Opens Saturday, Aug. 10

Some may wonder why the snaffle bit warrants its own world show. Many may wonder what a snaffle bit is. The answer is a specifically designed mouthpiece for horses used during riding to better control the movements of the horse. For many riders of a variety disciplines and styles, the snaffle bit is the mouthpiece of choice, allowing better command and teamwork between horse and rider for complex steps. The National Snaffle Bit Association World Show is all about promoting quality riding and training, and it’s back in Tulsa beginning Saturday, Aug. 10, at Expo Square, 4145 E. 21st St. In addition to great competitions and exhibitions of horsemanship, the show sports some of the finest equine specimens in the country. The NSBA show is free and open to the public. It runs through Aug. 18. For more, go to www.exposquare.com.

Ladies and gentlemen: the 64-ounce plastic pitcher that started a war.

This morning, KRMG revealed that, along with a number of changes to Tulsa’s Oktoberfest, which includes RiverParks Authority taking over complete control of the event, pitchers of beer will no longer be sold at the event. According to the report and information shared by organizers on the Tulsa Oktoberfest Facebook page, the decision was made after discussions with the Oklahoma ABLE Commission and the City of Tulsa, though no specific details were given. The report indicates beer will be sold in 16-ounce cups and that commemorative steins will also be available.

The news quickly caused a furor among fans of the annual event, which is widely regarded as one of the largest and best Oktoberfest celebrations outside of Germany. Many took to social media sites to voice their opposition to the ruling or proclaim the decision a death knell to the long running festival, and a Facebook page and online petition dedicated to the return of the pitcher were created with hours of the announcement. Oktoberfest organizers tried to ease concerns with a comment on the event’s Facebook, stating, “We will have an update regarding what will replace the pitchers ASAP.”

While it may seem odd that nixing pitchers would spur such outrage, as many have indicated, drinking beer from a pitcher while doing the chicken dance on a table pretty much is what Oktoberfest is all about.

We'll add updates as more information becomes avialable. Please share your thoughts in the comments seciton or on the Oklahoma Magazine Facebook page.

UPDATE – Oktoberfest released the following statement on its Facebook this evening: “Thanks for the feedback everyone. It's obvious that you love a great Oktoberfest as much as we do. To clarify: we will miss being able to have the traditional pitcher as well. Happily, we do have something exciting to offer fans of Tulsa Oktoberfest: an all-new 1-litre commemorative stein, made of thick acrylic (not plastic) with a close-to-unbreakable molded handle (trust us, we’ve tested). It's refillable, so you'll have plenty of table time with friends. And, it's modeled after the authentic steins used at the original Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, so it's sure to be a fun collectible. We’ll unveil the design in the next few weeks! We appreciate your passion and we look forward to raising a (heavy) stein with you soon.”

Extended to Dec. 29

The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art really wants you to see this painting. On loan from the St Louis Art Museum in Missouri, Woman in the Studio is a cubist masterpiece by the man best associated with the abstraction and style of the controversial, early-20th century art movement. The work by Pablo Picasso is on exhibit at the museum on the University of Oklahoma campus, 555 Elm Ave., in Norman. The piece was placed on exhibit late last summer and originally intended for display for about a year. Now the date has been pushed to Dec. 29, affording more opportunity to view in person a work by Picasso re-examining in his latter years a style he helped develop as a young, unknown artist. Admission to the Fred Jones Jr. Museum is free, and hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday (open until 9 p.m. Thursday) and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. See what else the museum has to offer at www.ou.edu/fjjma.

Saturday, Aug. 3, 8 p.m.

Since their debut television show in 1966, the Monkees have continued to entertain daydream believers all over the world. On Saturday, Aug. 3, Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz and Perter Tork will bring their classic pop hits to Tulsa. The Brady Theater, 105 W. Brady St., hosts the trio’s A MidSummer’s Night with The Monkees show. The night will not only be full of favorite songs like “Daydream Believer,” “I’m a Believer” and “Last Train to Clarksville,” but it will also feature rare photos and videos in a multimedia format that includes the late Davy Jones, the band’s eternally-boyish lead singer, who passed away in 2012. Tickets are $39.50-$125, available at Reasor’s locations and Starship Records in Tulsa. They can also be purchased online at www.protixonline.com. Doors open at 7 p.m. For more, visit www.bradytheater.com.

