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fter cancellations in both 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Norman Music Festival makes its return in 2022 on April 28-30.
The NMF team is “unbelievably excited” the festival will be held this year, said Shari Jackson, executive director of the Norman Music Alliance, the nonprofit that produces the festival. “We are giddy with excitement that we get to bring the music festival back for Downtown and for our community and 100,000 of our closest friends,” said Jackson, adding that organizers were holding their breath a little bit earlier this year wondering if it was going to be possible to hold the event. “In January, we announced headliners, and it’s just been a roller coaster of happiness since then watching the (COVID) numbers de-
32 | April 2022
crease, feeling like we might have some good space here to be able to safely hold a festival. We’re just in love right now with our plans, the lineup, new partnerships and all kinds of fun things.” This new partnership is one with deadCenter Film Festival. This year, deadCenter will be presenting the first ever Oklahoma Music Video Award and is going to announce the finalists on Thursday night at NMF. Additionally, there will be a screening of the documentary “Skating Polly: Ugly Pop” about the band Skating Polly, who was originally from Oklahoma and is now based on the West Coast. The documentary was directed by Henry Mortensen, actor Viggo Mortensen’s son. Following the screening, Henry will participate in a Q&A and Skating Polly will perform a set.
