GCS Lake & River

TheTravelin’McCourys

J2B2JohnJorgensonBluegrass Band

John Fullbright

WithassistanceoftheOklahomaArts CouncilandtheNationalEndowmentoftheArts.

“Weput ourcommunity first”

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Diamond Stone Music Festival to host 34 acts

By SKYLER HAMMONS shammons@tahlequahdailypress.com

Music notes will bounce off the banks of the Illinois River, Sept. 7-9, as the third annual Diamond Stone Music Festival is set to take place.

With the actual festival taking place Sept. 7-9, Tye said there will also be a pre-party on Sept. 6.

“The main stage will be from 5 p.m. to midnight every day and music will start as early as 1 p.m. each day on the side stage,” said Tye.

Daniel Tye, the Diamondhead Resort event coordinator, said even though the third appearance of the festival will not be adding anything new, 34 bands will be making their way to Tahlequah.

The festival will feature an array of music, with genres such as country, folk music, rock, and Americana being performed. Bands set to take the stage include the Band of Heathens, Vincent Neil Emerson, and Josh Malloy. Tye said another headliner will be performing, but the name had not been released as of press time.

Diamond Stone began in 2021 and takes place in the area where the former Medicine Stone Musical Festival was held until 2019.

“We felt like there was a void in music in the area, and a void of a festival of that nature, so we were really determined to bring independent music back to Cherokee County,” said Tye.

Tye said those at the resort are excited for the 2023 lineup and being

able to continue bringing local musicians and bigger names to the stage for the community. Some area bands and musicians who will be performing include Lance Roark and Grammy-nominated John Fulbright.

The festival not only allow for patrons to come and listen to various national and local acts, Tye said, it lets artists perform to a hometown crowd and to see and meet other musicians from the area.

“Out of our lineup, at least 13-15

Jordan Cox plays at the Diamond Stone Gravel Bar in 2022.

of our acts live within a 30-mile radius of Tahlequah, so there is a lot of local acts,” said Tye. “There are a lot of Oklahoma acts. We really like to support a lot of acts that are born and raised here, so we like to bring in those fun national acts and acts that you may not normally see in Tahlequah. But we really like to support

our local musicians, as well.”

About 20 to 25 vendors are expected to set up at the site, with several holding local craft vendors and some food trucks.

Tye said he is expecting to have an audience of 2,500-3,000 people this year, as Diamond Stone sold tickets in 35 different states in 2022.

“It’s really neat to have people coming to Tahlequah from all over the country, so it’s neat to have them all coming for our little music festival,” said Tye.

While the festival will be hosting some big names like larger corporate festivals, Tye said it has the laid-back atmosphere that comes from the Illinois River creating a friendly environment.

Check it out

The festival will take place at Diamondhead Resort 12081 State Highway 10. For more information, go to www.diamondstonefestival.com.

Diamond Stone Festival attendees can enjoy the Illinois River as festivities take place.

Gabe Marshall, a member of The Damn Quails, performed at the Diamond Stone Music Festival in 2021.

Cherokee National Holiday to draw 100,000 visitors in September

By SARA SERRANO sserrano@tahlequahdailypress.com

Over 100,000 visitors will converge on Tahlequah this September to celebrate the 71st Cherokee National Holiday, an annual event featuring traditional games, a parade, an intertribal powwow, and more.

Cherokee National Holiday is held every Labor Day weekend, this year falling on Sept. 1-3, commemorating the signing of the tribe’s constitution in 1839 after its forced removal.

“The Cherokee National Holiday is significant for our Cherokee people to celebrate the rebuilding of our government in Indian Territory after one of our darkest chapters in history, our

removal,” said Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “We had the strength and fortitude of our ancestors to persevere and still continue the important work to build up our tribal communities, health and well-being, language and culture and infrastructure of the Cherokee Nation.”

This year’s theme is, “Building Our Nation, Strengthening Our Sovereignty.”

“Cherokee Nation is also committed to affirming our rights as a tribal government and protecting our sovereignty to advance issues critical to our people,” said Hoskin.

That Saturday morning, the annual CNH Parade will make its way down Muskogee Avenue and will

Spectator’s watch as parade floats make their way down Muskogee Avenue in downtown Tahlequah during the 2022 Cherokee National Holiday.

be followed by Hoskin’s State of the Nation address at the in downtown. The Cherokee Artisan Marketplace, an exclusive event for artisans from the three federally-recognized Cherokee tribes, will be held at the same location, Sept. 2-3, from 9 a.m.3 p.m.

