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April 2023
Fun and Games at Hunter’s Home
On Saturday, April 22, join in the fun at Hunter's Home when the staff will be teaching about historic pastimes and games that entertained people in the 19th century. While some games will be familiar, some relics of the past will be introduced. The Fun and Games activities are free to the public of all ages with regular admission prices to the historic home.
Find out more »May 2023
Story Time at Hunter’s Home
Every month, from March to June, Hunter’s Home will have a monthly story time for children of all ages. Watch for a new book title to be introduced every third Thursday of each month! Story time titles will feature The Mitten (1996) by Jan Brett in April; Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt (2017), by Kate Messner in May; and Dance at Grandpa’s (1995), by Laura Ingalls Wilder in June. Adding to the stories, parents and children are…
Find out more »Kids Make History
On the third Saturday of each month, young visitors are encouraged to learn about history through fun, hands-on historic activities during the Kids Make History series at the Fort Towson Historic Site. The research-based programs will include games, cooking, historic arts and crafts, and reenacting skills. On May 20, 2023, at 1 p.m., the focus of the Kids Make History meeting will be on the art of photographing nature. Attendees will first learn about various photography techniques. Next, they will…
Find out more »Scavenger Hunt
On Saturday, May 27 come to Hunter's Home to hunt for and learn about items from the 19th century by taking part in a scavenger hunt inside the historic Hunter's Home, and on the grounds of the rural property. The activities are perfect for children ages 6 to 12, There will be prizes given to those who are able to complete the entire scavenger hunt! Visitors can also experience living history interpreters demonstrating 19th-century trades, daily chores, cooking, gardening, and…
Find out more »June 2023
Pawnee Bill’s Original Wild West Show
The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum will celebrate the lives of Major Gordon W. “Pawnee Bill” Lillie, his wife May Lillie, and their famous Wild West Shows with a one-day celebration on Saturday, June 10. Pawnee Bill’s Original Wild West Show will be held from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the original historic ranch site. Stagecoaches will roll amid thundering horse hooves while the lightning of gunfire explodes around Pawnee Bill, May, and their cohorts, as the talented performers…
Find out more »Story Time at Hunter’s Home
Every month, from March to June, Hunter’s Home will have a monthly story time for children of all ages. Watch for a new book title to be introduced every third Thursday of each month! Story time titles will feature The Mitten (1996) by Jan Brett in April; Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt (2017), by Kate Messner in May; and Dance at Grandpa’s (1995), by Laura Ingalls Wilder in June. Adding to the stories, parents and children are…
Find out more »Kids Make History: Scavenger Hunt
Young visitors are encouraged to learn about history on the third Saturday of each month through fun, hands-on historic activities during the Kids Make History series at the Fort Towson Historic Site. The research-based programs will include games, cooking, historic arts and crafts, and reenacting skills. On June 17, from 1 to 3 p.m., Fort Towson Historic Site will have a come-and-go scavenger hunt, encouraging kids to locate and photograph a list of items that will be hidden inside the…
Find out more »Will’s Wild West Kids Camp *full*
This camp is full to capacity. Grab your lasso and join the fun at Will‘s Wild West Kids Camp June 19–21 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum (WRMM) in Claremore. Will’s Wild West Kids Camp will transport participants back in time to the Wild West with hands-on activities in a fun and entertaining learning environment. Kids will have the opportunity to participate in nature programs, crafts, period dancing, 19th-century games, train rides, and much…
Find out more »July 2023
Overnight at the Chuck Wagon *event is full*
Pack your sleeping bag, pajamas, toothbrush, and toothpaste for Overnight at the Chuck Wagon at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum. This overnight event will take place from 6 p.m. on Friday, July 7, to 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 8. This event is for children ages 5–12, accompanied by at least one adult. Participants will bed down in various parts of the museum for a night of 19th-century activities, movies, arts and crafts, games, and storytelling, with a chuck wagon…
Find out more »Experimenting with Sun Printing class
On Saturday, July 8, from 1 to 4 p.m. the Oklahoma History Center will host an Experimenting with Sun Printing class. Students will learn cyanotype processes and create their own artwork using native plants and sun printing techniques. Photographer and artist Jim Meeks will be the instructor. Meeks is the photo editor in the Oklahoma Historical Society Research Division. The class costs $30 for members of the Oklahoma Historical Society and $40 for nonmembers. All supplies are included in the…
Find out more »Kids Make History
