The first weekend of April brings a number of fairs and festivals to the state.
The Montmartre Sidewalk Chalk Art Festival comes to the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma on April 4th. This annual event is named after the hill in Paris that is known for its sidewalk chalk art. USAO invites you to harness creativity on pavement rather than canvas. All ages are welcome to compete, and judging is broken up into those age categories. Feel free to compete solo, or bring some friends to help with the piece (although no more than four artists are allowed in one square). Last year, one Altus High School student won best of show with a portrait of a woman in a blue blouse. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. on the east side of Davis Hall, and the chalking ends at noon.
Feast on turkey legs of old or climb atop a camel for a peek into the past at the 37th Annual Medieval Fair of Norman this Friday through Sunday. The weekend festival fills Reaves Park with over 200 booths and countless entertainers and reenactments. Kids can visit with magicians and mermaids as they wander through the grounds while adults watch jousting competitions and partake in human chess games. Performers take the stage at various platforms throughout the park, so you’ll never be lacking amusement. Fair hours are 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily.
And if foreign films are more your style, don’t forget about the University of Oklahoma’s French Film Festival that occurs April 7th through the 10th. The event kicks off with a screening of The Artist on Sunday night at 7:00 p.m. in the Meacham Auditorium of the Oklahoma Memorial Union. The 2011 silent film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and took home five, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Jean Dujardin’s portrayal of George Valentin. If you haven’t seen the film, it tells the story of Valentin’s waning career as a silent actor and his relationship with an up-and-coming “talkie” actress named Peppy Miller. Other films include Les hommes libres (Free Men), Monsieur Lazhar, and The Conquest. Each of those will be shown on subsequent nights in Dale Hall, Room 200, at 7:00 p.m.
Several theatre and musical performances occur this weekend as well.
The University of Central Oklahoma Musical Theatre Division presents “No, No Nannette” April 4th through the 7th at the school’s Mitchell Hall Theatre. This 1920’s musical follows a Bible-publishing entrepreneur and his daughter as she tries to separate herself from her roots and live an adventurous life.
Theatre OCU (Oklahoma City University) teams up with Oklahoma City Repertory Theatre and Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park to bring “The Importance of Being Earnest” April 5th through the 14th. Oscar Wilde’s trivial comedy centers around Jack Worthing, a man who might have too much on his plate. Performances take place at OCU’s Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center.
And"Hello, Dolly!" comes to Sooner Theatre in Norman on April 5th through the 14th. The musical is based on Thorton Wilder’s comedy “The Merchants of Yonkers,” and it has won a total of 10 Tony Awards since its debut in 1964. Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m.
For more events, visit our calendar page.
