The Oklahoma Today Podcast

With the Summer of Route 66 in full swing, Gathering Place in Tulsa is celebrating the centennial with a different kind of kicks. The Get Your Kicks shoe art competition pits more than twenty local area artists against each other to see who can create the most appealing work of art from a blank white tennis shoe. The results are quite impressive, and currently on display at Gathering Place's boathouse where viewers can vote on their favorite to win a prize for a lucky artist. The shoes will remain on display through July 18, when the large community park will hold its Route 66 Centennial Celebration. Cheryl Christensen, vice president of operations at Gathering Place, joins the Oklahoma Today Show this week to tell us about how the shoe art competition came together and what we have to look forward to at the park's Route 66 celebration this weekend.

For those who have not been to MAHT in Oklahoma City yet, get in line now because there is a wait! Chef Kevin Lee's new American-style steakhouse with Korean flare in the Uptown 23rd District is as delicious as it is popular. Lee became a hot commodity locally with the buzz around the Birdie's Korean-style steakhouse in north Oklahoma City and grew in profile nationally with regular appearances on Food Network shows like Tournament of Champions and Guy's Grocery Games. Chef Lee is our special guest on this week's episode, where he details his long grind to culinary stardom and desire to use his platform to shed light on other good local food.

A longstanding tradition in Enid is the annual July 4 concert by Enid Symphony Orchestra, with gorgeous accompaniment by a spectacular fireworks display. As the nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the United States' independence from England, the ESO is preparing an extra special production, titled The Night Sousa Came to Town. American composer and conductor John Phillip Sousa, known for his military marches, performed several times in Enid back in the day. Enid Symphony Orchestra's artistic director Douglas Newell joins the Oklahoma Today Show in our home studio this week to talk about the annual July 4 performance and his company's deep connection to the Enid community. 

For travelers across Route 66, Meadow Gold Mack's in Tulsa is a must-stop. The twenty-foot-tall Bunyan-esque fiberglass muffler man out front is more than enough reason on its own, but head inside to see a collection of gifts and collectibles both quintessentially Oklahoma and unlike much else you'll encounter along your travels. Owner Mary Beth Babcock, Oklahoma Today's 2011 Oklahoman of the Year, is one of the key personalities to meet along the Mother Road. On this week's episode, we let Mary Beth show us around this shop of wonder with the kind of charm and cool that only she can muster. 

The Oklahoma Today Show is continuing its year-long celebration of the Route 66 centennial with a visit to an Oklahoma City boutique named, simply, Route 66. Owned and managed by Jeanette Koenig, the store inside the 50 Penn Place shopping center has been selling Mother Road and travel themed art and merchandise, among other carefully curated items like soaps and lavender, for years. We spoke with Koenig to gain some insight into the vision behind this fun shop full of character. Stay tuned after the interview to hear about a special Route 66 giveaway!

Also on this week's show, the editors discuss must-play songs on any summer road trip playlist, and podvents lets us know where in Oklahoma we can catch a monster-sized catfish with no rod required. You won't want to miss it!

Much of this show's time and energy this year has been dedicated to honoring the hundredth birthday of The Mother Road, Route 66. This time, we are tipping our cap to a different sort of centennial. The historic Kumback Lunch in Perry observed its triple-digit birthday in April. In its day, the classic diner has seen everything from a legendary visit by Pretty Boy Floyd to the capture of Timothy McVeigh and plenty of community ups and downs. Shae Boschee, who recently purchased Kumback with her husband Scott, joins the show to talk about what the historic milestone means to the Perry community.

The El Reno onion burger is one of Oklahoma's greatest contributions to the American culinary landscape, and no trip down Route 66 is complete without trying at least one. The town of El Reno has no shortage of options, but Sid's Diner is one that is known worldwide for this regional burger variety. Adam Hall, owner of Sid's Diner, joins the show today to teach Ben and I Ate Oklahoma's Greg Elwell (who wrote a great story on the history and present of El Reno's burger culture in the May-June 2026 issue of Oklahoma Today magazine) how to make their very own authentic onion burgers.

Also on this week's episode, the editors discuss every burger's best friend: fries, and podvents kicks off its Sunday shoes at the Footloose Festival. You won't want to miss it!

Recently named a top national cultural event by USA Today, the Black Wall Street Rally will bring thousands of motorcycles and motorcycle enthusiasts to the Tulsa area. But the event is so much more than just a motorcycle rally—it is a celebration of historic Black Wall Street's endearing entrepreneurial legacy and an opportunity to bring multiple communities together and stronger than ever. Organizer Byron Perry joins the show to let us know about everything that is planned for this new annual favorite, which returns May 14-16.

You can't tell the Route 66 centennial story without talking to Michael Wallis. The Pulitzer-nominated nonfiction writer published Route 66: The Mother Road in 1990, and the start-to-finish guide to the highway is still considered an essential resource. His connection to the Route is so legendary he even earned a role as The Sheriff in the Cars movie when Pixar set out to make its own Mother Road inspired movie.

Also on this week's episode, the editors discuss their plans for Mother's Day and podvents takes us through strawberry fields. You won't want to miss it!

Subscribers to Oklahoma Today have likely already seen our glorious new May-June issue celebrating all things Route 66 during this centennial year. The cover features a fantastic original work by Clint Stone jam-packed with all sorts of landmarks and Easter eggs from the state's stretch of the Mother Road. But it's much more than a magazine cover, it is a print you can treasure forever. A poster insert is included in each copy of the magazine. You can also order your own copy (or several) at OklahomaToday.com. Clint joins us in the studio this week to talk about the work that went into creating this new piece and what about the great open road inspires his creativity.