Young people can learn about the natural world around us with a forestry program presented by Oklahoma Forestry Services Education Coordinator Tony Pascall. The program will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 15, and will feature hands-on activities that teach about what the forest is, the role of the forest, and how people can better interact and care for a forest. Pascall plans and implements education and outreach events for schools, clubs, scout groups, and more all around the…
Find out more »August 2023
Family Fun Day
Experience “Family Fun Day” at the Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School in Perry on Saturday, August 5, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Bring the whole family to enjoy this free admission day full of cake walks, apple peeling, sack races, rope-making demonstrations, living history gunfights, and live banjo music. The Rose Hill schoolmarm will hold short class sessions, a petting zoo will be on-site, and a fun photo station will be set up at the jail. The Blacksmith’s Shop…
Find out more »September 2023
Story Time at Hunter’s Home
Hunter’s Home will host families for a fall-themed story time on Saturday, September 23, at 10:30 a.m. The featured book is Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson. It tells the story of a fox who tries to understand the changing seasons when leaves start falling from the trees. Storytime will include an activity and snack. The event is free with paid admission. No registration is required. For more information, call 918-456-2751. Hunter’s Home is located at 19479 E.…
Find out more »October 2023
Dewey Western Heritage Day
The town of Dewey will celebrate Dewey Western Heritage Day on Saturday, October 14, from noon to 11 p.m. Celebrate the pioneering heritage of the city founded in 1899 by watching a parade of longhorn cattle, stagecoaches, and trick roping. Enjoy vendors, music, bounce houses, a petting zoo, a mechanical bull, a Western market, food trucks, and much more! Be sure to visit the Tom Mix Museum, which will be open for free all day Saturday!
Find out more »“History Never Dies” Halloween carnival
The Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library in Guthrie will host its “History Never Dies” Halloween Carnival on Saturday, October 28, from 5 to 7 p.m. This free, family-friendly event will have a haunted house with the gang from Scooby Doo theme. Families can enjoy carnival games, treats, prizes, and a cake walk at the two-hour event. Hotdogs and nachos will be served free to all guests. Enjoy Halloween-themed activities inside the museum—all ages and costumes are welcome! The Oklahoma…
Find out more »Heritage Hills Halloween Festival
The Heritage Hills Halloween Festival will be held at the Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion on Sunday, October 29, from 1 to 3 p.m. A number of fun activities are planned, including face painting, bike and scooter decorating, pumpkin painting, and a bounce house.
Find out more »November 2023
Will Rogers Days and Motion Picture Festival
Since the opening of the Will Rogers Memorial in 1938, Claremore has celebrated the birthday of its most famous resident, Will Rogers. Continuing this grand tradition, the Will Rogers Memorial Museum will host Will Rogers Days November 1-4. The festivities include the 2023 Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival, whiskey tasting event, wreath laying, parade, and birthday party. The Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival features G- and PG-rated films from artists worldwide. The festival entries will be screened daily in the…
Find out more »Battle of Honey Springs Education Day
On Friday, November 3, beginning at 9 a.m., Honey Springs Battlefield will host the Battle of Honey Springs Education Day. On this day, students from schools across the state and the general public will have the opportunity to explore numerous education stations teaching topics related to the Civil War in Indian Territory and The Battle of Honey Springs. Living historians will demonstrate various military drills, cooking techniques, and other everyday activities for soldiers. There also will be numerous sutlers selling…
Find out more »Pawnee Bill’s Rolling Thunder Car Show and Fall Festival
On Saturday, October 28, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum will host Pawnee Bill’s Rolling Thunder Car Show and Fall Festival, presented by the Old Time Saturday Night Car Club.
The fall community event will include a car show where the public will see a variety of classic cruisers, custom cars and trucks, antique vehicles, hot rods, farm trucks, tractors, and motorcycles parked on the grounds of the historic home of Pawnee Bill and May Lillie. There is a $15 vehicle charge to enter the car show. Tractor pulls, and mini bike drag racing will take place throughout the day, along with the car show.
A host of family-friendly activities are planned for the festival, including a hay maze, hayrides, a bounce house, cornhole, and horseshoe games. Guests can watch a blacksmith at work, cowboy whip tricks, and the art of rope making. Live music will be performed throughout the day by Kenny Bond. Concessions and food trucks will be available throughout the event.
Admission to the event is $10 per car. All activities are included with paid admission except pumpkin painting. For more information, please call 918-762-2513.
This event is sponsored by the Pawnee Bill Ranch Association, the Pawnee Chamber of Commerce and the Old Time Saturday Night Car Club. All proceeds will help purchase a new team of draft horses and help maintain animal programs at the Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum.
