OKC Events: July 3, 2008

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Jul 3, 2008 by Joan Gilmore

Theme of the 2008 State Fair of Oklahoma is State Fair LIVE! And that's what's being promised - lots of live entertainment for fair- goers from Sept. 11 to Sept. 21.

A series of nightly concerts on the Toyota Stage will be free with outside gate admission and the rodeo concerts will be free with a paid rodeo admission ticket.

The music will run from country to R&B and everything in between, with local, regional and national artists. State Fair LIVE! will host Elvis Extravaganza, a national Elvis impersonator contest, as well as the Centennial Rodeo Opry, said Tim O'Toole, president and general manager of the Oklahoma State Fair.

Opening the programs at the Toyota Stage on Sept. 11 will be Amarillo's Kevin Fowler, whose signature is honky-tonk anthems like Beer, Bait and Ammo. Outside admission for this opening day at the fair will only be $1.

The Centennial Rodeo Opry follows Sept. 12 with myriad musical talents and Candy Coburn and James Otto will take the Toyota Stage Sept. 13, she at 3 and 7:30 p.m. and both at 8 p.m. Other Toyota stage programs will feature Jordan Pruitt (pop and R&B), contemporary Christian music group Hawk Nelson, Gavin DeGraw (unique rock ballads), Graham Colton, and Eric Burdon and The Animals.

On Sept. 19, the Rodeo Stage will welcome country music sensation Miranda Lambert, followed on Sept. 20 by country music star Joe Nichols and, on Sept. 21, Neal McCoy who'll perform twice.

Tickets for State Fair LIVE! events will go on sale July 12 at tickets.com outlets and the State Fair Arena box office, metro area Homeland stores in Oklahoma City and Tulsa and by calling (800) 511- 1552.

Kimbell exhibit

Fort Worth's Kimbell Art Museum has opened a new exhibition titled The Impressionists: Master Paintings from the Art Institute of Chicago. The art will be on view through Nov. 2.

The exhibition includes work from some of the most celebrated Impressionist painters and features an array of 92 masterpieces by such artists as Manet, Degas, Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, Gauguin, Van Gogh and Toulouse-Lautrec. The exhibition was organized by the Chicago Art Institute in collaboration with the Kimbell Art Museum. For information, visit www.kimbellart.org/impressionists or call (817) 332-8451.

Bike Fellowship

Oklahoma Earth Bike Fellowship, a local, nonprofit, is hosting its inaugural Oklahoma Trail Aid fundraiser on July 12. The setting will be Science Museum Oklahoma from 7:30 p.m. until midnight and tickets are $25 per person.

Proceeds will help maintain the heavily damaged trails used by cyclists and hikers throughout Oklahoma. For information, call (405) 820-2390.