July 13–July 17 OKEMAH, OK Join folk music and Woody Guthrie fans all over Oklahoma for the 16th annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival. This celebration of the legacy of Guthrie’s life and his undeniable creative impact features a large roster of national and regional acts including Graham Nash, John Calvin Abney, Jaimee Harris, Beau Jennings and Samantha Crain. Best known outside of Oklahoma for his song “This Land Is Your Land,” Woody Guthrie’s work inspired generations of musicians world-over with his lyrical storytelling informed by his experiences in the Dust Bowl era of The Great Depression. After his passing, Guthrie’s music would live on to influence both the narrative and sound of many beloved musicians, including Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and Bruce Springsteen. To mark the folk-legend’s birthday in mid-July, the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival takes over Okemah, Oklahoma – the birthplace of Guthrie – for an all-out explosion of folk music. Enjoy five days of camping, indoor and outdoor musical performances, tasty food and drinks, and a variety of family-friendly activities. With all-day live music spread out over three stages, there is sure to be something for everyone.  A substantial portion of the festival is free to the public, although wristbands are required to enter The Crystal Theater and Pastures of Plenty performances. Single-day wristbands start at $30 and are available at woodyfest.com. Weekend passes are also available.

June 28 – July 2, July 12 – 16 OKLAHOMA CITY CIVIC CENTER MUSIC HALL Lyric Theatre will be having a busy July as the theater company finishes its run of Dreamgirls and opens The Wizard of Oz on July 12. Dreamgirls is the hit Broadway musical loosely based on the careers of the 1960s music group The Supremes and other key Motown acts of the time. Follow the story of the fictional group The Dreamettes as they take over the radio waves and rise to fame throughout the 1960s and 70s. Written by Tom Eyen, the musical originally premiered in New York City in 1981 to much acclaim and brought in 13 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical. Since leaving Broadway, the musical has been touring worldwide, with productions in South Africa, Malaysia, Colombia and Melbourne. In 2007, the show was adapted into an Oscar-nominated motion picture featuring Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson and Anika Noni Rose.

The Wizard of Oz opens on July 12 at the Oklahoma City Civic Center Musical Hall. The show is one of the world’s most beloved musicals and will feature Arden Walker as Dorothy Gale. According to producting artistic director, this version of the musical brings all the most iconic moments from the movie to life. “From ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ to ‘We’re Off to See the Wizard,’ audiences will reignite their sense of wonder as we bring America’s own fairy tale to life,” he says. lyrictheatreokc.com

July 30–31 – COX BUSINESS CENTER Celebrate Native American heritage at the 64th annual Tulsa Powwow. Since 1952, the Tulsa Powwow has gathered together thousands of Native American Oklahomans in a celebration of indigenous history, life, health and culture. As one of the largest nationally recognized powwows in the U.S., the Tulsa Indian Club Annual Powwow features dance contests for both adults and children, Northern drums, color guard, and the crowning of the 2016-2017 Tulsa Powwow Princess. Stop by the vendor booths for delicious food and drinks, plus an assortment of Native American regalia, keepsakes, artwork and other hand-made merchandise. Attend both Saturday and Sunday to increase your chances of winning a variety of raffle prizes. For more information on the event, visit tulsapowwow.org.

July 15–17 – COX BUSINESS CENTER  Tokyo in Tulsa’s main goal is “to educate and build community through entertainment.” With over 300 hours of programming that includes anime, gaming, Japanese and Tulsa culture, art, writing, music and shopping, there is plenty of opportunity for attendees to take a little bit of Tokyo home with them. Last year’s convention broke attendance records, making it one of Tulsa’s most successfully and widely attended pop culture conventions. 2016 marks the ninth year of the event, which is expected to be record-breaking. This year, Tokyo in Tulsa promises to have even more fun activities, booths, shopping, panels, contests and more. If you are one of the thousands of cosplayers attending, be sure to sign up for one or all of the multiple cosplay costume contests. Participants will be judged on the overall quality of the costume, including design, detail elements, ability to be photographed and more. Enjoy live music from a selection of Japan’s popular rock and pop acts MeteoroiD and Chanty, as well as local DJs Zach Fast and Nomad. In addition to these musical acts, meet and greet your favorite professional cosplayers, anime voice actors, artists and writers. Three-day general admission passes are only $65 and single passes are $45 at the door. For more information, visit tokyointulsa.com.

July 13 - Brady Theater - Garbage is headlining The Edge Birthday Bash at Brady Theater as part of a tour promoting their latest album, Strange Little Birds, which was released in June. Garbage released its eponymous debut album, which was both a critical and commercial success, in 1995. Strange Little Birds is the band’s sixth studio album. Other bands playing at the bash include Chevelle, Kongos and The Unlikely Candidates. bradytheater.com.

TULSA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Named by Rolling Stone as “the best Beatles tribute band ever,” 1964 the Tribute has pleased music fans for over thirty years with their spot-on live re-creations of classic Beatles’ concerts and television performances. The four-part group’s main goal is to capture the 1960’s British invasion of pop and rock music as seen through the eyes of Beatles’ fans. Each of the band’s original members are meticulously represented on stage by Mark Benson as John Lennon, Mac Ruffing as Paul McCartney, Tom Work as George Harrison and Bobby Porter as Ringo Starr. For a fun evening overflowing with your favorite classic ’60s Beatles songs mixed with a selection of stories from the early years, all performed completely live and in-character, be sure to pick up tickets to 1964 the Tribute at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center.

[dropcap]Frida[/dropcap] Kahlo, one of Mexico’s most celebrated artists, lived a colorful life – one filled with love, loss, and tragedy. She channeled her emotion into self-portrait paintings that rose to prominence decades after her death.

The Gilcrease Museum has chosen this prolific artist as the subject of their new exhibition entitled Frida Kahlo: Through the Lens of Nikolas Muray. As the name suggests, this exhibition doesn’t feature art by Kahlo but instead displays stunning photos of the artist herself. It is set to include around 50 photos of Kahlo, all shot by her close friend and lover Nickolas Muray.

The photography will “explore the unique perspective of the photographer, Nickolas Muray, with the subject Frida Kahlo, while also focusing on Kahlo’s interest in her Mexican heritage, her life and the people that were significant influences on her,” says Melani Hamilton, communications manager for Gilcrease Museum. “Plus, these vintage photographs showcase her iconic style.”

Muray shot many celebrities and socialites in his time, but Kahlo captivated his heart and camera for years. The pictures span almost a decade and depict Kahlo in different moments in her life. Hamilton also adds that “the Frida Kahlo photographs would complement the ‘West Mexico: Ritual and Identity’ exhibition” that opened June 26.

The Kahlo exhibition will run from July 10 to September 11. The Gilcrease Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit gilcrease.org.