Saturday, April 27, at 1 p.m.

It took Oklahoma a few decades (try four) to catch on to that Dust Bowl “upstart,” Okemah’s Woody Guthrie, and his folk legacy. But when it happened, Guthrie’s name, image and lyrics were branded onto t-shirts, festivals, media and parks. Tulsa continues to give the traveling troubadour, poet and activist his due with the opening of the Woody Guthrie Center, 102 E. Brady St. At 1 p.m. Saturday, April 27. The center will house the Woody Guthrie Archive purchased by the George Kaiser Family Foundation in late 2011. The collection includes Guthrie’s personal notebooks, letters, lyrics, artwork, photographs, musical instruments and many other personal items. The grand opening will exhibit the original handwritten version of “This Land is Your Land,” Guthrie’s everyman anthem of Great Depression-era America. The 12,000-square-foot center will be the permanent home of these and other items and memorabilia for exhibition, education and research as well as a permanent exhibit on the Dust Bowl.

Also look for concerts on opening weekend at the Guthrie Green, 111 E. Brady St., across from the new center. Following the 12:30 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, April 27, favorite acts such as Jimmy LaFave, the Red Dirt Rangers and more take the stage through 6 p.m. On Sunday, April 28, from 2-6 p.m. rising Oklahoma recording artists Ripple Green, Samantha Crain, Ramsay Midwood and J.D. McPherson are featured.

Opening weekend events are free and open to the public. After the weekend, regular admission is $6-$8 with children under 5 admitted free. Visit www.woodyguthriecenter.org for hours and other information.

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