingham, Case,Lassman

Mickie Bingham

918-746-4640

$25,000,000

Ragan Group

Josh Ragan

918-629-4656

$22,000,000

Jeffrey Williams Real Estate Team

Jeffrey Williams

405-699-2676

$22,000,000

The Vermillion Group

Janet Vermillion 918-230-1915

$21,000,000

Woodward Group

Brenda Woodward 918-629-3965

$19,000,000

Bradshaw Group

Jake Bradshaw

918-857-1900

$18,000,000

Lawrence Roberts Real Estate Team

Courtney Roberts

918-914-0243

$15,000,000

Team Smucker

John Smucker

918-261-7355

$14,000,000

OKC Home Sellers Team

Bill Wilson 405-570-7398

$14,000,000

Carter Real Estate Team

Pamala Carter 918-695-1697

$12,000,000

Tempe, Leslie, & Shana Real

Estate Team

Tempe Perreira

405-822-0100

$12,000,000

The Frank Greer Team

Frank Greer 405-354-5416

$12,000,000

Leah Brown Homes Team

Leah Brown

405-414-2433

$12,000,000

Henson Home Team

Jeff Henson

702-250-3092

RE/MAX Results (Individuals)

Kelly Kilmer

918-808-6621

$25,091,545

Kevin Lynch

918-214-3700

$22,199,252

Brett Friesen

918-955-8336

$17,143,688

James Wood

918-934-8777

$12,224,841

Jennifer Sarracino

918-636-6083

$12,078,300

Amy Whitmarsh

918-851-9583

$11,727,000

Marie McManus

918-607-7975

$11,344,500

Lee Ann Pierce

918-397-0700

$10,106,890

Shannon Vaughn

918-813-0119

$9,503,150

John Broostin

918-859-2453

$9,348,523

Anne Gift

918-645-7676

$8,540,285

Rosetta Britton

918-688-5171

$7,358,672

Christina Shortsleeve

918-605-7819

$7,339,814

Robert Smith

918-519-4226

$7,143,650

Kath Williams

918-924-7171

$7,118,040

Kim Parker

918-231-2224

$7,055,000

Tonya Jarvis

918-527-4290

$6,963,490

Melissa Gardner

918-284-7432

$5,782,653

Tami McInnis

918-409-6218

$5,760,542

Walter & Associates (Individuals)

Peter Walter

918-688-1260

Blake Loveless

918-645-4662

Marlene Boyd

918-645-3918

Holly Lehman

918-810-0801

Barbara Winder

918-625-4811

Kate Howell

918-519-5703

Franky Neal

918-625-2101

Jeff Thomas

918-740-1858

Dan Martin

918-284-9845

OKC

Anna Brown

918-630-2662

$12,257,490

Carrie Nowlin

405-209-8864

$8,366,450

Monty Milburn

405-412-7335

$7,747,400

Philip Churchill

405-250-1281

$6,095,000

Jayne Smith

405-919-4820

$5,335,750

Cathy McCown

405-833-8913

$4,675,700

Ann Salyer Cox

405-202-2822

$4,562,000

Khari McVey

918-894-8448

$4,003,800

Sharlene Welch

405-740-5284

$3,914,893

Penelope Keener

405-361-3230

$3,902,648

Susan Munkres

405-209-4540

$3,615,200

Kelsey Webb 405-308-7302

$3,508,500

Heston Bush

580-399-6379

$3,436,100

Jennifer Lacatus 405-250-6999

$3,312,300

Chip Chipman 405-834-3482

$3,186,366

Leslie Lynn 405-627-9153

$3,151,400

Brenda Craiger

405-919-9125

$3,129,100

Shera Cox

405-315-2167

$2,946,500

Chinowth and Cohen Realtors (Teams)

Karen Blevins Group

Karen Blevins

405-203-4663

$93,126,392

Chris George Homes

Chris George 405-627-0801

$25,865,530

The Denner Group

Amy Denner 405-826-5717

$9,778,023

Craig McDonald Real Estate Group

Lindsey Craig 405-830-5602

$9,347,963

Cathy Pritchard & Judy Bachman Team

Cathy Pritchard

405-740-9398

$4,990,340

J & M Team

Jena Hunter

580-484-1758

Engel & Volkers

OKC (Individuals)

Joy Baresel 405-826-7465

$25,370,300

Charli Bullard

405-414-6215

$22,041,690

Britta Thrift 405-821-2313

$11,768,250

Russ and Carlene Rupp

405-888-8701

$11,421,978

Deanna Cardenas

405-209-5335

$7,650,388

Chaz Farrell 405-435-0566

$6,692,075

Keller Williams Elite (Individuals)

Leesa Williams

405-205-0867

$22,771,132

Darian Woolbright 405-887-3007

$20,607,134

Simon Shingleton 405-314-7856

$16,446,837

Blake Shelton 405-819-0037

$15,572,673

Christie Davis 405-326-2566

$13,786,527

Joey Keck 405-426-7567

$12,988,600

Tania Lavi 405-476-5284

$11,598,525

Danny DeKinder 405-922-3611

$11,207,683

Kacie Kinney 405-760-3455

$10,461,200

Ginger Richey 918-801-2219

$10,287,000

Melissa Barnett 405-834-9145

$10,011,100

Markus Smith 405-443-6783

$9,781,197

Shelby Cummings 405-641-5120

$9,712,830

Laura Lechtenberg

405-802-0918

$9,232,206

Colette Naff 405-921-2567

$9,138,949

Amber Waswo 405-816-5306

$9,098,052

Jim Miller

405-637-7960

$8,339,740

Lauren Wright

405-406-4899

$7,861,289

Keller Williams Elite –(Teams) VA Home Team

Benjamin Tubbs 405-808-7030

$41,784,794

Y.O.U.R. Home Team

Nicole Sell

405-401-5994

$22,641,100

Five C Properties

Brent Holiday

405-788-1708

$19,912,893

Andrade Realty Group

Athen Andrade 972-786-3543

$16,397,867

Schroder Real Estate Group

Denise Schroder 405-757-3207

$12,777,000

The W Real Estate Team

Jared Wooten 316-992-2786

$11,731,072

The Melissa Sharp Team Melissa Sharp 405-213-5147

$11,492,985

Tom Hall Group

Tom Hall

405-209-9612

$11,159,776

Pepper Rohr Team Pepper Rohr 405-326-9144

$11,126,709

The OKC Real Estate Team Rick and Patricia Ayling 405-641-5012

$10,298,250

Good Move

Brad and Rachel Boone 405-657-8944

$10,031,875

Empire Realty

Sheryl Underhill

405-308-2769

$9,363,865

SF Homes

Lauren Sargeant 405-812-1204

$8,564,471

OK HOME CO

Taylor Williams 405-308-8462

$7,720,518

AC Group

Allison Christian 580-475-8343

$5,532,950

$10,000,000

918-703-0446

$8,000,000

Georgia Ernst

918-284-0341

$8,000,000

OWN

Tulsa

Dustin Thames

918-998-4410

Chinowth and Cohen Realtors (Individuals)

Mandy Renee

405-514-9397

$20,228,861

$4,930,070

Grigg & Burke Property Group

Cory Grigg 405-613-3008

$153,884

Phillip Kitchen 405-519-0250

$8,931,375

Cassidy Johnson 405-606-1914

$8,564,500

The Purpose Driven Team Chequita Hawkins 405-826-2045

$5,172,328

Heritage Home Realty

Ethan Patton 405-924-0506

$3,100,090

McMurray Heidi

With Heidi as your partner in real estate, ALL roads lead to home.

Offering over three decades of experience and successes, Heidi has accumulated over $60 million in recent production as a solo agent – often out-producing entire realty teams. She continues to be a top-tier expert in both commercial & residential markets, meeting the needs of her clients, buyers and sellers alike.

Heidi’s expertise is vast, ranging from new construction and resale to renovations and interior design. Working with a wide variety of clientele, she consistently achieves Top Agent awards for production volume in properties sold.

A trusted guide, Heidi harbors a keen understanding of microeconomic factors impacting the Oklahoma markets including shifting realty values, mortgage rate and finance options, hot selling metro locations and consumer motivations.

“It is difficult for locals to imagine how much our market is changing, but Tulsa is becoming a rockstar choice amongst families across the U.S. We are experiencing historical growth – a reverse migration back to the Heartland,” she says.