Opens Sunday, Aug. 4

Gilcrease Museum is giving you the chance to step back into the past and experience a world that we learned about in grade school. Before cars, trains and planes, the world was explored on foot and by sea. The 18th and 19th centuries brought great findings all around the world, and to document those discoveries, explorers brought along artists. Gilcrease Museum, 1400 N. Gilcrease Museum Road, in Tulsa presents Folio Editions: Art in the Service of Science. This exhibition highlights works by the expedition artists who captured a whole new scene of animals, people and places through art. Works from George Catlin, John Gould and more can be seen. This historical exhibit opens on Sunday, Aug. 4, and remains on display through March 20. Gilcrease is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $5-$8. To learn more, see www.gilcrease.utulsa.edu.

Opens Friday, Aug. 2

Art Gone Wild is not your everyday art exhibit. The talented artists in this exhibit are your favorite animals from the Oklahoma City Zoo! Art Gone Wild will include paintings created by paws, hooves, tails, flippers and more. The animals and their caregivers joined together to make works of art to create a social and fun experience for the animals by using canvases and non-toxic paint, and their masterpieces will be on display from Friday, Aug. 2-Saturday, Aug. 31, at the In Your Eye Gallery, 3005A Paseo, in Oklahoma City. The opening reception of the exhibit will be 6-10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2. All pieces are for sale, and all proceeds will go to support the OKC Zoo’s local and global conservation projects. Regular hours for the gallery are from noon-5 p.m. on Thursdays through Saturdays. Admission is free. Visit www.okczoo.com for more information.

Friday, Aug. 2-Sunday, Aug. 4

Tokyo in Tulsa is back for a sixth year of Japanese animation, gaming cosplay and more. In 2012, TnT (as fans call it) attracted more than 5,000 participants to the convention. This year, organizers hope to top that. From Friday, Aug. 2-Sunday, Aug. 4, the Cox Business Center, 100 Civic Center, will become starbase to panel discussions, gaming events, costume competitions, concerts and more. Plenty of artists and vendors in the sci-fi and fantasy genres will showcase their work and merchandise for purchase. Admission for Tokyo in Tulsa is through memberships. Three-day early membership packages are sold out, but you can still get in on the action: Full weekend memberships ($50) and single day memberships ($30) will be available at the door. Registration begins at 9 a.m. each day. To see the full schedule for Tokyo in Tulsa, go to www.tokyointulsa.com.

Thursday, Aug. 1, 8 p.m.

Cover bands give audiences a chance to hear their favorite songs performed by fans who love them just as much as they do. What’s even better is when the cover band has Grammy Award-winning artists rocking out to their personal favorites! Cover band Chevy Metal was formed by Foo Fighters’ drummer and accompanying vocalist Taylor Hawkins and features his Foo Fighters’ compadre, guitarist Chris Shiflett. Chevy Metal is coming to the Diamond Ballroom, 8001 S. Eastern Ave., in Oklahoma City on Thursday, Aug. 1, to perform rock classics from bands such as Queen, ZZ Top, Van Halen, the Rolling Stones and Black Sabbath. Oklahoma City’s own Aranda is set to take the stage as the opening act. Tickets are $14 and can be purchased online at www.protixonline.com or at Buy For Less stores in OKC or Reasor’s in Tulsa. Showtime is 8 p.m. with doors opening at 7 p.m. This is a 21 and over show. For more, visit www.diamondballroom.nethttp://www.diamondballroom.net/

Thursday, Aug. 1-Sunday, Aug. 4

Many of us remember petting our first cow at the petting zoo or eating your favorite ice cream flavor at the county fair. The Tulsa County Free Fair is sure to bring back those memories and make new ones for the whole family. From Thursday, Aug. 1, through Sunday, Aug. 4, take the children to the Expo Square, 4145 E. 21st St., for a weekend of activities. The 4-H and FFA livestock shows will be at the Ford Truck Arena. Horses, rabbits, cattle and more will be shown for the top spot in each division. The weekend is full of all types of special events such as an ice cream festival, silent auction, community booths and all types of exhibits – from the best pies and preserves to the best art and photography – in the Exchange Center. The festivities start early Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m, and, more importantly, the admission for family fun is free! Visit www.oces.tulsacounty.org for more.

Saturday, Aug. 3, 8 p.m.

Fresh off their third place showing on NBC’s The Voice, brothers Colton and Zach Swon are coming to rock the Joint at the Hard Rock Tulsa Hotel & Casino, 777 W. Cherokee St., in Catoosa. The Okies from Muskogee won America’s heart with their true country sound. They were the first duo to advance to the live broadcast shows of the popular singing competition. Oklahoma stood proud behind their natives and helped pushed the Swon Brothers to the finale. The brothers will be giving back the love to Team Blake fans on Saturday, Aug. 3. The show will begin at 8 p.m. with doors opening at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25, $35 and $45, but the show is 21 and over only. To purchase tickets, check out www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com.