The Oklahoma Today Podcast

One of Oklahoma City's favorite springtime traditions will celebrate its sixtieth year this week. The Festival of the Arts, organized by Arts Council Oklahoma City, will occupy downtown's Bicentennial Park April 23-26. Thousands of revelers will embark on the area near Civic Center Music Hall to peruse all the art vendor booths, enjoy live music, and sample delicious bites from the many food vendors. Organizers Richard Forshee, Sarah Frank, and Justin Newton join the Oklahoma Today Show to let us know what we have to look forward to for this anniversary year. Did somebody say drone show???

Get ready for an inspiring and one-of-a-kind conversation on the Oklahoma Today Show as we welcome our first-ever international guest, Enric Casacuberta of Catalonia, Spain. Enric is taking on an extraordinary challenge—running the entire length of historic Route 66 over five months—not just for the adventure, but to honor a friend he lost to ALS and to raise awareness and funds for a devastating disease. Recently named an Official Route 66 Centennial Project, “Running for ALS” blends personal purpose with a deep love for one of America’s most iconic highways, all while supporting local communities along the route. In this interview, Enric shares the emotional story behind his journey, what Route 66 means to him, and how this ambitious run aims to make a real difference.

Traditionally, America's great stretches of rural highway have not been a haven for culinary conquest. You grab a soda and a bag of chips or maybe a hot dog from the easy mart and you hit the road again. Well, that norm is starting to change a bit. Fueling stations and truck stops are upping their food game, and those who once maligned the name of "gas station food" are starting to be more open minded. The Oklahoma-based Love's Travel Stops has embarked on a series of limited-time hot food offerings that could be found at their locations—foods like a spicy breakfast burger and a pork sandwich with honey mustard barbecue sauce on a gourmet pretzel bun. We visited Love's Culinary Innovation Center to try out some of these new creations and see if Love's reaches the ever-rising bar of road trip food.

For fifty years, the Tulsa-based nonprofit organization Up With Trees has been beautifying the community with thousands of trees planted annually. They not only put the tree in the ground, they are committed to the care of that tree for its entire life. On this week's Oklahoma Today Show, Up With Trees Executive Director Steve Grantham talks about the history and logistics of organizing Up With Trees' efforts to extend the city's canopy.

Do heroes still exist? We can think of one. Oklahoma Today editor-in-chief Nathan Gunter reflects on his personal upbringing in Western Oklahoma and the inspiration he took from Thomas P. Stafford, the NASA astronaut who was born in the same town he grew up in. Today visitors to Weatherford, Oklahoma, can check out the Stafford Air and Space Museum, a loving tribute to the history of aviation and Stafford's work to advance scientific and cross-cultural understanding. 

Celebrating its twenty-fifth year, the annual Momentum art exhibition by the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition showcases the work and talents of artists under thirty. Attending is always the best opportunity to learn about up-and-coming artists and add to your personal art collection. This year's Momentum is March 27-28 at Yale Theatre in Oklahoma City's Calle Dos Cinco Historic Capitol Hill district. On this week's episode of The Oklahoma Today Show, we spoke with two of the show's three spotlight artists—Kayla Marie Anley and Mack Brim—about their work in this year's event.

Ever visit the zoo and think, "Wow, I wish I could stay here the whole day." Well now you really can! Just book a stay at OKC Zoo's new Baobab Lodge, a fabulous new glamping overnight in the heart of the Exhibition Africa area. Wake up to the sound of lion roars and giraffes greeting the morning sun. Best of all, those who stay get exclusive access to the zoo grounds for a few hours before and after close. It's the kind of stay the builds the memories of a lifetime.

Also on this week's episode, the editors share which other Oklahoma overnights they think include an amazing view, and podvents provides us with Paddy's Day plans. You won't want to miss it!

There's not much like Oklahoma's Big Meat Run. Thousands of growling ATVS and off-roading vehicles descend upon Disney, Oklahoma, and the South Grand Lake Recreation Area for a truly one of a kind event. Organizer JT Taylor joins the show to set the scene for this weekend of rock scaling, mud flinging, and outdoor community fun to celebrate Oklahoma springtime.

It's a great time to visit the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City! On this week's episode of the Oklahoma Today Show we caught up with David Davis, chief curatorial officer at the museum, to hear about their new exhibition Route 66: From Trails to Truck Stops, on display now through May 3. This beloved hub of culture and history actually sits on Route 66 itself, and a good amount of the Western story is tied up with the Mother Road. In addition to the Route 66 exhibit, guests can also stop in to see The Cowboy: An Immersive Journey, a 360 treat for the senses developed by the team responsible for the Immersive Van Gogh experiences. 

Beverly Whitcomb has long had a fascination with antique and vintage dolls, but has not always had a place to display them. Then she got a job at the historic Fred and Addie Drummond Home in Hominy, and now she has a place to display her antique German, French, and American Girl dolls dating as far back to the U.S. Civil War. Ben travelled out to Hominy to see Beverly's collection firsthand—even making a few new friends in the process.