Find out more »Story Time at Hunter’s Home
Hunter’s Home will host families for story time on Saturday, November 18, at 10:30 a.m. The featured book is Winter on the Farm by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It tells the story of a boy’s busy day on the family farm during winter, doing his chores and tending to the family's livestock. Storytime will include an activity and snack. The event is free with paid admission. No registration is required. For more information, call 918-456-2751. Hunter’s Home is located at 19479 E. Murrell…
Find out more »December 2023
Photos with Santa at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum
The Heritage Gallery at Will Rogers Memorial Museum will be the perfect backdrop for taking photos with Santa on Saturday, December 2, and Saturday, December 9, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring your family and your camera to take beautiful family pictures with Santa. Admission is free to take photos. For more information, please visit willrogers.com or call 918-341-0719.
Find out more »Winter Bake Day
Fresh-baked gingerbread soldiers, nurses, and laundresses will be served at Fort Gibson Historic Site’s Winter Bake Day on Saturday, December 16. The smell of fresh-baked gingerbread cookies will fill the crisp autumn air on Garrison Hill as staff and volunteers once again bring the 1860s military bakehouse to life. Gingerbread cookie kits will be available to purchase from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. or while supplies last. Cookies are made from 19th-century recipes and include candy trimmings similar to those…
Find out more »February 2024
Art Night
The Oklahoma History Center will host a free, open house Art Night on Friday, February 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. Attendees will learn about the traditional and modern art forms practiced in Oklahoma. Visitors can participate in historical art forms, buy locally made art at an artists’ market, and participate in an open mic for artists of all mediums. The event is free and open to the public. No registration is necessary. Are you interested in becoming a vendor?…
Find out more »March 2024
Living History Education Day
On Wednesday, March 6, the site will bring history to life with Living History Education Day—a free event! Living historians will demonstrate historical skills and educate guests while wearing period clothing, teaching guests what life was like at Fort Towson more than 180 years ago. Living History Education Day will present multiple learning experiences about life at the military outpost during the 1840s, when it was a vital resupply point for soldiers headed south to engage in the Mexican-American War.…
Find out more »2024 Oklahoma Farm-to-Table Festival
The Oklahoma History Center will hold the 2024 Oklahoma Farm-to-Table Festival on Saturday, March 16, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The free, family-friendly event will encourage the exploration of historic and modern agriculture. There will be hands-on activities and demonstrations for visitors of all ages. The festival will offer many educational opportunities and experiences, including chuckwagon cooking and nutrition demonstrations, livestock, a petting zoo, various crafts, and story time. In addition, several Made-in-Oklahoma vendors will attend to illustrate how their products…
Find out more »Spring Break Activities
Spend afternoons during spring break at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum. Events are planned every day from March 18 to 22 between 1 and 3 p.m. to keep kids learning and entertained during their school break. Each activity is based on some aspect of Will Rogers’ extraordinary life, ranging from his time as a cowboy to his love of aviation. All children under 17 are admitted free during spring break thanks to a donation by Win and Kay Ingersoll. The…
Find out more »Pawnee Bill Annual Easter Egg Hunt
On Saturday, March 30, the Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt, sponsored by the local Pawnee Lions Club and the Pawnee Chamber of Commerce. The hunt will begin promptly at 10 a.m. at the ranch’s picnic pavilions. The Egg Hunt is spread out over many acres of the historic site. Thousands of eggs will be hidden, including gold and silver prize eggs containing money and vouchers for treats. Pawnee Bill started an egg hunt…
Find out more »Easter Egg Hunt
Visit the Will Rogers Memorial Museum for the Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 30. The egg hunt begins promptly at 11:30 a.m. on the museum grounds, so be sure to arrive early. The Easter Bunny will hide thousands of candy-filled eggs for the children to find, and some eggs will contain special prizes. Please call 918-341-0719 for more information.