The upcoming holiday will also include a community games championship on Aug. 26, featuring blowgun, chunkey, cornstalk shoot, hatchet throw, horseshoes, and marbles events, and stickball shootout championship on Sept. 2.

Qualifying tournaments have already begun, the first held at One Fire Field in Tahlequah on April 29, followed by another at Saline Courthouse Museum in Rose. Two more tournaments are scheduled before the championships, to be held in Nowata and Gore. Holiday Director Crystal Walker has coordinated the Native games.

“I love the culture and working for the tribe in a more meaningful way,” said Walker at the first qualifying event.

Other sporting events include softball, golf, three-on-three basketball, cornhole, fishing, and a veterans 5K.

RAFTS ,S INGLE DOUBLE

Players of the 12 versus 12 co-ed stickball tournament compete at the Cherokee National Holiday in 2022.

Map of the Illinois River

Balloons to fill August sky in Muskogee

By CATHY SPAULDING cspaulding@muskogeephoenix.com

Colorful hot-air balloons dot the sky around Muskogee during the Oklahoma Festival of Ballooning in late August.

This year’s festival runs 5-9 p.m. Aug. 25-26 and in the mornings of Aug. 26-27 at Hatbox Field, 4000 S. Border Ave. in Muskogee.

“We’ll start seeing balloons flying over town Thursday evening, Friday morning,” said Muskogee Parks and Recreation Director Mark Wilkerson. “Then the event starts Friday evening.”

Evening festivities Aug. 25-26 feature opportunities to enjoy all things airborne.

The fun begins when a skydiver with an American flag lands on the field.

At dusk, if weather conditions are

right, balloonists will inflate their massive balloons and fire them up for a balloon glow.

Several participating balloonists could offer tethered balloon rides at $20 per person, which will be first-come, first-served. Riders must be physically able to climb into the basket and stand unassisted. It is the balloon pilot’s discretion regarding number of riders and appropriate weight inside the basket. Family/ friends may be separated to ensure safety of each ride.

Helicopter rides for up to eight minutes start at $40 per person.

Fireworks and live music will conclude the night.

All sorts of other activities will tempt visitors. There will be a number of food trucks and other vendors.

Youngsters 10 years old and younger can enjoy inflatables. Wristbands are $10 per child.

Balloons line Muskogee’s Hatbox Field on late August evenings during the Oklahoma Festival of Ballooning.

Muskogee visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. There will be bleachers surrounding the spectator field and picnic tables in the food vendor areas with a tent.

Evening admission is $10 per vehicle and open at 4000 Border Ave.

But that’s just part of the festival. Early Saturday and Sunday morning, weather permitting, balloonists vie for the Oklahoma State Championship in Ballooning.

“There will be 30 balloons competing for the state championship,” Wilkerson said. “Saturday and Sunday, competition flights are open to the public, with no parking fee for entry.”

Competitions include a Hare and Hound, in which one balloon takes off and other balloons try to fly to it and drop a marker onto a target.

“I would encourage anybody to

come out and watch the balloons

Saturday morning and Sunday morning,” said Wilkerson. “They are flying and they are competing. They fly into Hatbox Field, as opposed to leaving Hatbox Field. It’s quite the sight to watch these balloons maneuver over Hatbox.”

Expect smaller crowds, Wilkerson said. The flights usually head off at sunrise, around 7 a.m.

“But for early risers, it’s a really cool thing to see,” he said. “It’s a spectacular show to see these balloons flying directly over your head when they fly into Hatbox.”

Continuing information about the festival, including scheduled musical performers, plus live broadcast of the competition flights, will be available on the festival’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OkieBalloonFest?mibextid=LQQJ4d.

A hot air balloon inflates while balloonist Darrell Duer of Oklahoma City prepares to attach the top during the 2021 Oklahoma Festival of Ballooning. Balloons are set to return to Muskogee this August.

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River City Players bringing ‘40 Years of Favorites’

By RENEE FITE editor@stilwelldemocrat.com

Celebrating four decades of River City Players, “40 Years of Favorites,” opened this month.

The season kicked off Thursday, June 29, and there will be two shows: Rock ‘n’ Roll is Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and the country show is Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m.

Artistic Director Robyn Pursley describes this year’s entertainers as “a very enthusiastic group.”

“There are two returning and six

new performers, which is more new and unusual,” she said.

