Festival season

Whatever your music tastes, and whether you like to groove, thrash or sashay, our fine state has a festival for you. Here’s your guide to the ever-expanding and multiplying music fests coming our way in the next few months.

Rooster Days

Broken Arrow • May 8-9 • roosterdays.com

84 years and counting, BA hosts Oklahoma’s longest-running festival.

Will on the Hill

Will Rogers Memorial, Claremore • May 16

Oklahoma musicians including Beau Jennings, Travis Linville and Annie Oakley pay tribute to our state’s beloved son.

Tulsa International Mayfest

May 14-17, Downtown • tulsamayfest.org • Free

Mayfest returns to downtown with artists and vendors from around the country and music on three outdoor stages. Headlining the main stage will be Bradio (The Brady Orchestra), acoustic good-vibe purveyors Nahko and Medicine for the People and Austin Tex-rockers Band of Heathens. Also on the bill are Chicago soul band JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound (check out their cover of Wilco’s “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart”) and KALO, fronted by fiery blues guitarist Bat-Or Kalo. Expect plenty of local flavor from klondike5, Brujoroots, Sam & The Stylees and many more.

Blue Dome Arts Festival

May 15-17, Blue Dome District • bluedomearts.org • Free

Blue Dome Arts Festival showcases the talents of Tulsa artists, musicians and food truckies. Nearly 250 artists will be selling their painting, pottery, photography, jewelry, home decor, woodcraft, apparel, glasswork and more. In addition to the baffling variety of eats available at the festival’s Food Truck Food Court, a fine lineup of musical talent awaits. The bill includes Adrienne Gilley Melodious Music, The Dustin Pittsley Band, Annie Oakley, Alan Doyle, The Dirty Creek Bandits, Symon Hajjar, Tulsa Latin Style, I Said Stop!, Cheyenne Roberts and many more. See music listings for the full lineup. Other highlights include henna tattoos and elaborate face painting, the Art Play Center (where kids can create their own works of art), ArtCars, belly dancing and a kids’ ArtBOXCar Parade.

The Hop Jam Craft Beer and Music Festival

May 17, Brady Arts District • thehopjam.com • Free-$45

With last year’s inaugural Hop Jam, Hanson provided a fantastic end to an already great weekend. The one hiccup was that the beer ran dry in the first few hours of the all-day event. This year’s lineup (twice as large) includes several out-of-state and international—some of which have never been available in Oklahoma. But that’s just half of it. Hanson will once again headline the concert, along with the incredible Polyphonic Spree, Black Joe Lewis (who brought heaps of electric soul to last year’s Mayfest), Jamestown Revival, Horse Thief and a local band to be selected in Hanson’s Awesome Music Contest. Passes include Unlimited Hop (all-you-can-taste beer, Hop Jam tasting glass, lanyard) and Hop Head VIP (same as above plus early entry and Hop Head hat).

ONEOK Fan Fest

Guthrie Green • May 20-24 • guthriegreen.com

Music, movies, dance parties and more in conjunction with the Big 12 baseball championship at ONEOK Field.

Rocklahoma

May 22-24, Pryor • rocklahoma.com • Single Day: $79.50; Weekend: $159 (will increase to $189 closer to the festival); VIP: Sold Out

SLAYER. That’s right. If you go to Pryor over Memorial Day Weekend, you will be slain and you will like it. Also playing the heaviest fest in the state will be another of the Big Four thrash metal bands, Anthrax, as well as Queensryche, Tesla, Scott Weiland & The Wildabouts, Godsmack and Papa Roach, among many more.

Charlie Christian International Music Festival

May 28-31, Lawton • charliechristianmusicfestival.com • $10-$20, several free events

During the late ‘30s, OKC guitarist Charlie Christian redefined what the electric guitar could do with his unmatched improvisational abilities (without Christian, there would be no Jimi Hendrix). For 30 years, this jazz festival has paid tribute to Christian and his legacy. Artists at this year’s festival include Grady Nichols, Eldredge Jackson, Landon Torbett, Chris Arnold, Shortt Dogg and Brothers Dupree & Sista Sara Wade.

Dancing in the district G Fest

Downtown Muskogee • May 29, June 26, July 31, Aug. 21 • omhof.com

A summer concert series with $10 shows from the likes of Shooter Jennings, Chris Stapleton, Uncle Lucius, Junior Markham and more.

Tallgrass Music Festival

June 5-6, Skiatook • tallgrassmusicfestival.com • Free admission, $10 parking

Kick off the summer with a short drive up to Skiatook for some bluegrass, gospel and folk music. The lineup features Nu-Blu, Monroe Crossing, Scenic Roots, Coyote Hill, Blue Pearl and more.

OK Mozart International Music Festival

June 6-13, Bartlesville • okmozart.com • Prices vary for performances

Bartlesville hosts eight days of classical concerts, including a performance of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. As always, the orchestra in residence will be Amici New York, which is comprised of top New York City musicians and conducted by Maestro Constantine Kitsopoulos. Featured artists include violist Andria Benjamin, “Kitchen Fiddler” Louise Owen, pianist Jon Kimura Parker, 20-year-old violin prodigy Chad Hoopes, the Aeolus Quartet and the Canadian Brass.

