Clinton has big summer plans for a sleepy city of fewer than 10,000 people.
Each Friday for 10 weeks, the historic bandshell in Clinton’s McClain-Rogers Park will be filled with live music. The city will also host its first Pride festival June 10.
Summer concert series planned through 2025
The concert series will mark the first of three years of outdoor performances.
The City of Clinton and local nonprofit music initiative Scissortail Productions, Inc. have received a $90,000 matching grant from Levitt Foundation to produce three summer concert series of ten performances each starting in June and continuing through 2025. All performances will be free and open to the public.
The first show is scheduled for June 2, featuring Orgullo de América, Vasquez Flamenco Dancers, and Hudost.
The June 9 concert will feature Megan & friends and Edgar Cruz; June 16, Jazz Combo, Goodblanket Intertribal Dance Troupe and Incendio; June 23, Oklahoma Opry, Kerry Morrow & Shelley Martinson and Chatham Rabbits; June 30, Bob Wiles & Cowboy Jones; July 7, Red Dirt Rangers; July 14, Jessica Tate & the Green Mystic Quartet and 77th Army Band; July 21, Phillip Martinson, Goodblanket Intertribal Dance Troupe and Delbert Anderson Quartet; July 28, Oklahoma Opryland and Jared Deck.
The closing performance Aug. 4 will feature Heather Appel and Kyle Dillingham & Horseshow Road.
There’ll also be food trucks, mini golf and such.
“It’s going to be what you would say in a kind of festive carnival atmosphere,” Clinton Mayor David Berrong said. “It’s family friendly.” Scissortail Productions, Inc. Executive Director Susan Adams-Johnson was looking for a suitable location to partner with for the grant program. She happened to be in Clinton for an unrelated commitment when she saw the amphitheater in McClain-Rogers Park.
“I walked in, did a cold call with Robert [Johnston], the city manager,” Adams-Johnson said. “We came back and met with Robert and David, the mayor.”
“I always want to make very, very clear that this is about the community of Clinton,” she said. “Scissortail is here as a facilitator, but it really is about Clinton.”
Berrong also spoke positively of the community support for the performance series.
“We’re all in different walks of life, being able to come together for a common goal,” he said. “That’s always fun. And it’s rewarding and builds fellowship within the community and a sense of purpose, he said.”
For more information, visit the Levitt AMP Clinton Music Series Facebook page.
Western Oklahoma Pride Festival
The inaugural Western Oklahoma Pride Festival is June 10, and it takes place in one of the most conservative counties in the state.
“The root of fear is based in ignorance. This event is about education and inclusion to help deal with that fear. We want to educate people,” said Sara Roland, Western Oklahoma Pride Festival creator.
“I think most of the issues we are experiencing in this community are based on citizens not understanding what the LGBTQ+ community is actually about. We intend to change that with this festival,” she said.
After the hospital closed in her lifelong hometown, Roland felt defeated.
“People were depressed; I was depressed,” she said.
She decided to do it, and planning just took off. Friends soon joined the cause and made the festival a reality.
There have been some small concerns such as security for the event and local opposition but Roland said that the comments have been minimal.
“We have plenty of security, including uniformed officers. That should make all festival goers feel safe. And opposition has also been minimal. All are welcome to come join in a great event,” Roland said.
The family-friendly event will include musical performances by Patrick Saint James, Tony Aye and KINGQUEEN along with food trucks, local musicians, food trucks, art exhibits, numerous vendors, guest speakers and a kids area.
The festival starts at noon and will go until sundown at McLain-Rogers Park.
Visit www.wokpride.com.