This is Pursley’s eighth season as artistic director. Before that, she was stage manager,and when still in college at Northeastern State University in 2004, she worked on costumes.

“I’m excited we have a cast of people [for whom] this is their first experience with summer theater. It’s very unique experience; there’s not an experience like this,” Pursley said.

The RCP is its own animal, because it’s more review-based with a small cast, and they all do everything.

“A lot of summer theater have

Rehearsing with choreographer Sydney Jennings, front, are, from left: Logan Corley from Mansfield, Texas; Zach Wright from Midwest City, Josh Wilson from Fort Worth, Texas and Robert Valderas from Tulsa.

parts; these do it all, as they sing and dance. We have a live band,” she said. “It’s always new and fun and exciting, and organic with new people and lighting and sets every year.”

Pursley was never in the show herself as a performer.

“I don’t River City sing; I character sing,” she said.

She builds the shows, and chooses the songs.

The first season of RCP was 1983.

“This year, I sent our surveys to different people who have been involved in River City in different ways since the 1980s. They had input on what songs we sang on stage this summer. It’s nice having input focused on the best of the 40 years,” she said. “Both shows are very eclectic.”

For example, Queen songs are always really popular number in the rock ‘n’ roll shows.

“We have great music and impres-

sive vocals. The country show is kind more a gospel tribute in a medley, since that as a big part of country shows,” she said. “And [there are] really fun dance numbers.”

The cast learned about 65 songs and dance routines in about three weeks.

Former River City performer Sydney Jennings returned as choreographer. After time performing in New York, she now teaches dance in Tulsa at South Tulsa Dance Company.

“I like their enthusiasm and good attitudes; they’re all extremely talented, and triple threats: they sing, dance and act,” said Jennings.

Most are musical theater majors, but some are theater major.

“There’s something special about River City I haven’t experienced in other productions. Part of that is Robyn, the environment she creates. It’s very inclusive, encouraging yet

River City girls checking out some of the costumes, from left, are: Chloe Kenyon from Savannah, Georgia; Ronnell Flemming for Beloit, Wisconsin and Gill Randall from Stigler.

challenging,” Jennings said. “It also gives you real-world experiences to go out into the performance world.”

Jennings started with RCP in 2012, did part of the choreography in 2013, and was choreographer in 2014 and most years since.

“It’s kind of special to be part of it still,” she said.

Three of the cast members took time to talk about the opportunity.

Gill (pronounced like Jill) Randall from Stigler is excited to have a great director and be part of a very talented cast.

“I’m learning so much from being with them,” Randall said.

She first saw the show with her grandmother and has been three times.

“We came on my granny’s [Phyllis Henry] birthday in July,” she said.

Randall is looking forward to showing the community what they’ve been working on.

“I love to perform and can’t wait for people to see the show. The practice is challenging and I don’t have a lot of dance experience, but I do love to sing,” she said. “I’d going to be so much fun.”

She’ll be a sophomore at NSU in the fall.

“Robyn and Scott [Pursley] helped me survive freshman year by pushing me in the right directions and helping me cultivate my art in the sense of getting better at my acting and growing as an artist,” said Randall.

She loved being part of the spring Alumni Show for the 40th anniversary.

“It was so fun and showed me the lasting impact off the theater department on shelves of those in it and the community,” she said.

Also new this year is a girl from Flower Mound, Texas. Alyssa Hedding is a student at the University of Central Oklahoma. She learned about RCP from her director at UCO, Greg White,

who was a River City Player.

“I like the fast pace of learning and all the material, getting to work on so many things all at the same time,” said Hedding. “It helps when you’re working with people putting in all the hard work same as yourself. And I like the different styles of music and dance and the partner work.”

Her birthday is the Sunday of the opening show weekend.

“My family will be here for that; I’ll be 21 so that will be fun,” said Hedding.

Returning for his second season is cast member Robert Valderas from Tulsa. He was playing football in high school when his coach heard him sing and asked if he’d sing for the chorus teacher. He decided he’d not likely make the NFL but would love performing. His aspirations are to sing on cruise ships, Broadway and tours.

For tickets, call 918-444-4500.