“WE MAY BEGIN OUR JOURNEY IN REAL ESTATE, BUT MY GOAL IS TO END AS FRIENDS!” - HEIDI

Continuously offering her time and energy, Heidi boasts an extensive professional network streamlining the sales process from the early stages of preparing to list, with proven results at the closing table. She is dedicated to a seamless experience, lifting the many stressors which accompany making a big local or out-ofstate move.

Heidi strives for a five-star day at the closing table, which she achieves through her sharp ability to negotiate and her passion for exceeding expectations.

“I love people and to serve families; there is nothing more rewarding than to watch dreams unfold and people’s lives change for the better – there’s NO place like HOME!” she explains.

Whether that dream is to live in South Tulsa or Midtown, or enjoy sprawling acreage where “the wind comes sweeping down the plains,” Heidi’s desire is to make her client’s dream come true.

Heidi received her bachelor’s degree in business from Oral Roberts University and after graduating, got her Oklahoma license in 1991.

Food Scene

In an ever-changing culinary landscape, it can be hard to keep track of Oklahoma’s newest restaurants. We review a handful of dazzling standouts that opened in the last year or so.

By Brian Schwartz

Perle Mesta, OKC

Photo courtesy Perle Mesta

TULSA

cheever’S

Everybody loves Cheever’s. Its pleasant dining room screams elegance and fine dining, and so does the food. But it’s a comfortable place to be, and that, plus the warm welcome, will delight diners. The food, though refined and beautifully plated, will appeal to those who delight in comfort food. After all, their most famous entree is chicken-fried steak – and it’s delicious.

The PUmP

It’s bright, it’s brash, it’s splashy, it’s as full of energy as a 1950’s cartoon. (And, in fact, 1950’s cartoons and pop icons inspire much of its decor.)

“My love language is celebration,” says the owner, Hailey McDermid. The drinks – which are the restaurant’s main focus – are glorious, served in pint glasses full of fruit and color and swirling flavors. The food complements the prevailing mood; a sandwich named after Elvis has peanut butter with bananas Foster flambeed in the kitchen, but is also meticulously prepared by barbecue whiz Justin Carroll and his staff.

PriSm cAFe

Aimee Hunter came to Tulsa on a whim. She had done the New York restaurant scene with panache, creating pop-up picnics in Central Park. She’d cooked for ranch hands on a big Colorado spread. She came to Tulsa for a week, fell in love, and hasn’t left. She set up a communal garden in the mansion-studded heights north of downtown, and then a restaurant to go with it. There are lunchtime sandwiches made with whatever her farmer friends grow, and occasional dinner pop-ups that might be inspired by the cuisine of Oaxaca, Lebanon or who knows where. “I want to make things people will be excited to eat,” she says.

BAronS on 1ST

Justin Donaldson has worked for some of New York’s most revered chefs, but fortunately for us, he’s Oklahoma born – and Barons in downtown Tulsa is where he’s come home to roost. The dishes he serves, and their quality, reflect all his rarefied career experiences. Soups, a mix of swirling colors and surprising flavors, are poured tableside. Lamb rack is cooked to perfection and elegantly plated, with mushroom fricassee, smoked cabbage and a rich demi-glace. After trying some foie gras “lollipops,” you might opt for black cod tandoori, with coconut and curried lentils. All dishes pair well with one of beverage director Alex Calderwood’s fresh, vibrant drinks, many created with house-made shrubs.

Barons on 1st, Tulsa

Photo courtesy Barons

The Pump, Tulsa Photo by Jessica Karin

Cheever's, Tulsa

Photo courtesy Cheever's

Prism Cafe, Tulsa Photo by Cloey O'Connell

The avery KiTChen & Bar

Sunday breakfast? Tuesday lunch? Monday late-night dinner? The Avery is open to serve you. This newly renovated restaurant inside the downtown Hyatt Regency is named after Cyrus Avery, instrumental in building Route 66, and has a menu inspired by the cities the Mother Road passes through. There’s an Italian beef sandwich for Chicago and green chili stew for New Mexico, as well as many other dishes, such as ginger-crusted halibut with lime pineapple ponzu.

O•K•C

Tiny BuBBles

This pleasant, Mediterranean-inspired space welcomes all, whether you’re in search of a $3 beer or a $300 bottle of cabernet. It’s meant to be fun. It’s run by Jeremiah and Brandi Esterline, longtime restaurant workers who, during COVID, decided to create their own business. For years, they ran a wine cart at the farmers market. Their new brick-and-mortar space focuses on wine, but there’s also cocktails and beer, as well as food offerings including kofta skewers, seared tuna with chimichurri and a stunning charcuterie board.

The GOOse

Sandwiches! Beers! Cocktails! Those are the first words you see when you open the Goose’s website, and that’s what you get in this big modern dining space, whimsically decorated with a mural of a hat-wearing Labrador. Italian heroes, New Orleans muffaletta, corned beef – there are lots of great options. There are also vegan offerings such as a cucumber-pepper sandwich held together with hummus. Plus hot sandwiches (fried chicken!), burgers and salads. And, as advertised, lots of beers and cocktails to choose from.

COpper dOMe

Like Cheever’s, Copper Dome will please all diners, but on different days. Thursdays are Bento Night, a cocktail and small bite evening featuring a limited menu of eclectic bar foods. Friday and Saturday feature a $90, seven-course tasting menu. The complex, labor-intensive, meticulously thought out and carefully plated dishes rival any fine dining establishment in Tulsa. But the staff – three young, passionate chefs – know what it’s like to be on a budget, so on Sundays, they offer a more casual spread: $28 for all-you-can-eat.

Malfi

enOTeCa

Malfi is a bright, cheerful, brand-new restaurant on Brookside with glamorous movie star photos, candy striped walls and delicious food. It’s a collaboration between Elliot Nelson of McNellie’s and Sheamus Feeley, the man behind downtown Tulsa’s Mexican staple, Noche. The chef, Joe Schnell, spent three years working at Quince, a Michelin three-star restaurant in San Francisco. You’d expect great food from this impressive lineup, and Malfi delivers. There are decadent, delicious pastas such as tagliatelle Bolognese and bucatini with basil cream and whipped burrata, as well as entrees like wine-braised short rib. Try the ricotta cake drenched in a rich cream sauce for dessert.

Birdies

Kevin Lee, in his words, “dropped out of school and started cooking at 18 and never looked back.” For years, he worked at restaurants owned by others. He was executive chef at OKC mainstay the Jones Assembly. In 2022, he opened his own restaurant, Birdies, which served fried chicken in a casual setting. In 2024, a complete remake of the restaurant kept only the name. The new Birdies is a glitzy Korean steakhouse with appealing ultramodern decor. It’s not your typical steakhouse, and arguably the steaks, though excellent, take second place to inventive dishes that marry Korean and American cuisine, including sweet potato presented three ways, and Korean rice cakes with an Italian-inspired ragu.

The Avery, Tulsa Photo courtesy The Avery

The Goose, OKC Photo courtesy The Goose

Birdie's, OKC Photo courtesy Birdie's

Bar Sen

You have impossibly high expectations for a new restaurant by nationally famous, four times James Beard nominated chef Jeff Chanchaleune. With Bar Sen, Chanchaleune delivers. At Ma Der Lao, he lovingly recreated the cuisine of his parents’ homeland, Laos. Here, at a black granite bar lit by yellow neon, he takes the ingredients and techniques of southeast Asia and melds them with his vast knowledge of French and Japanese techniques to create dazzling dishes that transcend national identity. There are even cocktails to pair with every dish.

Later Bye

Palo Santo is a welcoming, unpretentious bar that some say serves the most creative craft cocktails in the city. With Later Bye, the owners of Palo Santo have upped the game. It bills itself as a neighborhood bar, but it’s sleek and elegant enough to be a stop during a night on the town. Wildly inventive cocktails have names like “Gone for Smokes” and “Money on the Dresser.” There are pleasant tapas-inspired snacks such as mint-laden zucchini julienne, anchovies with pepper and parsley, and goat cheese sandwiches with manzanilla sherry fig jam.

PerLe MeSta

There’s marble, murals and chandeliers. It’s a worthy setting for James Beard award-winning chef Andrew Black’s newest outpost. Black’s hallmark is dishes that take months to create and hours to make. A butter bean and tomato appetizer is so meltingly delicious you can eat it with a spoon. More substantial dishes include lavender duck with wild mushroom cream; and pan-seared hake with beetroot ink pasta, cockle clams and red pepper saffron broth. Whatever you choose, you’ll be dazzled by chef’s creativity.

