Opens Thursday, Sept. 12

It was bound to happen. The culture that submerges potatoes, battered chicken and even ice cream into searing oil has finally taken a refreshing, guiltless summer pleasure and deep-fried it – watermelon, which will be served with a marshmallow cream sauce. You know you want to try it as you stroll the attractions at this year’s Oklahoma State Fair, opening Thursday, Sept. 12, at Oklahoma State Fair Park, 3001 General Pershing Blvd. The rides are back, along with livestock shows, midway games, concerts, Pro Rodeo Xtreme Bulls, Disney on Ice, art exhibits and so much more. New this year are the Swampmaster Alligator Show, speed painter Richard Hight, the Farmyard Follies with the zoo crew and the Voice of the Fair poetry and vocal contests. The fair runs through Sept. 22, and regular admission is $5-$9 each or $25 for season passes. Gates open daily at 8 a.m., but be sure to check out the full schedule at www.okstatefair.com.

Opens Thursday, Sept. 12

Among the academics, “King Lear” rivals “Hamlet” as Williams Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy if not play. On the page, it’s compelling with language to be interpreted in all the colors of the comprehension spectrum. On the stage, it’s even better. And, the Lear role is meaty. Almost any audience can be assured that at the very least they will see a good, well-seasoned actor play it to his utmost ability. When a great actor gets his hands on it, be prepared. Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park closes its season on the Myriad Botanical Gardens Water Stage, 301 W. Reno Ave., Oklahoma City, with a very old story of betrayals and a once strong kingdom at stake when its aged monarch disinherits his only loyal heir. There’s a price to be paid for everything, you know. The play opens Thursday, Sept. 12, and runs through Sept. 28 playing at 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. Tickets are $10-$15. For more, visit www.oklahomashakespeare.com.

The weekend

With a cast of characters that any Bravo TV serial could only dream of showcasing, the band Mötley Crüe is set to rock three stages in Oklahoma this week. Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars and Tommy Lee first touch down at the Choctaw Events Center way down in Durant for a show on Thursday, Sept. 12 (www.choctawcasinos.com) before making their way to the OKC Downtown Airpark, 1701 S. Western Ave., Oklahoma City, on Friday, Sept. 13. Special guest bands Filter and Hinder open the show just ahead of Stone Temple Pilots-minus-Scott-Weiland. The motley boys will finally get the stage to themselves for hits, such as “Girls, Girls, Girls,” “Dr. Feelgood” and “Kickstart My Heart.” Tickets are $46-$128, available at www.ticketstorm.com. The band finishe its tour of Oklahoma at the Buffalo Run Casino & Resort, 1000 Buffalo Run Blvd., in Miami — the final stop before Mötley Crüe's extended residency at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas. Hinder opens in Miami at 6 p.m. Tickets are $40 at www.buffalorun.com.

Saturday, Sept. 14, 11 a.m.

Good luck trying to find a seat at the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, 180 W. Brooks, Norman, on this weekend's game day. The Sooners host the University of Tulsa’s Golden Hurricane football team with play beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. Can a team with impressive passing power two games into the season (we’re talking about Tulsa) take on the Sooners (which will be without its starting quarterback due to an injury in last week’s game)? The experts are saying, “You bet.” Reserve your seats early. Tickets are $77 and can be purchased at www.soonersports.com. Can’t make it to Norman? Just look to your nearest over-sized flat screen display – the game will be broadcast on ESPN 2.

Thursday, Sept. 12, 7 p.m.

We’ve been wondering to ourselves at Oklahoma Magazine why Jim James’ concert on Thursday, Sept. 12, at Cain’s Ballroom didn’t sell out weeks earlier. Is it possible the masses have overlooked the My Morning Jacket front man’s temporary and eagerly anticipated solo foray – the album “Regions of Light and Sound of God?" Anyone who’s taken in the measured signatures and lush fray of MMJ’s “Z,” “Evil Urges” and “Circuital” will understand our confusion. If they don't remember the name, they'll certainly remember the voice. The charismatic James brings a new collection of work to the Cain's that builds on his already impressive musical distinctions. Plus, he seems to be a pretty cool guy and an amazing live act (check out MMJ’s live performances on YouTube). Tickets are $25-$40, available at www.cainsballroom.com. Take our advice: Get the ticket!

