This Week's KGOU Arts & Entertainment Pics (Jun 23, 2011)

Norman has its one-of-a-kind jazz festival. Ada has an environmentally-friendly expo unique to Southern Oklahoma. And Oklahoma City has a three-day party for a cause. The first official weekend of summer starts with plenty to do in Central Oklahoma!

Norman, OK is the place to be if you yearn for a festival atmosphere with world-renowned jazz and blues artists on the bill. The 28th annual Jazz In June festival begins this Thursday evening at the Brookhaven Village Shopping Center with singer-songwriter Margo Valiante and blues headliner Murali Coryell. The music continues at Brookhaven on Friday with the so-called “Godfather of Jazz Fusion”, Larry Coryell (Murali’s Father). And Grammy Award-winning Latin-Jazz percussionist Poncho Sanchez wraps up this year’s Jazz In June fest on Saturday in downtown Norman’s Andrews Park. Performers will also take part in the festival’s two jam sessions & instructional clinics, where they will share their formidable knowledge and skills with the rest of us.

Ada’s Oklahoma Green Expo opens Thursday evening. It’s a three-day gathering of green-minded individuals with workshops, vendors and guest speakers. NASCAR driver and environmental activist Leilani Munter will be one of the keynote speakers, along with Oklahoma Secretary of the Environment Gary Sherrer. They’ll open the Expo at 7:00 p.m. in the new Ataloa Theatre on the East Central University campus.

This year’s OKC Pride Weekend promises three days are live music, stand-up comics and activities starting Thursday along “The Strip” (39th & Penn). There are three main parts to the event: “The Block Party”, kicking everything off at 4 p.m. with Grammy award-winning trio The Pointer Sisters; “The Festival”, with live music and a performance by stand-up comedian ANT; and “The Parade”, traveling through the strip at 6:00 p.m. Festival goers will be partying for a purpose this year, with all proceeds going toward the purchase of land for the LGBT Health Center.

For those in need of a little motivation to get into the garden, the IAO Gallery screens a The Greenhorns, new documentary on a newer generation of American farmers Saturday evening.

And in Chickasha, the 4th Annual First Weekend of Summer Picnic and Cookout takes place Saturday at noon in Centennial Park. Look for kid's activities along with food and drinks donated by local merchants.

For details on these events – and many others – see our full calendar here.