32nd Annual Stillwater Arts & Heritage Festival

April 18 & 19, 2009 | Couch Park (12th Ave. & US 177) | A juried arts festival in Stillwater, Oklahoma

City of Stillwater NEWS | For Immediate Release

Two stages of entertainment highlight the 32nd Annual Stillwater Arts & Heritage Festival

Against the backdrop of an old west town, see authentic gunfights, reenactments and comedy, courtesy of the Old West Production Co.

Download a printable entertainment schedule.

(STILLWATER, OKLA. / March 9, 2009) — Two stages of entertainment will highlight the 32nd Annual Stillwater Arts and Heritage Festival, a juried arts show held outdoors in Couch Park at 12th Avenue and U.S. 177 in Stillwater, Okla. Festival hours are Saturday, April 18 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. The festival expects more than 10,000 visitors each day.

Free and open to the public, the festival is presented and organized by the City of Stillwater with lots of free entertainment, an interactive cowboy camp, living history encampment, children’s activities and carnival food.

On the Main Stage
Action on the Main Stage begins Saturday at 9 a.m. with the Farm Couple (Red Dirt music in the spirit of Woody Guthrie), followed by the Stillwater Middle School Orchestra at 10 a.m. and Les Gilliam (The Oklahoma Balladeer) at 11 a.m.

Making a return visit to the festival and starting at 12:15 p.m. are the Dancing Eagles with Native American dance and storytelling. Dancing continues with the Tippi Toes Dance Company of Stillwater at 1:15 p.m. and the Hill Irish Dance School and traditional Irish Dance at 2 p.m. The Irish theme continues the local On the Doss Band and its acoustic Irish folk music at 2:45 p.m., and Gilliam returns to the Main Stage at 4 p.m.

On Sunday, Pioneer Chorale will start the entertainment at 11 a.m., followed by guitarist Ken Helton at noon. Dancing Eagles will begin its last set at 1:15 p.m. and world-champion bull fighter and cowboy Tuffy will perform at 2:15 p.m. Enjoy cowboy and western swing music with Cowboy Jim Garling at 3:15 p.m. and On the Doss will close the day at 4:30 p.m.

On the Heritage Stage
This year the festival added the Heritage Stage with western-arena themed entertainment. On Saturday, the opening ceremony begins at 9 a.m., and then guests will be treated to the Old West Production Co. shows at 10 a.m., noon, and 1:30 p.m. The Old West Production Co. is an authentic reenactment group out of Comanche, Okla. “Keeping the old west alive” is more than just a slogan: It’s a way of life. With famous lawmen, cowboys, outlaws, it is a show design for the whole family. They guarantee good bar fights, gunfights where the good guys always win, good-hearted comedy and maybe a little education about the Old West.

Also on stage is one of the best western arena arts performers, Kowboy Kal Cook. Cook is the former holder of the Guinness Book World Record for the Largest Wedding Ring Loop at 100 feet. He will perform at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.

They will also have the opportunity to meet Tuffy Gessling and Scout, a 2,200-pound Brahman bull. Tuffy is a world-champion bull fighter and Scout is the "world’s most sought after bull." The gentle giant is the only ex-rodeo bull licensed by the USDA that does anything a horse will do except whinny. Tuffy will take to the stage at 11 a.m., and 2 p.m.

On Sunday, the Old West Production Co. will kick the day off at 11 a.m. with additional sets at 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. Jim Garling will play a set at 1 p.m. and the Perkins-Tyron Intermediate School Children’s Choir will perform at 2 p.m.

Tuffy will perform two sets on the Heritage Stage, on at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The festival will hold closing ceremonies at 4:30 p.m.

Living History Encampment and the Interactive Cowboy Camp
At the Living History Encampment guests can meet Civil War reenactment groups the 2nd Colorado Volunteer Infantry (Union Army) and the 22nd Arkansas, Company C (Confederate Army).

The 2nd Colorado Volunteer Infantry, served in the Indian Territory during the summer and fall of 1863 and played an important role in the battles of Cabin Creek and Honey Springs. They were also stationed for a time at Fort Gibson and participated in skirmishes at Perryville (McAlester) and Webber's Falls. This makes the regiment one of the most significant Union infantry units in Oklahoma's Civil War history.

Other living history performers will be Stillwater’s Paul Bostick in period dress playing the mountain dulcimer. In his 70s Mickey Kalman, of Guthrie, will be participating in the Living History Encampment. With no brakes or a kickstand and commonly called a boneshaker, Kalman will be riding a penny-farthing, or high wheeler, in period dress.