The dining room is sleek and modern; it took two years to build. But food is the star here, dishes so transcendent that some reviewers consider Akai not only the best sushi restaurant in OKC but also the best restaurant in OKC. You can find the finest, freshest nigiri here, including bluefin tuna. But chef Shinichi Okamoto goes beyond sushi, offering creative delights such as slow-cooked eggplant with miso and chives; A5 Japanese wagyu topped with caviar; a crispy taco with wagyu in a tomato ponzu; salmon in a sauce made with miso, mustard, mirin and wasabi; and cod cooked with miso and shishito peppers.

raven

Raven is an upscale steakhouse with a unique focus on vegetables. Yes, there are big glorious cuts of meat, as in any steakhouse, and they are cooked on a woodfire grill, but where else can you find a steakhouse that sides its dishes with sunchokes, Lion’s Mane mushrooms and nasturtiums? Chef Timothy Abell has worked on both coasts, but he’s thrilled by the bounty that local Oklahoma farms offer. It’s upscale dining, but Abell does his best to make it, in his words, “like a really fun friend’s living room.”

Bar Sen, OKC

Photo by Quit Nguyen

Later Bye, OKC Photo courtesy Later Bye Akai, OKC Photo courtesy Akai

Perle Mesta, OKC

Photo courtesy Perle Mesta

Raven, OKC Photo courtesy Raven

Taste

FOOD, DRINK AND OTHER PLEASURES

A Lively Neighborhood Spot

Warm, inviting and delicious, Sapori on Tulsa’s Cherry Street welcomes all.

When he was a child growing up

in Iran, Al Hashemi used to revel in the camaraderie and tasty food served every Friday night, when his extended family would gather for a joyous dinner. He never dreamed that his future life would revolve around creating festive meals in a distant land. That wasn’t the plan, after all. He was supposed to get his degree in engineering in the U.S. and then return home.

But while he was diligently studying at the University of Tulsa, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, was overthrown, ending Iran’s historical monarchy. After, Hashemi was cut off from home and needed to make money, so he started working in a restaurant kitchen.

He was a cook for a while, and then got a job as general manager with a restaurant chain. He continued his engineering studies for years, but at some point decided that restaurants were his life. He’d been traveling for the chain, but he’d fallen in love with a woman he met at TU. It was time, he decided, to marry and settle down in Tulsa.

Then, he started his own restaurant. He’d always loved Italian food, so that’s what he served. He called it Camerelli’s, and during the 15 years it was open, it achieved Tulsa icon status.

As for the woman he fell in love with at TU... Well, sometimes you’ll see his wife, Laurie Tilley, walking through Al’s newest restaurant, Sapori. Their daughter Sarah, a graphic artist for the Washington Post, helped try out some of Sapori’s entrees and is also responsible for much of the

light and airy decor, including many of the artworks on the walls. Sapori is, indeed, a family affair. The menu is Italian and seemingly straightforward. But when Hashemi created

A show-stopper at Sapori is the chicken piccata with lemon, capers and fettuccine noodles. Sub in salmon for a seafood rendition. Photos by Stephanie Phillips

A full bar also beckons at Sapori, with craft cocktails, classic drinks, beer and wine.

the recipes, he threw in lots of surprises.

“I didn’t want just another Italian restaurant,” he says. “I wanted undertones of flavors from the Mediterranean, the Middle East and Iran.”

The arancini has saffron, and the lamb is made with turmeric and cinnamon.

“That lamb so reminds me of home,” says Hashemi. “We eat a lot of lamb, and the smell of the meat brings memories of Iran back to me.”

Hashemi plans to add more Mediterranean dishes to the menu. A recent special featured stuffed grape leaves with a saffron cream sauce. And while there are certainly already nods to a variety of countries throughout the menu, Sapori is firmly rooted in Tulsa. Bread comes from local baker Slate Sourdough, the decor highlights work from local painters and, when available, they use produce from local farms.

The love for Sapori runs deep. Hashemi has, after all, a legion of loyal followers from Camerelli’s. Every Thursday, he features a dish from his previous restaurant just for them – and that dish is usually available all week long to those savvy enough to request it.

Sapori’s space was, until recently, home to Tucci’s, Doris Matthews’ memorable blend of glitz and pizza, and Hashemi has kept some of Tucci’s favorites, including Matthews’ famous limonata salad.

A lot of work goes into all this, Al says. Everything is made fresh daily. The red sauce, the lasagna, the meatballs, the risotto. But that’s not what the Hashemis think Sapori will be remembered for.

“Al is here all the time,” says Tilley. “It’s like walking into a private home and the owner is there to take care of you.”

Al, who can often be found warmly greeting the regulars and the newcomers alike, agrees.

“A neighborhood bar and restaurant,” he says. “That’s what Sapori is.”

BRIAN

SCHWARTZ

The Goose

Smack dab in the middle of OKC’s Midtown district, The Goose serves up sandwiches – lovingly dubbed ‘sandies’ – galore, along with salads, burgers, soups, cocktails and beer. No matter what you’re craving, The Goose has a ‘sandie’ for you. Cold options include the restaurant’s namesake, with capicola, mortadella, salami, pepperoni, Asiago, lemon-tossed arugula and red wine vinaigrette, as well as the ‘Midtown,’ with corned beef, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut. Vegans can try the ‘Hummy Cucumby,’ with red peppers, cucumber salad, Roma tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, hummus and olives; or the ‘Garden Party,’ with heirloom tomato, mayo, basil spread and cucumber salad.

Some like it hot; if you’re in that camp, ‘sandies’ to try include the ‘Hudson,’ with cheesy meatballs, provolone, marinara and Parmesan, as well as the ‘Whirligig,’ with fried chicken, pickles, lettuce, mayo and hot honey. Italian and house salads are an excellent addition for those looking to cut the calories. Or, go whole hog with the ‘Oklahoma Smashie,’ a double smashburger with two beef patties, American cheese, grilled onion, pickles and ‘Goose sauce’ on a potato bun. Sides range from chicken noodle soup to pasta salad, cucumber salad, curly fries and fried pickles.

All that deliciousness requires some liquid to wash it down, eh? Draft cocktails abound. Try ‘Talk To Me,’ with mezcal, Aperol, Montenegro and lemon; the ‘Biltmore Tequila Sunrise,’ with blanco tequila, creme de Cassis, lime juice and club soda; or the ‘Godfather,’ with scotch, Amaretto and lemon. Draft beers include Modelo, Wells Amber and Stonecloud's Neon Sunshine.

Red Door Grille

You’ll be transported to New Orleans at Red Door Grille, nestled comfortably inside KingsPointe Village in Tulsa. A relatively hidden gem, Red Door’s expansive menu has something for everyone.

Starters are ample – so come hungry. Highlights include the tomato bisque, the Parmesan crusted artichoke hearts, the chicken and andouille gumbo, and the red beans and rice.

Another must-try is the homemade macaroni and cheese, which you can upgrade with bacon, shrimp, brisket or sausage.

Seafood is a star player on Red Door’s menu. The Cajun grilled salmon – served with mashed potatoes and green beans – is a stand-out, as is the shrimp etouffee, Louisiana blackened catfish and the panko seared red fish. If you’d prefer your protein be ‘of the land,’ options include pork chops, brisket, beef short ribs, filet mignon and smothered fried chicken.

The menu doesn’t end there. Try the hot ham and Swiss sandwich, the Treme burger with chopped bacon and cheddar cheese, or the fried shrimp po’boy. Make sure to add sides including Cajun rice, asparagus, cole slaw or fried okra.

MARY WILLA ALLEN

Fans of classic Italian fare will want to try the spaghetti and meatballs.

Photo courtesy The Goose

Photo courtesy Red Door Grille

Excellence in Consistency

Chef James Fox has many irons in the fire with OKC's Provision Concepts.

Chef James Fox kickstarted his culinary career for a relatable reason: He was hungry.

“I started taking culinary classes to eat because I was always starving,” says Fox, who was a football player in high school. “I got an appreciation early on for eating good food by cooking for my fellow players and things like that. When it came time to look to my future, I was over football – seven years of it – and chose culinary school as a career path instead.”

During his training, Fox developed an abiding love for Latin and Levantine cuisines. Fast forward a few years and the very first restaurant Fox opened – Vecina, based in Phoenix, Ariz.– was a James Beard semifinalist for Best New Restaurant.