Events Calendar

July

Jeremy Cochran & Lyle Dieter

July 6, Thursday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

PM Jams

July 7, Friday, Piddle’s Cajun Bar & Grill, Park Hill, OK

Brick Fields

July 7, Friday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Amber Watson & Friends

July 7, Friday, Gravel Bar & Grill, Tahlequah, OK

Pearson Brothers

July 8, Saturday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Brett James Pemberton

July 8, Saturday, Piddle’s Cajun Bar & Grill, Park Hill, OK

Savanna Chestnut

July 8, Saturday, River Stage, Tahlequah OK

Rag Doll Willies

July 9, Sunday, Riverbend Floats, Tahlequah, OK

Rackensak

July 13, Thursday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Sons of Turner

July 14, Friday., 6 p.m., The Deck,

Tahlequah, OK

Lance Roark

July 14, Friday, Gravel Bar & Grill, Tahlequah, OK

Wanda Watson

July 15, Saturday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Pumpkin Hollow

July 15, Saturday, Piddle’s Cajun Bar & Grill, Park Hill, OK

BC & The Big Rig

July 15, Saturday, River Stage, Tahlequah OK

Patti Steel & Pat Ryan Key

July 16, Sunday, Riverbend Floats, Tahlequah, OK

Mark Albertson

July 19, Wednesday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Brett & Terri

July 20, Thursday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Wanda Watson

July 21, Friday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Kyron Lee

July 21, Friday, Gravel Bar & Grill, Tahlequah, OK

Bryan Austin Jazz

July 21 Friday, Saturday, Piddle’s Cajun Bar & Grill, Park Hill, OK

Brandon Bethel

July 22, Saturday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Hunter & The Tall Boys

July 22, Saturday, Piddle’s Cajun Bar & Grill, Park Hill, OK

Charlie Hickman

July 22, Saturday, River Stage, Tahlequah OK

Borrowed Money

July 23, Sunday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Amber Watson

July 23, Sunday, Riverbend Floats, Tahlequah, OK

Libby Starks

July 27, Thursday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Brett & Terri

July 28, Friday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Vox Squadron

July 28, Friday, Gravel Bar & Grill, Tahlequah, OK

Brett & Terri

July 29, Saturday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Mason Jar Revival

July 29, Saturday, Piddle’s Cajun Bar & Grill, Park Hill, OK

Ahna Jennings & The Palomino

Playboys

July 29, Saturday, River Stage, Tahlequah OK

Two is Enough

July 30, Sunday, Riverbend Floats, Tahlequah, OK

August

Terp Float Festival

August 3, Thursday, 12p.m.-4p.m., Diamondhead Resort, Tahlequah, OK

Jeremy Cochran & Lyle Dieter

August 3, Thursday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Mason Jar Revival

August 4, Friday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Libby Starks

August 5, Saturday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

White Trash Banditos

August 5, Saturday, Piddle’s Cajun Bar & Grill, Park Hill, OK

Songwriters Night 1

August 10, Thursday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Songwriters Night 2

August 11, Friday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Brock & Katie

August 11, Friday, Piddle’s Cajun Bar & Grill, Park Hill, OK

Osage County

August 11, Friday, Gravel Bar & Grill, Tahlequah, OK

Ahna Jennings

August 12, Saturday, Piddle’s Cajun Bar & Grill, Park Hill, OK

Pumpkin Hollow

August 12, Saturday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

David Kay

August 12, Saturday, River Stage, Tahlequah OK

Knipple

August 13, Sunday, Riverbend Floats, Tahlequah, OK

Brett & Terri

August 17, Thursday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Brett & Terri

August 18, Friday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Studio House Project

August 18, Friday, Gravel Bar & Grill, Tahlequah, OK

Borrowed Money

August 19, Saturday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Brett James Pemberton

August 19, Saturday, Piddle’s Cajun Bar & Grill, Park Hill, OK

Pumpkin Hollow Band

August 12, Saturday, River Stage, Tahlequah OK

Lyle Dieter

August 20, Sunday, Riverbend Floats, Tahlequah, OK

Franke Lee

August 25, Friday, Gravel Bar & Grill, Tahlequah, OK

Pearson Brothers

August 26, Saturday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

White Trash Banditos

August 26, Saturday, Piddle’s Cajun

Bar & Grill, Park Hill, OK

Colton Kro & The Murder

August 26, Saturday, River Stage, Tahlequah OK

Jammie Cox

August 27, Sunday, Riverbend Floats, Tahlequah, OK

Mark Albertson

August 31, Thursday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

September

Rocklahoma

September 1-3, Pryor, OK

Brett & Terri

September 1, Friday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Pumpkin Hollow