Friday, Sept. 13-Sunday, Sept. 15

Pitchers rarely make it into the news these days unless they’re fifth century A.D. Roman, repatriated loot or shooting up quantities of human growth hormone. Yet, pitchers, or the lack of, have the attention of media and festivalgoers in Tulsa. The 2013 “Clash of the Clans” known as ScotFest will take place Friday, Sept. 13-Sunday, Sept. 15, at the River West Festival Park, 2100 S. Jackson Ave., Tulsa, on the west bank of the Arkansas River. And it will be pitcher-less this year. Instead of lingering on that fact, look forward to everything else this awesome festival has to offer – the famous Highland Games, Highland and Irish dance, pipes & drums music, smokin' Celtic bands, whisky tastings, a Celtic dog parade, excellent food, beer-by-the cup and all the hairy knees under kilts you can handle. Tickets are $7 each day with corporate packages still available. Read more at www.okscotfest.com.

Studio D Has You In and Out in 30 Minutes

If you need a head shot in hurry, head to Tulsa's Studio D Photography. Studio D can generally do your sitting and have you out the door with a disc containing your new professional head shot in about 30 minutes. The studio has a lot of professional backgrounds on hand to customize your business portrait, and if you work for one of Tulsa's large employers, chances are Studio D has your company's head shot specs on file.

The sitting is low stress, even for camera-shy patrons. '"We make the process fun, and we tell them not to worry if they're having a bad hair day. We can fix a lot of things on the image digitally after the shot is taken," says Danielle Culbert, Studio D's social media correspondent.

Studio D is happy to customize your experience. If, for example, you need a head shot but also want a personal portrait, just bring along a change of clothes, Danielle says. If you would like to have a family portrait done, Studio D will schedule both sittings back to back. On-location shooting is another option.

Business portraits are just one of the terrific services Studio D provides. As a full-service photography lab and portrait studio, Studio D also offers family, senior, couple, fun and pet portraits, plus high quality photo prints, online digital printing, photo restoration services, specialty photo products and DVD video transfer.

Got boxes of old photos in the closet? Preserve your precious memories. Be sure to ask about Studio D's "Shoebox" service, which will organize the mess, and scan your old photos, negatives or slides onto a CD or DVD for digital storing and sharing. Studio D Photography, 8220 South Harvard, Tulsa, OK 71473. 918-494-6686. [email protected]

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When Mumford & Sons makes a move, the music world pays attention. The English folk band, which has been on a hot streak of mainstream success since its 2011 Grammy Awards performance, began a series of “stopover” concerts across North America and the U.K. last year. Mumford & Sons brought the Gentlemen of the Road Tour to small but cool cities that rarely see big concert acts come their way. This summer, Guthrie, Okla., is one of them. The outdoor concert will be Sept. 6-7 at Cottonwood Flats, College Avenue and Fifth Street. The list of booked acts is enough to start another land run – Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Phosphorescent, Alabama Shakes, Mumford & Sons, Yacht Club DJs and more. Take your chances at www.gentlemenoftheroad.com/guthrie and register to buy tickets. Winners selected randomly can purchase two-day passes (starting at $109) and even choose to camp, but hurry. These gentlemen won’t wait.

How a lonesome-yet-vibrant little pueblo in New Mexico became an international art center is the story of the Taos Society of Artist. Tulsa’s Philbrook Museum of Art, 2727 S. Rockford Road, opens the book on this relatively short-lived collective and its legacy on American art with the exhibit In a Glorious Light: Masterworks of the Taos Society of Artists, Sept. 6-March 16, 2014. Some accounts of the famous art colony’s beginnings state that in the 1890s, two painters en route to Mexico from Denver stopped their journey outside of Taos when a wagon wheel broke on their carriage. Others claim artists had discovered the fertile valley earlier. What is indisputable is that painters from all over were drawn to the land’s beauty, people and cultures, and they remained to paint the enchanting visions they saw. The society disbanded in 1927, but their work still stands as a uniquely American school of painting. Read more at www.philbrook.org.

The Weekend

The Guthrie Green is a year old, believe it or not, and Tulsa’s celebrating with symphonic sounds and fireworks. The Tulsa Symphony will have a free concert on the green, 111 E. Brady St., at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6. The one-hour performance will be followed by fireworks set off against the downtown skyline. How’s that for photo worthy? This weekend also marks the return of the popular Tulsa Roots Rocks the Green concert series. Beginning at 2:30 p.m., three music acts will take turns on the outdoor stage, and because it’s from Tulsa Roots Music, you know the acts (local or international) are going to awesome. Opening weekend has Joe West & the Santa Fe Revue (Americana), the Plateros (Native blues rock) and Grupo Fantasma (Latin funk). It’s all free, and there’s always plenty for the kids to enjoy. Look for TRR shows every Sunday from 2:30-6:30 p.m. For more, see the events schedule at www.guthriegreen.com.