Find out more »April 2024
Fort Gibson Education Day *full*
*The Fort Gibson Education Day event is completely full due to high demand.* On Friday, April 19, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., the Fort Gibson Historic Site will host its annual Education Day. The site will be closed to the general public/nonschool groups on that day. Living Historians will set up various stations across the grounds depicting multiple aspects of life in the 1800s. The stations one can expect will feature the lives of 1830s and mid-19th-century soldiers, the…
Find out more »Something to Grow About: Earth Day Native Plant and Seed Swap
Gardeners and eco-enthusiasts will delight in the celebration of Earth Day at the Pawnee Bill Ranch on Saturday, April 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A native plant swap, a seed buffet, and loads of gardening tips, tricks, and activities will be a part of the “Something to Grow About” event. Join in sharing plants and seeds. Participants are encouraged to bring labeled seeds and plants for the swap. Agricultural experts will be available to teach about planting techniques,…
Find out more »May 2024
History Day Camp *camp is full*
Fort Towson Historic Site's “History Day Camp” for kids ages nine to 12 is completely full! During the three-day camp, young people can explore the site with physical and experiential learning activities that will encourage them to learn what life was like in the 1840s. Historical interpreters will lead campers in hands-on activities such as archaeology, military drills, old-fashioned games, and hands-on crafts. Whether taking part in an 1840s baseball game, learning to roll a wooden barrel, surveying the landscape,…
Find out more »June 2024
Pawnee Bill’s Original Wild West Show
On Saturday, June 8, The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum will celebrate the lives and showmanship of Major Gordon W. “Pawnee Bill” Lillie and his wife, May Lillie, with Pawnee Bill’s Original Wild West Show, which will be held at the historic ranch site. This grand reenactment will transport audiences to experience the historical Pawnee Bill’s Wild West Show exhibitions through the sights and sounds of genuine Western entertainment. They will be transported to an era when entertainers thrilled and amazed audiences…
Find out more »Will’s Wild West Kids Camp *camp is full*
The Will Rogers Memorial Museum has teamed up with the Boy Scouts of America to bring the Pinewood Derby to Wild West Kid’s Camp. The camp, a family favorite at the museum, runs Monday, June 17 through Wednesday, June 19. Over 150 children ages 5-12 will spend their morning at the museum and experience stagecoach rides, nature talks, stickball, Cherokee storytelling, and, this year, the Pinewood Derby. Will’s Wild West Kid’s Camp has been so popular that slots were full…
Find out more »Scavenger Hunt
On Saturday, June 29, Hunter’s Home in Park Hill will host a scavenger hunt encouraging children to learn about items from the 19th century. The scavenger hunt will include items found inside the historic home and on the grounds of the rural property. Bring the family and a keen eye to spot things like a coffee grinder, knitting needles, and especially the location of little Farmer Dave! The activities are perfect for children ages 6 to 12, and there will…
Find out more »September 2024
Settler’s Day
Experience “Settler’s Day” at the Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School in Perry on Saturday, September 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring the whole family to enjoy this free admission day at the museum and enjoy games and activities including schoolhouse sessions, old-fashioned games, and races. Visitors can watch trick roping, rope making, and flint knapping demonstrations. Historical characters and cowboy cooking will take visitors back to the era of 1893.
Find out more »October 2024
Family Farm Day
The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid will host Family Farm Day on Saturday, October 5, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Family Farm Day allows guests to experience the agricultural advancements of the 1890s and 1900s with hands-on activities like shelling and grinding corn, churning butter, and more. In addition, guests can visit a farm animal petting zoo, get up close with vintage farm equipment, and participate in a pie auction and pumpkin decorating. The museum will also…
Find out more »Overnight at the Museum
The Will Rogers Memorial Museum will host “Overnight at the Museum,” an activity-filled sleepover. Children and a parent or guardian can stay all night, sleep where they choose, and play into the early hours. The event will begin Friday, October 18, at 6 p.m. with supper from Ike’s Chili – a Will Rogers favorite. There will be games, a campfire with s’mores, cowboy sing-a-long, movies in the theater, glow-in-the-dark activities, and more. The event will wrap up with breakfast on…
Find out more »“History Never Dies” Halloween Carnival
The Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library in Guthrie will host its “History Never Dies” Halloween Carnival on Saturday, October 26, from 4 to 7 p.m. This free, family-friendly event will have an It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) film theme. At the three-hour event, families can enjoy carnival games, treats, prizes, and a cake walk. Refreshments and hot dogs will be served free to all guests as long as supplies last. Enjoy Halloween-themed activities inside the museum—family-friendly costumes are encouraged! The Oklahoma…
Find out more »Halloween Night at the Museum
The Will Rogers Memorial Museum will host Halloween Night at the Museum on Thursday, October 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. This event combines trick-or-treating with an opportunity for children and their families to visit the Will Rogers Memorial Museum. Businesses and individuals will share treats and a costume contest will be held with prizes for the best costumes. Halloween Night at the Museum is free and open to all ages. This event has attracted hundreds of costumed characters to…
Find out more »November 2024
Living History Experiences at the Sod House Museum *full*
On Friday, November 1, the Sod House Museum volunteers and staff will be teaching school children through a day of fun and educational demonstrations of living history experiences at the museum near Aline. This is a great opportunity for children to learn about the practices of Oklahoma pioneers and how they lived off the land in sod houses. Children will be encouraged to participate in learning to soak clothes in a tub of soapy water, use a washboard, and ring…
Find out more »