What would a cowboy do without a chuck wagon? Meet cowboys Kevin Webb, Brandon Reid and Whit Edwards from Pawnee Bill’s Ranch and Museum and learn how the chuck wagon not only kept cowboys feed on the trail, but how it served as the center of a cattle drive.

Children’s Area
Children will have two areas to explore, the children’s art activities and the Interactive Cowboy Camp and the Living History Encampment with activities suitable for children of all ages, including vintage pump cars, money dig, branding, steer roping, buffalo-chip toss, sack races and three-legged races.

Hough's Pony Run ($4 per ride) and Liberty Express ($3 stagecoach rides) will also be operating during the festival as will a number of food vendors.

The festival is presented and organized by the City of Stillwater and sponsored by the Stillwater Convention and Visitors Bureau, Stillwater Radio, The NewsPress, Suddenlink, Aggie’s Big House, Downtown Stillwater, Chick-fil-A, McAlister’s Deli, Café Bella, Hello! Catering & Custom Bakery, Chris’ University Spirit, Consumer’s IGA, TPSI (Technical Programming Services, Inc.) and the Friends of Multi Arts Center with grants from the Stillwater Arts and Humanities Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Oklahoma Arts Council.

For additional information, visit stillwater.org or contact the City of Stillwater at (405) 747-8070.

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Calendar Editors, Please Note:

Saturday, April 18, 2009
Main Stage
9 – 9:45a.m. Farm Couple (Red Dirt Music)
10 – 10:30 a.m. Stillwater Middle School Orchestra
11 a.m. – noon Les Gilliam Band (The Oklahoma Balladeer)
12:15 – 1 p.m. Dancing Eagles (Native American dancing and traditional storytelling)
1:15 – 1:45 p.m. Tippi Toes Dance Company of Stillwater
2 – 2:30 p.m. Hill Irish Dancers School of Stillwater
2:45 – 3:45 p.m. On the Doss Band (Traditional Irish Folk)
4 – 5 p.m. Les Gilliam Band (The Oklahoma Balladeer)

Heritage Stage
9 a.m. Opening Ceremony
10 a.m. Old West Production Co.
11 a.m. Tuffy (World Champion bull fighter & Cowboy)
Noon Old West Production Co.
12:30 p.m. Kowboy Kal (Western Arena Arts Performer)
1:30 p.m. Old West Production Co.
2 p.m. Tuffy (World Champion bull fighter & Cowboy)
3 p.m. Kowboy Kal (Western Arena Arts Performer)
4 p.m. Old West Production Co.

Sunday, April 19, 2009
Main Stage
11 – 11:45 a.m. Pioneer Chorale
noon – 1 p.m. Ken Helton (Guitarist)
1:15 – 2 p.m. Dancing Eagles (Native American dancing and traditional storytelling)
2:15 – 3 p.m. Tuffy (World Champion bull fighter & Cowboy)
3:15 – 4:15 p.m. Jim Garling (Western Swing Music)
4:30 – 5 p.m. On the Doss Band (Traditional Irish Folk)

Heritage Stage
11 a.m. Old West Production Co.
11:30 a.m. Tuffy (World Champion bull fighter & Cowboy)
12:30 p.m. Old West Production Co.
1 p.m. Jim Garling (Western Swing Music)
1:30 p.m. Old West Production Co.
2 p.m. Perkins-Tyron Intermediate School Children’s Choir
3:30 p.m. Tuffy (World Champion bull fighter & Cowboy)
4:30 p.m. Closing Ceremonies

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About the 32nd Annual Stillwater Arts & Heritage Festival: Formerly know as the Run for the Arts, the Stillwater Arts & Heritage Festival has grown from a small, local art show to a premier springtime event for the region, noted for the quality of artists and its outstanding entertainers.

Produced by the professional staff of the City of Stillwater and aided by dedicated volunteers, the Stillwater Arts & Heritage Festival features approximately 70 juried artists along with an extensive food court, artist demonstrations, children’s activity area, entertainment and more!

Our mission is to present exceptional fine arts and live performing artists to enlighten, entertain and enrich the community, while preserving and demonstrating Oklahoma’s historical and living cultural heritage.

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Media Coordinator:

Sherry Fletcher, City of Stillwater Director of Marketing & Public Relations
E-mail: sfletcher@stillwater.org
Phone: (405) 742-8362

Stillwater Arts & Heritage Festival
Mailing Address: 315 E. 9th Avenue | Stillwater, OK 74076 92651
Phone: (405) 747-8070 | Fax: (405) 747-8093
E-Mail: artsandheritagefestival@stillwater.org