Today, the chef credits his wife and family for his continuing successes in developing and helming restaurants in partnership with OKC-based Provision Concepts. Fox is now the executive chef for Riserva, a Mediterranean tapas bar, Culprits, an upscale steakhouse, and the OKC location of his first love, Vecina, which opened this January. The team is also working to open a second location of

Riserva in Tulsa later this year.

The flagship Vecina location was in a small, 200-square-foot space, and while the prestigious James Beard nomination was a thrilling surprise, the specter of pandemic restrictions meant a slowdown of momentum while transitioning to a ‘to-go’ only business model. Amidst this, Fox got the idea to move to the Sooner State.

“A regular customer in Arizona, a commercial real estate guy, also had their main residence in Oklahoma,” says Fox. “He introduced me and my wife to Jeff Dixon with Provision Concepts, and the partnership developed when I did a wine dinner for him at Broadway Steakhouse in Oklahoma City. All of the pieces fell together. I became a consulting chef and

worked to elevate the cuisine and menu at Culprits, then I did the full vision with the menu at Riserva.”

Fox’s palate was defined and refined by Latin food. Every sauce and salsa is made in-house from scratch in his restaurants, all influenced by time he spent south of the border.

“I lived in Mexico for a year and worked at a modern Latin Mexican restaurant. Now my guys at work say that I’m a very white large man, but my soul is Latin, because I love the culture, music, food – all of it,” he says with a laugh. “I really like the shareable style format with all dishes meant to share, instead of just a steak on a plate with vegetables. We offer a marinated ribeye served sliced, so everyone at the table can try it and everyone chooses two or three plates to share. The overall experience is a curated, special experience and that was our original inspiration. Vecina means ‘neighbor,’ and the sharing of special dishes is just natural.”

With all the restaurants he manages, Fox says consistency is the true marker of excellence.

“A lot of restaurants, even nicer ones, the consistency sometimes isn’t there –and it’s one that I tell my chefs and staff, that’s why we’re continually busy and doing well, because we have the consistency,” he says. “If a dish can’t be made consistently, we find out the reasoning on why, and then we change the dish to bring that quality every time.”

TRACY LEGRAND

Chef James Fox, originally from Arizona, moved to Oklahoma to team up with restaurant group Provision Concepts. He now leads efforts at Riserva, Culprits and Vecina. Photos by Danny Vo

Tasty Tidbits |

The Crain

Known as a place where great food, friendly faces and a laid-back vibe come together, the Crain in OKC is a recently opened, no-fuss, tasty American cuisine joint where every diner will find something they like.

Start with a ‘sliced plate,’ replete with meats, cheeses and other snacks. You can also opt for wings, prime rib sliders or chips with guacamole and salsa.

Main plates, simply dubbed ‘The Stuff,’ range from burgers and slow smoked salmon to pork chops, the Reuben, and chicken two ways. Sides include house fries, green chili macaroni and cheese, fried green tomatoes, seasonal veggies and flash fried baby spinach.

Signature cocktails include the S’mores Old Fashioned, with bourbon, graham cracker simple syrup, bitters and toasted marshmallows; as well as the Emily, with tequila, triple sec, pomegranate juice, house margarita mix and jalapeno.

Happy hour – from 2 to 6 p.m.

Monday-Friday – offers $6 well cocktails, $7 featured wines, $1.50 off all beer and $3 shareables.

El Patron

At long last, Tulsa’s El Patron has opened at 3837 E. 51st St. (You may remember us writing about the anticipated opening

back in June 2024). Traditional (and delicious) Mexican fare is the name of the game at El Patron. You’ll find every delicacy you’re craving, from fajitas to grilled tacos, seafood, chimichangas, pozole, quesadillas, nachos and steaks.

Another major draw at El Patron is the margarita list. Dozens of flavors, either frozen or on the rocks, are yours for the taking. Highlights include the ‘Abeja Reina,’ with gin, honey, lemon juice, pomegranate juice and beet juice; as well as the ‘Vallarta,’ with tequila, Cointreau, grapefruit, pineapple juice and lime juice. Not yet sold? There’s also live music every weekend; you won’t want to miss it.

gravy, vegan breakfast sandwich and lighter options like granola and yogurt.

Harvey Bakery & Kitchen

Looking for an aesthetically pleasing, scrumptious and local bakery to frequent in OKC? Search no further – Harvey Bakery and Kitchen is just the ticket. Breakfast options, served until 11 a.m. daily, are sure to tempt. Try the Birch House, with pork sausage, scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese and honey Sriracha on an English muffin. Other goodies include the Sunrise B.L.T., biscuits and

Lunch goodies include chicken salad, club sandwiches, grilled cheese and salads including the Caesar, Cobb, spicy kale and Green Goddess. You can also opt for the two for $12 deal which includes half a sandwich plus a side like macaroni and cheese, soup or fruit.

Caffeine lovers can indulge in a variety of options, from cold brew to lattes, drip coffee and mochas. There’s also ample pastry selections, including croissants, cinnamon rolls, biscuits, muffins, cookies, blondies and scones.

Hatch Early Mood Food

Sitting at 161 S. Riverfront Dr. in Jenks, Hatch is an early bird’s culinary dream. The restaurant, open at 6 a.m. seven days a week, offers breakfast and brunch goodies you won't want to miss.

Starters include poutine with housemade gravy, fries, cheese curds and eggs, as well as orange glazed croissants, chicken fried eggs and beignets.

The menu, divided by type of entree, has something for everyone: benedicts, pancakes, sandwiches, classic breakfast plates, omelets, and even soups and salads. Standouts include the steak and eggs benedict, with toasted sourdough, piquillo pepper, Texas goat cheese and seared tenderloin; as well as the funky monkey bread, with brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecan streusel drizzled with cream cheese anglaise.

The restaurant also has a full bar with craft cocktails, coffee options, mocktails and beers.

Photo courtesy The Crain

Photo courtesy El Patron

Photo courtesy Harvey Bakery and Kitchen

Photo courtesy Hatch

Where & When

GREAT THINGS TO DO IN OKLAHOMA

EVENTS LISTED ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. CHECK INDIVIDUAL WEBSITES FOR UPDATES.

IN TULSA Performances

Tulsa Ballet presents: Alice in Wonderland Through March 2 Tulsa PAC Enjoy the event of the decade! For the first time in the 68 year history of the company, Tulsa Ballet will present Alice in Wonderland. And not “just” any Alice in Wonderland: a brand-new version of this tale, one that will join the permanent repertory of the company for decades to come! tulsaballet.org

TPAC presents: Ada Twist, Scientist March 4 Tulsa PAC Ms. Greer's classroom includes three inquisitive, out-of-the-box thinkers. Rosie Revere has big dreams, Iggy Peck has a relentless passion for architecture, and Ada Twist's curiosity can drive her teacher crazy. On a field trip gone awry, they are faced with the ultimate test of their problem-solving skills that can only be conquered with teamwork. tulsapac.com

Celebrity Attractions presents: Dear Evan Hansen March 4-5 Tulsa PAC Declared “one of the most remarkable shows in musical theater history” by The Washington Post, Dear Evan Hansen is the first musical to take a groundbreaking look — from the point of view of both the parents and young people — at our complex, interconnected, and social media-filled lives. celebrityattractions.com

Chamber Music Tulsa presents: Notos Quartet March 7, 9 Tulsa PAC The Notos Quartet is one of the most celebrated chamber ensembles to emerge in recent years - praised for its virtuoso brilliance, passion, sensitivity and mature interpretive powers. Founded in 2007, the Berlin-based piano quartet first drew attention winning first prize in six major international competitions. chambermusictulsa. org

Tulsa Symphony presents: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Commerce

in Concert March 15 Tulsa PAC Cars fly, trees fight back and monsters are on the loose in Harry’s second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! This concert features the film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in high-definition, on a giant screen, while a live orchestra performs John Williams’ unforgettable score. tulsasymphony.org

Jay Leno March 15 River Spirit

PERFORMANCE

Things Are Heating Up

1

As we collectively thaw out from winter hibernation, performing arts companies await with showcases galore.

