The 15th Annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival begins on Wednesday in Okemah, Guthrie’s hometown.
The festival takes place from July 11-15 and feature four days of music and fun celebrating the legendary troubadour's 100th birthday.
The festival includes indoor and outdoor concerts, special activities for children, open mics, poetry readings, community outreach activities, food and craft booths, and a Sunday hootenanny.
After an absence of 14 years, Billy Bragg is returning to Okemah to perform at the festival. Bragg was a headliner at a concert held on Woody's birthday at the inaugural Folk Festival in 1998.
Arlo Guthrie is also returning to perform this year to help celebrate his father's 100th birthday. The solo acoustic show, the only ticketed event of the festival, will open the festival on Wednesday, July 11 and will take place in the newly-renovated Crystal Theater in downtown Okemah.
In addition to those already mentioned, artists scheduled to perform include Melanie, John McCutcheon, Carolyn Hester, Judy Collins, Jimmy LaFave, Ellis Paul, Sam Baker, Okemah's John Fullbright, Joel Rafael, Butch Hancock, the Red Dirt Rangers, Michael Fracasso, the Burns Sisters, Larry Long, Gretchen Peters, Kevin & Dustin Welch, Ronny Cox and more.
For more information, including a complete schedule of events and performers, visit the festival website at
www.woodyguthrie.com.
The Tulsa City County Library will also celebrate Guthrie's birthday with cake and a sing along on Saturday. Families are invited to join the celebration on July 14th at 11 a.m.