September 1, Friday, Piddle’s Cajun

Bar & Grill, Park Hill, OK

Mason Jar Revival

September 1, Friday, River Stage, Tahlequah OK

Paul Benjamin

September 2, Saturday, River Stage, Tahlequah OK

Brett & Terri

September 2, Saturday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Brett James Pemberton

September 2, Saturday, Piddle’s Cajun

Bar & Grill, Park Hill, OK

Diamond Stone Music Festival

September 7-9, Diamondhead Resort, Tahlequah, OK

Boone Mendenhall & War Horse

September 8, Friday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Wanda Watson

September 9, Saturday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Simple Souls

September 9, Saturday, Piddle’s Cajun

Bar & Grill, Park Hill, OK

Brett & Terri

September 15, Friday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Libby Starks

September 16, Saturday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

The Destination

September 9, Saturday, Piddle’s Cajun

Bar & Grill, Park Hill, OK

Born & Raised Music Festival

September 13-16, Pryor, OK

Brandon Bethel

September 22, Friday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Pumpkin Hollow

September 23, Saturday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Stonegate Fence

September 23, Saturday, Piddle’s Cajun Bar & Grill, Park Hill, OK

Brett & Terri

September 29, Friday., 6 p.m., The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Brock & Katie

September 29, Friday, Piddle’s Cajun

Bar & Grill, Park Hill, OK

FauntLeRoy & The Pickled Okra

Playboys

September 30, Saturday, Piddle’s Cajun Bar & Grill, Park Hill, OK

Born & Raised Music Festival announces single-day lineup

PRYOR – Born & Raised Music Festival – “a weekend of music and camping for the outlaw in all of us,” presented by Patriot Auto Group – has revealed the daily lineups for its third annual event, taking place this year across three full days of music, Thursday, Sept. 14-16, along with a festival pre-party on Sept. 13.

Born & Raised will kick off on Wednesday, Sept. 13 with a campground barbecue party featuring performances from 49 Winchester, The Damn Quails, Kat Hasty, and Wyatt Flores. All three-day weekend passes include free access to the pre-party ,along with a meal voucher to use during the kick-off celebration.

Single-day, weekend, and camping passes are all on sale now. Single-day passes are available for $59 for Thursday and $79 for Friday and Saturday, plus fees. GA In The Meadow weekend passes start at $189 with Wrangler Reserved seating at $279.99, plus fees. Various VIP packages, plus Stables and Homestead Packages, are also available. Prices for all weekend, with the exception of Wrangler Reserved seating and single-day passes, will increase to the next level on June 26. The campgrounds for Born & Raised will open on Sunday, Sept. 10 with GA and VIP camping options still available for purchase. Visit www.bornandraisedfestival.com to view full pricing and package details and to purchase passes; payment plans are available.

Born & Raised Music Festival debuted in 2021 and has featured performances from ZZ Top, Cody Jinks, Zach Bryan, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tanya Tucker,

Blackberry Smoke, Brothers Osborne, Margo Price, Parker McCollum, and more, quickly becoming a top festival in the U.S. for Outlaw, Texas, and Red Dirt country music.

The daily lineups for Born & Raised Music Festival 2023 are as follows: the kick-off barbecue party Sept. 13 includes 49 Winchester, The Damn Quails, Kat Hasty, and Wyatt Flores; on Sept. 14, Gary Allan, Read Southall, Wade Bowen, Reckless Kelly, The Steel Woods, Kaitlin Butts, Mickey and The Motorcars, J.R. Carroll, Red Dirt Rangers, JD Clayton, Lance Roark, and a late-night set featuring Kendell Marvel Honky Tonk; Sept. 15 will feature Whiskey Myers, Ryan Bingham, Lukas Nelson & POTR, Flatland Cavalry, Stoney LaRue, Jason Boland &The Stragglers, Tanner Usrey, Mike and the Moonpies, Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights, The Weathered Souls, Matt Koziol, and late-night set featuring The Texas Gentlemen; and on Sept. 16, Turnpike Troubadours, Randy Rogers Band, Randy Houser, William Clark Green, Cody Canada & The Departed Muscadine Bloodline, Jamie Lin Wilson, William Beckmann, The Red Clay Strays, Them Dirty Roses, and Holly Beth will also be playing.

Other can’t-miss acoustic sets throughout the weekend will also include Nicky James, Cliff Cody, and Lucas Jagneaux & The Roadshow John Goolsby

Born & Raised Music Festival is sponsored by Patriot Auto Group, Bud Light, Monster, ZYN, Sunbelt, and Route 66.