In Tulsa, you can catch the tail end of Tulsa Ballet’s Alice in Wonderland through March 2 at the PAC. Stick around the venue for Dear Evan Hansen, courtesy of Celebrity Attractions, on March 4-5. (If you miss it in Tulsa, the show also comes to the Bartlesville Community Center on March 6). Other PAC performances include a show from the Notos Quartet on March 7 and 9 – the celebrated chamber ensemble takes the stage courtesy Chamber Music Tulsa. Stick around for Tulsa Symphony’s Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Concert on March 15 and Theatre Tulsa’s The Play That Goes Wrong on March 21-23.

The OKC Phil brings three shows to the Civic Center Music Hall this month: Pink Martini and China Forbes 30th Anniversary Season, March 7-8; Be Our Guest – Sing Along with Phil on March 9; and Sarah Chang Returns on March 15 with the eponymous special guest, Chang, on violin. Also at the Civic Center this month is Peter Pan courtesy OKC Broadway, running March 18-23. Edmondites, get excited: The Armstrong Auditorium welcomes two shows in March: Les Arts Florissants Vivaldi’s Four Seasons on March 17 and Voctave on March 27.

Stillwater’s McKnight Center for the Performing Arts offers Lavish Passions, which highlights handselected works from Roma and eastern European cultures, on March 1 and 4. You can also enjoy Dancing with the Stars! Live on March 14 at the Choctaw Casino and Resort in Durant, as well as Pollard Theatre’s The Spongebob Musical, March 14-April 5 in Guthrie.

Casino Resort Acclaimed TV late night show host, admired stand-up comedian, best-selling children’s book author, much-in-demand corporate speaker, TV and movie voice-over artist, pioneering car builder and mechanic and philanthropist: Jay Leno is widely characterized as “the hardest working man in show business.” riverspirittulsa.com

Theatre Tulsa presents: The Play That Goes Wrong March 21-23 Tulsa PAC The Play That Goes Wrong hilariously unravels as a troupe of amateur actors stumbles through a calamitous production, delivering side-splitting comedy with every mishap on stage. theatretulsa.org

Oklahoma Movement presents: Tethered March 23 Tulsa PAC This groundbreaking production offers a contemporary interpretation of Dante Alighieri’s renowned literary masterpiece, "The Divine Comedy," specifically focusing on the harrowing journey through the Nine Circles of Hell. tulsapac.com

Concerts

Neal McCoy March 1 Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa See this country crooner for one night only. hardrockcasinotulsa.com

Justin Moore March 6 Hard

Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa Justin Cole Moore is an American country music singer and songwriter; see him live at the Hard Rock. hardrockcasinotulsa.com

Bonnie Raitt March 13 River Spirit Casino Resort Bonnie Raitt is a singer, songwriter and guitarist whose unique style blends blues, R&B, rock and pop. After 20 years as a cult favorite, she broke through to the top in the early 90s with her Grammy Award-winning albums Nick of Time and Luck of the Draw riverspirittulsa.com

Chicago March 27 River Spirit Casino Resort Enjoy one of the most iconic bands to grace the stage for one night only. riverspirittulsa.com

Toby Mac March 28 BOK Center Toby Mac is bringing his Hits Deep 2025 tour to BOK Center. bokcenter.com

ArtSAMURAI: Armor from the Collection of Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller March 12-Aug.

3 Philbrook Coming from the Collection of Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller, SAMURAI: Armor from the Collection of Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller unveils the culture, lifestyle and art of

the samurai warrior in Japanese society philbrook.org

Doug Cannell: Backstories Through March 22 108 Contemporary Doug Cannell is a artist whose works have been exhibited in museums and art galleries throughout the United States. Born and schooled in Detroit, Cannell earned a BFA degree from Wayne State University, continued at the College for Creative Studies, and now works from his Detroit studio, a former stamping plant. 108contemporary.org

Theodore Fried: Art in Hiding Through June 6 Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art The SMMJA is home to the world’s largest collection of work by Jewish-Hungarian painter Theodore Fried. Fried fled occupied Europe for the United States in 1942, leaving much of his work behind. He continued to work in New York and elsewhere, and retrieved his hidden work in the 1950s and 1970s. jewishmuseumtulsa.org

Invite to Life Through June 6 Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art Award-winning author and photographic artist B.A. Van Sise explores the varied and sometimes complicated lives of Holocaust

survivors in the United States. jewishmuseumtulsa.org

War Club: Native Art & Activism Through June 29 Philbrook War Club is the culminating exhibition of Anita and Yatika Fields’s project delving into Native artwork and ephemera from important historical and contemporary moments of resistance. philbrook.org

Eduardo Sarabia: Ceiba Sagrada Through Dec. 28 Philbrook Los Angeles-born, Mexico-based Eduardo Sarabia has become one of the better-known artistic voices of his generation for using materials and imagery associated with street culture, craft and folk history to draw connections between his personal story and the narrative of Mexico. philbrook.org

Slumgullion: The Venerate Outpost

Ongoing Philbrook Philbrook is proud to partner with award-winning artist Karl Unnasch to present Slumgullion, a full-scale log cabin built from the skeleton of a late1800s pioneer home. philbrook.org

Sports

Tulsa Oilers Hockey March 1-2, 21-22, 27, 29, 30 BOK Center Enjoy pro hockey at the BOK Center. bokcenter.

com

University of Tulsa Men's Basketball March 1, 4 Reynolds Center See the men's Hurricane basketball team duke it out on the court. tulsahurricane.com

OKRHA Ride and Slide March 4-9 Expo Square The Oklahoma Reining Horse Association was formed to serve the needs of reining horse enthusiasts in the Oklahoma region, while supporting neighboring reining affiliates and the National Reining Horse Association. okrha. com

Big XII Wrestling Championship March 8-9 BOK Center

The Big XII Wrestling Championship returns to BOK Center for two days of non-stop action. bokcenter.com

2025 American Kennel Club National Agility Championship March 14-16 Expo Square Dog lovers won't want to miss this exciting agility trial. akc.org Oklahoma Pinto Horse Association Spring Color Classic March 21-23 Expo Square The Oklahoma Pinto Horse Association held its first horse show in 1959. From the beginning, the purpose has been to promote and encourage the general interest and breeding of

Photo by Matthew Murphy courtesy OKC Broadway

PETER PAN

pinto horses, and to promote good sportsmanship and fellowship among the owners and lovers of pinto horses. oklahomapinto.com

Harlem Globetrotters March

23 BOK Center Get ready for highflying fun as the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters make their victorious return to BOK Center. bokcenter.com

Green Country Arabian Horse Association Spring Fling March 26-29 Expo Square This equine event is a can't-miss. gcaha.com

Community

Akdar Shrine Circus March

1-2 Expo Square Enjoy a fun day out at the circus with family and friends. akdarshrine.org

First Friday Art Crawl March

7 Downtown On the first Friday of every month, guests will be able to see a new exhibit opening and enjoy live music, a cash bar and snacks. humanities.utulsa.edu

The Greater Tulsa Home and Garden Show March 7-9 Expo Square The Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa is a trade association serving Tulsa and the surrounding communities. The mission is to advocate for the home building industry while promoting ethical business practices and standards. tulsahba.com

Tulsa Irish Festival March

7-9 Dream Keepers Park This is a family-friendly way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with plenty of activities and entertainment for all ages. tulsairishfest.org

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks

Live Glow-N-Fire March 1516 BOK Center Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow-N-Fire brings fans' favorite Hot Wheels Monster Trucks to life including Mega Wrex, Tiger Shark, HW 5-Alarm, Bone Shaker, Bigfoot, Gunkster, and introducing the brand new Skelesaurus, the fossil fury villain of Hot Wheels Monster Trucks. bokcenter.com

FIRST Robotics: Green Country Regional March 20-22 Expo Square Founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen, FIRST® is a global nonprofit organization that prepares young people for the future through a suite of life-changing youth robotics programs that build skills, confidence, and resilience. firstinspires.org

Oklahoma Jewish Film Festival March 23-27 Circle Cinema The 11th edition of the Oklahoma Jewish Film Festival is a five-day event using the power of film to bring people of all religions and cultures together to enrich, educate, and entertain about the global Jewish experience. jewishtulsa.org

Jurassic Quest March 28-30 Expo Square This world-famous, life-size dinosaurs are meticulously painted and animated to be realer-than-real. Whether you're 3 or 103, this is a one-of-a-kind experience you'll never forget. jurassicquest.com

Charitable Events

Brainiac Ball March 1 Cox

Business Convention Center Join Family and Children's Services for a magical evening that blends fantasy and reality into a breathtaking dreamscape, all to provide mental healthcare and more to Tulsans in need. coxcentertulsa.com

