Well, we’ve made it to Labor Day Weekend 2013. Take a load off. This week’s OneSix8 features several festival opportunities where you can reward yourself for another year of hard work.
The Dusk ‘Til Dawn Blues Festival returns to Rentiesville for the 23rd time this weekend. The annual event boasts 33 bands performing from August 30 through September 1. Legends like Tee Dee Young and Roger Hurrican Wilson join local celebrities such as Watermelon Slim and Miss Blues.
In addition to the traditional concerts, musicians also take part in laid-back jam sessions with each other during the evenings. Performances begin at 6:00 p.m. on Friday and continue through Sunday.
Oklahoma City Community College also presents a yearly Labor Day event. Arts Festival Oklahoma provides local vendors, musicians, and performers a chance to join together and display their talents August 31 through September 2.
Paint swatch artist Jennifer Lashbrook is this year’s feature artist. Her “paintings” are created from collections of color swatches she finds at home improvement stores. The Oklahoma City Philharmonic performs Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. The orchestra plays classics, and the night concludes with a fireworks show.
Sometimes children’s music can be a little bit, well, childish. Now, a group of musicians is banding together under the genre of “Kindie,” standing for “kid-Indie” music. Oklahoma City hosts a number of these groups September 1 for Wiggle Out Loud.
The music isn’t just for little ones though. The Verve Pipe (famous for that 1997 hit “The Freshmen”) headlines the day of family fun. In addition to a number of touring and local bands, Wiggle Out Loud also hosts a children’s stage with young musicians playing throughout the day.
And AAA offers its Tipsy Tow program beginning 6:00 p.m. on Friday evening. This free community service offers AAA members and non-members a ride home if a driver is too impaired to drive. Motorists can call 800-AAA-HELP to call a truck; however, Tipsy Tow will only take you back to your house.
Other events taking place in the area:
Oklahoma Blues comes to the Oklahoma History Center August 29 at 7:00 p.m. The “History Through Music” program gives attendees a look into the development of the blues genre.
Choctaw kicks off its annual Oktoberfest August 30. German enthusiasts can get a taste of the culture through September 7 at Choctaw Creek Park’s Festival Pavilion.
The City of Spencer hosts its Unity Day August 31 at 6:00 p.m. Attendees can enjoy children’s activities, music, and a variety of vendors.
For even more activities, visit our calendar page.
