Community Calendar

Organized to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Museo de Arte de Ponce in Puerto Rico, "The Sense of Beauty: Six Centuries of Painting from Museo de Arte de Ponce" presents a selection of sixty paintings by European, Puerto Rican, and North American artists that reflect the scope and diversity of the museum’s collection. The exhibition is organized into five sections based on themes that have been popular in the history of art: scenes of daily life, landscapes, religion, portraiture, and the concept of beauty. This juxtaposition of masterpieces from the sixteenth through the twenty-first century fosters a visual and thematic dialogue, establishing unexpected connections between works that correspond to different historical and geographical contexts.

"The Sense of Beauty" will showcase masterworks by prominent European and North American artists, including religious paintings by Lucas Cranach the Elder, Peter Paul Rubens, and Anthony van Dyck; portraits by Joshua Reynolds, Élisabeth Louise Vigée LeBrun, and Francisco de Goya; landscapes by Frederic Edwin Church, William Merritt Chase, and Gustave Courbet; and genre scenes by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, James Tissot, and John Singer Sargent. The Museo de Arte de Ponce is also renowned for having one of the most significant collections of Victorian art outside of the United Kingdom. Their iconic painting "Flaming June" by Frederic Leighton will be featured along with works by Dante Gabriel Rossetti and John Everett Millais. Additionally, the exhibition will highlight the rich heritage of Puerto Rican art, from José Campeche’s religious images of the late eighteenth century to the work of contemporary artists such as Francisco Rodón, Myrna Báez, and Waldemar Morales Lugo.

"The Sense of Beauty: Six Centuries of Painting from Museo de Arte de Ponce" has been organized by the Museo de Arte de Ponce in collaboration with the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.

—

Image Credit:

Frederic, Lord Leighton (England, 1830-1896), "Flaming June," 1895, oil on canvas, 46 7/8 x 46 7/8 in. (119.1 x 119.1 cm), Museo de Arte de Ponce. The Luis A. Ferré Foundation, Inc.

Edmond Urban Forestry is excited to host the 2026 Parks for Pollinators Photo Contest! There will be great prizes, including passes to Science Museum Oklahoma, passes to the OKC Zoo, an opportunity to go to PhotoCon this fall, and a free 8x10 photo print for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place from Bedford Camera & Video. We can't wait to see the images of plants and pollinators you all share. This is part of the Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz lasting through the month of September. Contest rules are detailed in our online catalog.

Celebrate a longstanding Oklahoma tradition at the Woodward County Free Fair, an annual event that showcases the best of agriculture, youth achievement, family entertainment and community spirit. Drawing visitors from across northwest Oklahoma, the fair features livestock shows, agricultural exhibits, arts and crafts displays, educational exhibits, commercial vendors, and a variety of family-friendly activities.

Throughout the fair, attendees can enjoy competitions, exhibits highlighting local talent, and opportunities to support area 4-H and FFA members as they display the results of their hard work and dedication. From livestock judging and home arts to community displays and special events, the Woodward County Free Fair offers something for visitors of all ages.

Make your way to the Pottawatomie County Fair in Shawnee for an array of activities perfect for children and the whole family. Come to this annual fair for open class competitions, arts and crafts, commercial vendor and educational booths, delicious fair food, midway games and evening carnival rides. Daily livestock shows and exhibitions will include poultry, goats, cattle, rabbits, sheep and more. Visitors to the Pottawatomie County Fair will also enjoy a children's petting zoo, old-fashioned games, live music performed by local musicians and the fair's popular horse show. Don't miss the fair's farmhand olympics, as well as an antique tractor display, garden tractor pull and demonstrations. The Pottawatomie County Fair will also treat visitors to barrel racing and team roping events.

Science Museum Oklahoma presents Spin! The Art of the Modern Zoetrope, now on display in the museum’s smART Space galleries through August 2027. The exhibition features works by eight artists who reimagine the 19th-century zoetrope, an early animation device that creates the illusion of motion through rapidly sequenced images. Interactive exhibits explore motion, perception, vision persistence and animation, and are included with museum admission.

Come out for a day of family fun at Harrah Day. This festival kicks off at 9:30am with an exciting parades beginning and ending at Heritage Park. Visit the car show to see beautifully restored classic makes and models as well as modern vehicles. All ages can enter the hot dog eating contest, while other events include a tractor pull, fishing derby, 5K walk/run and health fair. Browse vendor booths for unique items and enjoy live entertainment throughout the day. Food vendors will be on hand offering delectable selections.

The event draws to a close with a fabulous fireworks display at 9:30pm. After the fireworks, the park's amphitheater will be the venue for headlining performers. Relax and enjoy the music in the amphitheater seating or bring your lawn chair to listen from anywhere in the park.

On display through Sept. 20, this free Community Gallery exhibition explores the centennial of Route 66 and its path through 14 tribal reservations in Oklahoma. The exhibit examines the highway's car culture alongside themes of tribal sovereignty, cultural tourism, nationalism and Native representation.

Join Oklahoma Contemporary and the Oklahoma Comic Arts Foundation to celebrate the magic of comics! Meet professional comics creators from across the state and across the country, and learn how to create your own comics through hands-on workshops and programs led by local creative professionals. Visit the vendor hall to to discover (and buy!) comics, graphic novels, prints, posters, original art, and more! This event is free and open to the public.

For more information: 405-951-0000, okcontemp.org/ocaf

Guests will explore the animated world of Dia de Muertos through a unique collection of 2 and 3-dimensional artwork. From the work of early pre-Hispanic cultures to the 21st century, Lives of the Dead offers 1000 years of artistic visions of the dead. The exhibition emphasizes current and vintage Latin American folk art. From Papier-mâché (cartoneria) skulls and skeletons created by the famous Linares family to the ceramic tableaux and Catrinas of Metepec, Lives of the Dead brings together some of Latin America’s most renowned folk artists. Other exhibition highlights include antique prints by Jose Guadalupe Posada, Manuel Manilla, and Dia de Muertos, as seen in contemporary paintings and prints from Mexico. Visitors will also experience the celebration and beliefs behind Dia de Muertos with the inclusion of an elaborate Mexican style ofrenda.

The Oklahoma History Center Museum, in partnership with the Vietnamese American Heritage Community of Oklahoma, is proud to announce Our Journeys, presented by Vietnamese Boat People, a multimedia traveling exhibition on display September 12, through January 4, 2027.

Created by New Jersey-based nonprofit Vietnamese Boat People, the exhibition centers the voices of Vietnamese Americans through oral histories, photographs, and interactive elements that explore migration, memory, and resilience across generations. The exhibit debuted in 2025, marking the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon and the displacement of millions of Vietnamese refugees whose stories continue to shape communities across the country—including here in Oklahoma.

The exhibition is included with regular museum admission.