Sapphire Celebration March

1 Aloft The Sapphire Celebration is a 21+, fundraiser coordinated by the

Riverfield Family Association. Held annually each spring, this party offers opportunities for sponsorship and underwriting prior to the event, which includes silent, live and online auctions, raffles, dinner, and entertainment. riverfield.org

Heart Ball March 7 Cox Business Convention Center Through the Heart of Tulsa Heart Ball campaign, the American Heart Association celebrates collective success in driving change, funding science and improving health outcomes for everyone, everywhere. heart.org

Street Party: Black and White Gala March 7 Cox Business Convention Center Join Street School for their annual fundraiser, Street Party: Black & White Gala, on March 7 at Cox Business Convention Center’s Legacy Hall. coxcentertulsa.com

Red Ribbon Gala March 8 Cox Business Convention Center Tulsa CARES promise a stunning evening paying homage to the city that never sleeps. Club Red will be brimming with unexpected delights, a luxury live auction, lavish gourmet dinner and the infamous after party. redribbongala.org

Live United Awards March 18 Cox Business Convention Center The Tulsa Area United Way looks forward to celebrating its Centennial fundraising drive with the community. tauw.org

Carnivale Origins: World Rhythm March 29 Cox Business Convention Center Carnivale Origins invites you to experience a celebration inspired by global traditions, blending vibrant colors, rhythmic beats, and the spirit of carnivales worldwide. Be immersed in a kaleidoscope of sights and sounds as performers showcase the rich history and culture of these festive events. bestpartyintown.org

IN OKC Performances

Canterbury Voices presents: The Sacred Veil March 1 Civic Center Music Hall Canterbury Voices presents The Sacred Veil a 12-movement collaboration between Eric Whitacre and poet/ lyricist Charles Anthony Silvestri, telling a story of life, love and loss. canterburyokc.com

Lyric Theatre presents: Waitress Through March 2 Lyric at the Plaza Jenna, a waitress and expert pie maker, is stuck in a small town and an abusive marriage. Faced with an unexpected pregnancy, Jenna fears she may have to abandon the dream of opening her own pie shop… until a baking contest in a nearby county and the town’s handsome new doctor offer her a tempting recipe for happiness. lyrictheatreokc.com

OKC Phil presents: Pink Martini and China

Forbes 30th Anniversary Season March 7-8 Civic Center Music Hall Celebrating 30 years, Pink Martini and vocalist China Forbes delight audiences with a captivating fusion of pop, jazz and classical music. Come discover why this genre-defying sound has made Pink Martini an international phenomenon! okcphil.org

OKC Phil presents: Be Our Guest – Sing Along with Phil March 9 Civic Center Music Hall OKCPHIL is thrilled to invite you to their second Annual Sing Along program featuring the incredibly talented soprano, Audrey Logan. Get ready to be swept off your feet as Audrey leads the audience and orchestra through an hour of the most spectacular songs you’ve ever heard. okcphil.org

OKC Phil presents: Sarah Chang Returns March 15 Civic Center Music Hall Enjoy an OKC Phil

Plenty of Action

Sports options are varied and dynamic in March.

performance with special guest Sarah Chang on violin. okcphil.org

When a Woman's Fed Up March 16 Civic Center Music Hall Enjoy a compelling stage play that delves into the intricate web of various types of relationships, focusing on the challenges women face and the empowering journey of self-discovery when they reach the point of no return. okcciviccenter.com

Armstrong Auditorium presents: Les Arts Florissants Vivaldi's Four Seasons March 17 Armstrong Auditorium Baroque superstars Les Arts Florissants are joined by fast-rising violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte in “Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at 300” commemorating the work’s original publication in 1725. armstrongauditorium.org

OKC Broadway presents: Peter Pan March 18-23 Civic Center Music Hall This high-flying musical has been thrilling audiences of all ages for close to 70 years and is now being brought back to life in a new adaptation by celebrated playwright Larissa FastHorse, directed by Emmy Award winner Lonny Price and choreography by Lorin Latarro. okcbroadway.com

Armstrong Auditorium presents: Voctave March 27 Armstrong Auditorium A cappella sensation Voctave's 11-member vocal ensemble brings incredible harmonies to some of the most beloved songs and have been inspiring their millions of social media fans since 2015. armstrongauditorium.org

Concerts

My So-Called Band March 7 Tower Theatre Enjoy hits from Nirvana, Cake, Rage Against the Machine, Oasis, the Cranberries and more. towertheatreokc.com

Banda MS March 8 Paycom Center The internationally acclaimed

Banda MS returns to take the stage in Oklahoma City! paycomcenter.com

Winter Jam March 15 Paycom

Center Christian music's largest annual tour, Winter Jam, is coming back to Oklahoma City with Skillet, Anne Wilson, KB, Colton Dixon, NewSong, Micah Tyler, SEU Worship, The Band Table, We Are Vessel and Zane Black. paycomcenter.com

Hinder March 15 Tower Theatre See the rock band on their Back to Life tour. towertheatreokc. com

Violent Femmes March 23 The Criterion See this exciting band live for one night only. criterionokc.com

Dylan Gossett March 28 The Criterion Enjoy the crooner on his The Back 40 Tour. criterionokc.com

Art

From the Vault: The 80th Anniversary Exhibition Through April 27 OKCMOA An original exhibition, From the Vault showcases some of the depth and strengths of the museum's permanent collection that visitors might not always get to see. okcmoa.com

Cowboy Boots – From Roundups to Runways Through May

4 National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum Cowboy Boots: From Roundups to Runways will transport visitors on a journey through time, tracing the evolution of cowboy boots from their 19th-century origins to their modern-day status as a cultural icon. This exciting temporary exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the craftsmanship, history and enduring appeal of these timeless boots. nationalcowboymuseum. org

The Three Shades Through Aug. 23 OKCMOA Enjoy this

single-gallery installation featuring one of the masterworks of modern sculpture, Auguste Rodin’s The Three Shades, on loan from a private collection. okcmoa.com

Land Use: Humanity's Interaction with Nature Through Sept. 28 OKCMOA This gallery features modern and contemporary paintings, photographs, video art and digital art that relate to humanity’s use of and interaction with the environment. okcmoa.com

Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds: Honor Song Through Oct. 20 Oklahoma Contemporary Oklahoma Contemporary presents the first major retrospective of Oklahoma City-based artist Edgar Heap of Birds, who is known internationally for conceptual artwork that addresses Indigenous rights, sovereignty and relationships to place. oklahomacontemporary.org

Chihuly Then and Now: The Collection at Twenty Ongoing OKCMOA Redesigned in collaboration with Chihuly Studio, Chihuly Then and Now: The Collection at Twenty incorporates a unique design, featuring five decades of glass and painting and tells a comprehensive story of Chihuly’s groundbreaking career. okcmoa.com

Cynthia Daignault: Oklahoma Ongoing OKCMOA This exhibition features one painting, Oklahoma by Cynthia Daignault, as a tribute to the history of the Oklahoma City bombing from 1995. okcmoa.com

Sports

State High School Wrestling Championships Through March 1 OKC Fairgrounds High school wrestlers from around the state convene at the state

At the BOK Center, you can catch the Tulsa Oilers hockey team play throughout the month. Stick around the venue for the Big XII Wrestling Championships, running March 8-9, as well as the Harlem Globetrotters on March 23. Enjoy the end of college basketball regular season play with the TU Golden Hurricane men’s team, taking the Reynolds Center court on March 1 and 4. Expo Square is the place to be for events galore in March; try the OKRHA Ride and Slide equine event, March 4-9; the 2025 American Kennel Club National Agility Championship, March 14-16; the Oklahoma Pinto Horse Association Spring Color Classic, March 21-23; and the Green Country Arabian Horse Association Spring Fling, March 26-29.

Basketball is just about everywhere in OKC this month. Visit the last games from both the women’s and men’s OU basketball teams at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman; the women play March 2 and the men play March 5. The OKC Thunder can be found on the Paycom Center court March 3-31, and you can catch the GLeague OKC Blue on the same court March 5-26. Lastly, the Oklahoma State High School Basketball championships run March 4-15 at the OKC Fairgrounds.

Around the state, visit the Heart of Oklahoma Youth Rodeo Association through March 2 at Duncan’s Stephens County Fairgrounds; Stillwater’s Gallagher-Iba arena March 8 for the OSU Cowboys last collegiate basketball game; and Stillwater’s District Bicycles for the Mid South cycling event on March 13-16.