Blue Whale Comedy Fest

June 18-21, Blue Dome District and Circle Cinema • Prices for performances vary • bluewhalecomedyfest.com

Blue Whale is back for its second year, and it’s seriously stepped up its funny game. Michael Ian Black and Natasha Leggero will headline the festival, and you can also see Nick Thune, Johnny Pemberton, Maronzio Vance, Bendon Walsh, Sarah Schaefer, Brody Stevens, Dan St. Germain, Chris Cubas, Aparna Nancherla, Randy Liedtke, Alan Starzinksi, the return of Tulsa native Josh Fadem and more. This year, the fest has also added a short-film fest at Circle Cinema, a movie night at Guthrie Green, a charity celebrity bowling event at Dust Bowl, Okie shows at Dwelling Spaces and after-parties at The Fur Shop. Perhaps most exciting of all—a fortunate few will call bullshit on the man you, dear readers, named Best Bullshit Caller in the Voice’s 2015 Best of Tulsa awards—Blake Ewing, in a roast hosted by our favorite lounge lizard, Vincent Carbone.

Vans Warped Tour

June 25, OKC • vanswarpedtour.com

The long-running traveling festival makes a stop in OKC with more than 90 acts in tow.

MVSKOKE Nation Festival

June 25-28, Okmulgee • creekfestival.com • Free

The 41st Muscogee (Creek) Festival weekend is packed with activities including Creek hymn and gospel singing, sports tournaments, traditional Creek arts and crafts, a parade and more. Fans of classic R&B, take note: The festival will include free performances from Kool & The Gang and The Commodores as well as the electronic/First Nations group A Tribe Called Red. Country act Sawyer Brown and Little Texas will round out the headliners.

OKC Fest

June 26-27, Oklahoma City • okcfest.com

Single Day: $55 • Weekend: $95 • VIP: $450

Last year’s inaugural OKC Fest featured country acts exclusively. This year there will still be plenty of country, but the festival has expanded its offerings. Headliners include Hand Williams Jr., Grace Potter, Rascal Flatts, Better Than Ezra, Drive-By Truckers, Sammy Hagar and The Circle and Graham Colton.

Woody Guthrie Folk Festival

July 8-12, Okemah • woodyguthrie.com • Single Day: $30 at the gate; Weekend: $50 before May 13, $60 from May 13-June 25, $75 at the gate

Celebrate Woody Guthrie’s 103rd birthday with nearly 100 folk acts from around the world and just around the corner. Among them are Sam Baker, The Black Lillies, David Amram, John Fullbright, John Moreland, Jared Tyler, Travis Linville, Red Dirt Rangers, Ali Harter and Randy Crouch.

Center of the Universe Festival

July 24-25, Brady Arts District • centeroftheuniversefestival.com • Single Day: $30; Weekend: $60; VIP: $210

Back again with a unique set of headliners, it’s COUFest! Headlining the main stage will be Panic! At The Disco, Three Days Grace, Kongos, American Authors, Misterwives, Minus the Bear and Tycho. Headlining at Guthrie Green will be Bear Hands, Big Sam’s Funky Nation (a must-see), Chappo, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Milo Greene, Mother Mother and Roxy Roca. Yet to be announced are more than 100 bands, most of which will play the 10 club venues (where you want to be).

Backwoods Music Festival

September 4-6, Stroud • backwoodsmusicfestival.com • Weekend: $99 (will increase to $149); VIP: $199 (will increase to $249)

Yes, Backwoods is moving away from its roots at Keystone Lake. But along with the move, the festival will be much bigger than ever before. Pay attention festy-heads, this year’s lineup includes Porter Robinson, Infected Mushroom, BoomBox, The Floozies, Keller Williams, Lettuce, Andy Frasco & The U.N., Com Truise, Tea Leaf Green and Washed Out. Expect plenty of Okie acts, including Helen Kelter Skelter, Ego Culture, Kalyn Fay, Movetet (formerly The Move Trio), Freak Juice and Ego Culture—with many more acts yet to be announced.

Claremore Bluegrass & Chili Festival

September 10-12, Claremore • facebook.com/ClaremoreBluegrass • Free admission; $10 parking; Hot Seat Pass: $40

Just as the dog days of summer are ending and you feel that first bit of chill in the air, it’s time for Bluegrass and Chili. The 36th annual festival will have three stages with performances by Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Dailey & Vincent, The Cleverlys and many more yet to be announced. Last year, the festival expanded to two International Chili Society cook-offs, so be sure to go with an empty stomach.

Hound Dog Blues Festival

September 12, Chandler Park • facebook.com/hounddogblues • Free admission, $10 Parking 

Ironically, this all-day, outdoor blues festival is great for curing the blues. Hound Dog offers plenty of local and regional blues acts as well as headlining sets from award-winning guitarist and singer Albert Castiglia and Israeli blues singer Eleanor Tallie.

Stone River Music Festival

September 18-20, Chandler • stonerivermusicfestival.com

Stone River’s Oklahoma music showcase and family-friendly camping festival takes place on land owned by the family of local guitarist Dustin Pittsley. Information for the 6th annual festival hasn’t been announced yet, but you can bet the weekend will feel like The Colony moved outdoors.

Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival

October 1-3, Guthrie • oibf.com • Single Day: $25-$40; 3-Day: $70-$80

OIBF means business with that “I” in its title—Bluegrass is no longer just an American tradition. Returning this year is Japanese act The Blue Side of Lonesome, who played amazing sets at OIBF and a packed show at The Colony last year. Rounding out the international offerings are Totte Bergstrom and the Bluegrass Vikings from Sweden, Beppe Gambetta from Italy and Calvin Vollrath from Canada. Stateside acts include headliner Suzy Boguss, John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band, Byron Berline Band, Hunt Family Bluegrass and several others.