OKC THUNDER

Photo courtesy NBAE/Getty Images

Where & When | Entertainment

championships. okcfairgrounds. com

University of Oklahoma Women's Basketball March

2 Lloyd Noble Center The lady Sooners play against regular season teams. soonersports.com

Oklahoma City Thunder

Basketball March 3-31 Paycom

Center The state's NBA team takes on regular season teams at home. nba.com/thunder

Oklahoma State High School Basketball

Championships March

4-15 OKC Fairgrounds Visit the Jim Norick Arena to see some of the best high school athletes compete for top prizes. okcfairgrounds.com

University of Oklahoma Men's Basketball March 5 Lloyd Noble Center, Norman The Sooner men play at home. soonersports.com

Oklahoma City Blue Basketball March 5-26 Paycom Center See the OKC Blue take on March foes. paycomcenter.com

Harlem Globetrotters March

22 Paycom Center Get ready for high-flying fun as the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters make their victorious return to Paycom Center. paycomcenter.com

CommunityArt

Norman Mardi Gras

Parade March 1 Downtown

Norman Let the good times roll during Norman's annual wild and wacky Mardi Gras Parade. normanmardigrassociety.

org

Backwoods Hunting and Fishing Expo Through March

2 OKC Fairgrounds If you're a hunting and fish pro, visit this expo for advice, equipment and camaraderie with likeminded folks. okcfairgrounds.com

COMMUNITY

First Friday Gallery Walk March 7 Paseo Arts District Make your way to the First Friday Gallery Walk in Oklahoma City's Paseo Arts District to enjoy art gallery openings, wine tastings, live music and more. thepaseo.org

Run Lucky 5K March 9 Fassler Hall Hosted by Fassler Hall, this fun and festive run also features free beer for guests 21+. travelok. com

2025 Oklahoma Youth Expo March 11-21 OKC Fairgrounds See 4H pros at this annual expo. okcfairgrounds.com

2nd Friday Norman Art

Walk March 14 Norman Arts District The 2nd Friday Norman Art Walk, a monthly celebration of the arts in Norman, connects the downtown arts district with outlying galleries, performance halls and Campus Corner. 2ndfridaynorman.com

Second OHOF Saturdays March 15 Oklahoma Hall of Fame Second Oklahoma Hall of Fame Saturdays invite families to learn about an Oklahoma Hall of Fame member with crafts and activities. oklahomahof.com

Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival March 21-23 National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum The Red Earth Festival features Native American artists and dancers from throughout North America celebrating the richness and diversity of their heritage with the world. redearth.org

The OKC Home and Outdoor Living Show March 21-23 OKC Fairgrounds Get a jump on your summer renovations at this expo. okcfairgrounds.com

OKCine Latino Film Festival March 22-23 Yale

Flowers, Film and Fly-Ins

Theater The OKCine Latino Film Festival showcases a unique mix of filmmakers, artists, film lovers and history at the heart of the Hispanic community. filmfreeway.com

Shrine Circus March 27-30 OKC Fairgrounds Bring the whole family to this exciting circus event in OKC. okcfairgrounds.com

Tulip Festival March

29-30 Myriad Botanical Gardens Ring in Spring while admiring over 30,000 tulips and enjoying an array of family-friendly activities. myriadgardens.org

Charitable Events

Hands and Hearts March 1 St. Thomas More University Parish and Student Center, Norman Every spring, the Center for Children and Families in Norman hosts its annual Hands & Hearts fundraiser to support vital programs and services for children in the community. ccfinorman.org

OK Children's Theatre Alice in Wonderland Fairytale Ball March 8 Civic Center Music Hall Join the OK Children's Theatre for a whimsical evening with the Oklahoma Children’s Theatre, where two extraordinary celebrations await — one for adults and one for children! okcconventioncenter.com

Are You Smarter Than A Kippster? March 13 Will Rogers Theatre Are You Smarter Than a KIPPster is designed to be a fun and innovative way to engage stakeholders across the OKC area with KIPP’s mission. okcnp.org

Distinguished Service Awards Luncheon March 20 OKC Golf and Country Club Join OKC Beautiful for a celebration of those helping create a more beautiful and sustainable Oklahoma City at the 40th Annual Distinguished Service

There’s something for everyone this month when it comes to community events.

Awards Luncheon! okcbeautiful. com

NewView: Celebrating 75 Years March 28 The Yale Theater Celebrate 75 years of vision, community and hope at NewView Oklahoma’s Anniversary Gala. nvoklahoma.org

THE STATE

Performances

Chamber Music: Lavish Passions March 1, 4 McKnight Center for the Performing Arts, Stillwater "Lavish Passions" features works hand selected by Anne-Marie McDermott and celebrates the passionate melodies of the Roma and eastern European cultures, featuring the magnificent Dohnányi Sextet. mcknightcenter. org

Broadway in Bartlesville presents: Dear Evan Hansen March 6 Bartlesville Community Center Declared “one of the most remarkable shows in musical theater history” by The Washington Post, Dear Evan Hansen is the first musical to take a groundbreaking look at our complex, interconnected, and social media-filled lives. bartlesvillecenter.com

Dancing with the Stars: Live! March 14 Choctaw Casino and Resort, Durant See your favorite dancers and routines from Dancing with the Stars choctawcasinos.com

Pollard Theatre presents: The Spongebob Musical March 14-April 5 Pollard Theatre, Guthrie When the citizens of Bikini Bottom discover that a volcano will soon erupt and destroy their home, SpongeBob and his friends must come to the rescue. thepollard.org

Theo Von: Return of the Rat March 29 Choctaw Casino and Resort, Durant Comedian and podcast host Theon Von visits the Choctaw Grand Theatre. choctawcasinos.com

Concerts

Amy Grant March 1 Winstar World Casino and Resort, Thackerville See the crooner for one night only. winstar.com

Bryan Adams March 2 Winstar World Casino and Resort, Thackerville See the singer on his Roll with the Punches tour. winstar. com

Reba March 7 Choctaw Casino and Resort, Durant The queen of country and Oklahoma's own Reba makes her way to Durant. choctawcasinos.com

Charley Crockett March 21 Choctaw Casino and Resort, Durant The country crooner visits Durant. choctawcasinos.com

Priscilla Block March 29 McKnight Center for the Performing Arts, Stillwater Country artist Priscilla Block draws listeners in with her unfiltered, relatable songwriting, and catchy melodies. mcknightcenter.org

Sports

Cinch Timed Event

Championship Through March

1 Lazy E. Arena, Guthrie This annual event features the top 20 PRCA cowboys competing for the title of "World's Best All-Around Timed Event Cowboy." lazye.com

Heart of Oklahoma Youth Rodeo Association Though March 2 Stephens County Fairgrounds, Duncan Head to the Stephens County Fairground for some incredible rodeo action from the Heart of Oklahoma Youth Rodeo

In Tulsa, Expo Square hosts the Akdar Shrine Circus on March 1-2; the Greater Tulsa Home and Garden Show on March 7-9; the FIRST Robotics Green Country Regional competition on March 20-22; and the Jurassic Quest dinosaur event March 28-30. Other Tulsa goodies include the Tulsa Irish Festival, March 7-9 in Dream Keepers Park; Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow-NFire, March 15-16 at the BOK Center; and the Oklahoma Jewish Film Festival, March 23-27 at Circle Cinema.

In OKC, options are endless. Try the Run Lucky 5K on March 9 starting at Fassler Hall, or visit the OKC Fairgrounds for the 2025 Oklahoma Youth Expo March 11-21. The Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival returns to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum on March 21-23, and lovers of cinema shouldn’t miss the OKCine Latino Film Festival March 22-23 at the Yale Theater. Other goodies include the OKC Home and Outdoor Living Show, March 21-23, and the Shrine Circus, March 27-30, both at the OKC Fairgrounds; as well as the ever-popular Tulip Festival, March 29-30 at Myriad Botanical Gardens. Across the state, don’t miss the Grand Lake Boat and Sport Show, March 7-9 at Vinita’s Craig County Community Center; the OSU Flying Aggies Fly-In, March 8 at the Stillwater Regional Airport; the Parkstomp Music Festival, March 14-16 at Medicine Park’s Town Center Mainstage; and the Bare Bones International Film Festival, March 27-30 at Muskogee’s Roxy Theater.

Association. The HOYRA strives to bring the highest standard of sportsmanship to arenas around Oklahoma with their amazing rodeos. visitduncan.org

Oklahoma State University Men's Basketball March 8 Gallagher-Iba Arena, Stillwater See the Cowboys play regular season teams at home. okstate.com

The Mid South March 13-16 District Bicyles, Stillwater Cheer on your friends or test your cycling and running skills on iconic Oklahoma roads during The Mid South races in Stillwater. midsouthgravel.com

Community

Fort Towson Living History

Education Day March

6 Fort Towson Historic Site, Fort Towson Fort Towson's living history event will include educational stations with reenactors portraying time periods from the fort’s beginning in 1824 through the 1870s. okhistory.org

Grand Lake Boat and Sport Show March 7-9 Craig County Community Center, Vinita Visitors to this event at the Craig County Community Center will find a wide array of boat dealers, RV dealers and miscellaneous sport and fishing vendors. grandlakeboatshow.com

OSU Flying Aggies FlyIn March 8 Stillwater Regional Airport Enjoy static aircraft displays spanning the last century of aviation and plenty of local and national vendors. flyingaggies.com

Oklahoma Bigfoot Symposium March 8 CC Camp, Stilwell Explore the lore surrounding one of Oklahoma's most mysterious creatures at the Oklahoma Bigfoot Symposium in Stilwell. okbigfootsymposium.com

Stilly Half Marathon & 5K March 8 T Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater Get a great workout and a tour of the Oklahoma State University campus when running the Stilly Half & 5K this March. stillyhalf.com

Parkstomp Music Festival March 14-16 Town Center Mainstage, Medicine Park Celebrate the coming of spring amid cobblestone-lined streets at Parkstomp. travelok.com

A Taste of Yukon March 20 Dale Robertson Center, Yukon Enjoy the annual Taste of Yukon, a delicious food extravaganza featuring local and area restaurants and food vendors at the Dale Robertson Center. travelok.com

Bare Bones International Film Festival March 27-30 Roxy Theater, Muskogee The Bare Bones International Film Festival showcases award-winning independent movies, screenplays and musicians. barebonesfilmfestival. org

Chuck Wagon Festival March 29 Chisholm Trail Museum, Kingfisher Drop in and see a variety of working chuck wagons from across the region as the cooks prepare some of their favorite dishes. thechisholm.org

Photo by Dennis Spielman courtesy Myriad Botanical Gardens

TULIP FESTIVAL

A Bit of Everything

Spring is busting in the cinematic door with a genre smörgåsbord.

March has arrived, and it brings a wild selection of new films to enjoy. All kinds of genres are present this month, so hopefully something catches your eye and convinces you to venture out on movie night.

First up, a bizarre sci-fi black comedy titled Mickey 17. Based on the 2022 book of the same name, the story follows Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) and his journey to leave Earth to become an “expendable,” a disposable employee who takes part in incredibly dangerous jobs. However, if he dies, another version is regenerated with most of the original memories intact. Of course, one version manages to survive the culling, and two Mickeys must now fight to survive. Directed by Bong Joon-ho (Parasite), the film looks like a comedic ride with an incredibly dedicated Pattinson. After multiple delays, it hits theaters on March 7.

Next up, get your adrenaline pumping with Novocain. Starring Jack Quaid (The Boys) as Nathan Caine, the movie follows our hero – a mild mannered banker – with a girlfriend who is, unfortunately, taken hostage during a robbery. The twist: Nathan has a rare condition in which he feels absolutely no pain. The movie looks to have some comedic action set pieces, full of Quaid trying to rescue his love while getting maliciously injured – and not really noticing or caring. It will probably be a bloody good time when it releases on March 14.

For your spy thriller, look no further than Black Bag. The film follows Kathryn and George Woodhouse (Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender) as two prolific intelligence

agents. When George is informed that his beloved wife is suspected of betraying the nation, he must decide what is more important: his love or his country. Directed by Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s 11), the movie looks to be a real showcase for the lead actors, with twists and turns galore alongside beautiful cinematography. See if you can figure out the mystery when it releases on March 14.

If you want a biographical crime drama, The Alto Knights should be right up your alley. Starring Robert De Niro in dual roles as Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, the plot revolves around these two real life giants of the mafia underworld in their twilight years. The screenplay is penned by Nicholas Pileggi, who also wrote Goodfellas and Casino, so he’s no stranger to the gangster genre or what De Niro is meant to play. Hopefully it does well when it hits theaters on March 21.

Lastly, another sci-fi thriller as a bookend to Mickey 17, don’t miss Ash. Riya (Eiza Gonzales, Baby Driver) wakes up on a distant planet and comes to realize everyone on her space station has been killed. She must now decide if the man sent to rescue her (Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad) is as trustworthy as he says. The trailer shows a good

chunk of trippy imagery and violence, indicating Riya’s perspective may also be suspect to the audience. This looks to have a real shot at cult status when it lands in theaters on March 21.

DREW

JOSEPH ALLEN

Ash; photo courtesy ICF Films

Lance Cheney, A.S.I.D. RICHARD NEEL INTERIORS

Heather Buckmaster

Executive Director of the Oklahoma Beef Council (OBC), Heather Buckmaster grew up on a wheat and cattle farm in Hydro, Oklahoma. After receiving her degree in Agricultural Economics at Oklahoma State University, she spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Gambia, West Africa, working as an agriculture extension agent. She then returned to OSU for her master’s in agricultural economics. Her first job after graduation was as the director of marketing for the Colorado Beef Council, but she later moved home when her current position at the OBC opened up. Now, Buckmaster is responsible for overseeing administration and program execution for the organization. We caught up with Buckmaster and got her thoughts on ...

... what ‘beef advocacy’ is.

Beef advocacy is all about educating consumers on everything related to

beef – its beef cookery, nutrition, safety and sustainability. A big part of what we do is dispelling misconceptions. We take great pride in how beef is raised in the U.S. For example, the U.S. has the lowest greenhouse gas emissions per pound of beef produced, a leadership position we’ve maintained since 1996. That’s a story we want the public to hear. On the nutrition side, most people know beef is a great source of protein, but they may not realize just how nutrient-dense it is.

With so much misinformation out there, beef advocacy plays a crucial role in breaking through the noise and ensuring consumers have the facts about beef’s benefits.

... what drew her to this industry.

My passion for the cattle industry runs deep – it’s in my roots. I grew up on a beef cattle farm in Hydro. On one side or the other, my family has been involved in the cattle business for generations, going back to a great, great grandfather who worked on ranches in the Panhandle. As a kid, I loved listening to my dad and his buddies talk about cattle markets, so you could say it’s in my DNA. After graduate school at OSU, I had the opportunity to join the Colorado Beef Council as the director of marketing. That first job set the stage for what has become a 28-year career advocating for beef farmers and ranchers and promoting beef.

... proudest accomplishments.

One of the most exciting moments was our partnership with NBA player Steven Adams when he played for the Oklahoma City Thunder. We created a simple video on a tight budget, posted it on social media, and before we knew it, it was being shared for free on national sports television. The campaign received national recognition, and no one realized it was produced by a small nonprofit in Oklahoma working with an equally small agency, Rural Gone Urban.

More recently, I’m especially proud of our partnership with the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association to enhance sports nutrition education through the Sports Nutrition Game Plan. For too long, nutrition has been an overlooked component of high school athletics, and the Sports Nutrition Game Plan was an opportunity to bridge the gap.

... what she wants Oklahomans to know about the OBC.

First and foremost, I want them to know about the incredible beef farmers and ranchers we serve. These men and women care deeply about their land, their animals and their communities. They work tirelessly to raise safe, high-quality beef while continuously improving sustainability practices.

For consumers who want to learn more, our website, oklabeef.org, is a great resource. There, they can find a local beef directory to purchase beef directly from Oklahoma ranchers, learn about beef’s nutritional benefits and sustainability efforts, meet actual beef farmers and ranchers through their profiles, and access thousands of beef recipes and cooking tips. Whether someone is looking for trusted information or simply wants inspiration for their next meal, we’re here to help.

... worldwide marketing efforts.

The Oklahoma Beef Council has long supported U.S. beef promotional efforts in key markets like Japan and South Korea through our partnership with the U.S. Meat Export Federation. More recently, we’ve extended that support to emerging markets in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana and Angola.

Photo courtesy the OBC

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