This unique festival is set for Friday and Saturday, Oct. 1 and 2, and is free to the public.

From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., come and enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of local artists of all types.

This year, visitors can browse many of the artisan booths underneath our shady big-top tent and the smaller satellite tents. From paintings and sculpture to photography, woodturning and wearable art, these booths will be a feast for the eyes. But these works aren’t just for show – bring your wallet so you can bring home some original art! Maybe even a henna tattoo…

Ali Harter returns to the RIAF stage as Friday night’s headliner. This Choctaw native received second place for best local singer/songwriter in this year’s Best of OKC in the OK Gazette. Her earthy roots sound has been heard around the U.S. and across the Atlantic.

Chickasha’s own Travis Linville is on deck for Saturday night. He’s been traveling for some 12 years now, sharing his soulful country and folk music with audiences far and wide, but this homegrown artist is making his way back to his roots to take part in this homegrown festival.

Other local performers and groups will delight festival-goers throughout both days – listen for Fit of Whimsey (Shane Harris), Justin Hightower and the Dash, and USAO’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble and Key Players. Watch for demonstrations by Transformations Martial Arts, line dancers, as well as other dance groups.

Gather round the steps of the Mill Building later in the afternoon on Friday to hear three of Oklahoma’s own wordsmiths. Lauren Zuniga is a performance poet and activist, and has represented Oklahoma in seven national poetry competitions. A top-20 finisher at the Woman of the World Poetry Slam in 2010, Lauren was also nominated for Oklahoma State Poet Laureate by the Individual Artists of Oklahoma.

Dorothy Alexander is a poet, storyteller and co-owner of Village Books Press. Her latest book of poetry, Lessons from an Oklahoma Girlhood, was a finalist in the 2009 Oklahoma Book Awards. Alexander also edits the annual anthology of the Woody Guthrie Poets. She lives in Oklahoma City and Cheyenne, Okla. Andy Bowen, of Waurika, has been a regular face in the Oklahoma City poetry scene since 2003, and is a regular host for the weekly reading at Sauced in The Paseo. He was a member of the 2010 Oklahoma City Red Dirt Slam Poetry Team and competed at the National Poetry Slam for the first time in August 2010.

This year, the Oklahoma Wine Tasting has expanded to include some of Oklahoma’s own breweries. Stop by the Depot building to sample hand-crafted wines and beers, as well as Hardesty Cheese. Two of this year’s featured wineries are The Range Winery and Vineyard of Anadarko, and Legends Winery and Vineyard of Lindsay.

The Main Street merchants are teaming up with RIAF again to present an even bigger and better children’s area. In addition to a variety of art projects, face painting, and a special visit from a local clown, children can bounce off some energy in the moonbounce, enjoy story time with puppets and librarian assistants from Chickasha Public Library, or visit Chickasha firefighters on one of their fire engines. And the popular treasure hunt dig will be back, with a new, separate sand play area, just for the smallest diggers.

Students from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma will also have their own tent, with several fun activities for young and old alike. And of course, lots of food vendors will be on hand to help guests stay energized throughout the festival – barbecue, funnel cakes, roasted corn and more!

This grass-roots festival is presented by the Chickasha Area Arts Council and the Rock Island Arts Festival Committee, and is possible entirely through the work of volunteers and the support of our generous sponsors, and we can always use more help. If you would like to join in the effort to make Chickasha’s unique arts festival a fantastic annual event, log on to www.rockislandartsfestival.org.

Other celebrities of note include James Hampton, Count Gregore, FX Master Tate Steinsiek and John Stirling, who will be in the convention side giving autographs and meeting with fans. Several distribution companies will be attending the festival including Rsquared and VCI Entertainment and will be looking over the official selections for distribution and production companies have expressed interest to see the top screenplays featured.

There is a hunger to learn the craft of visual storytelling, and the festival will provide workshops and panels to provide information to the aspiring writers and filmmakers. Fans will get the chance to watch movies all weekend and then meet the director afterwards and ask questions about the whole process. Sponsored by Sony, FEARnet, Final Draft, RANDR Tees, R2, Save the Cat and Dolphin Bay Films, and hosted at the Spirit Bank Event Center, this should be a Labor Day weekend to remember.

The Oklahoma Horror Film Festival will be a three-day event on September 3rd-5th. Friday 12pm-12am, Saturday 10am-12am, and Sunday 11am until the awards ceremony at 6pm and will be hosted at the SpiritBank Event Center at 105th & Memorial.

For film & workshop schedules, interviews with the filmmakers, and more information on the upcoming festival, visit http://www.oklahomahorrorfilmfest.com.

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Harter is with the Oklahoma City label, Little Mafia Records, which released her second full-length album this past spring titled, “No Bees, No Honey”. The album features over a dozen musicians, including Mike Kennerty of the very popular band, “The All-American Rejects”.

Since Harter’s initial album, “Worry the Bone” (2007), she has become an international success, touring consistently in places such as France, Belgium, Italy, & Switzerland. Harter recently traveled to Switzerland to play the prestigious Montreaux Jazz Festival with known acts such as BB King, Dave Matthews, Herbie Hancock, Alice Cooper, Earth, Wind and Fire, Prince, The Black Eyed Peas and many others.

Harter has been fortunate enough to share the stage with such acts as: Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, and has shared festival billing with the Flaming Lips, Leon Russell, Ben Harper, Tori Amos, The Black Crowes, and many others.

Her music can be found in several award-winning independent films such as “Barking Water” and television shows. In March, along with the release of her new album, Harter had two songs featured on the ABC prime-time hit television show “Grey’s Anatomy”. Following the success of her music placement on the television show, Harter toured again in France and after a show at The Olympia, she was presented a gold record. The gold record came from the international song “This Train”, a song she co-wrote and sang with famed French artist Wax Tailor, which also featured New Orleans’ ‘Voice’.

Ali was gracious enough to take time out of her busy schedule to talk with OKIE Magazine about her return home for the Lawton 109th Birthday celebration. Of course, we took the opportunity to toss some of the questions you want answers to most.

What was the first musical instrument you learned to play? Did your family have influence in your choices and career path?

I started out playing fiddle.. But quickly started playin’ it like a guitar, so my folks switched me. My Dad was a drummer for a while, and taught me how to play ‘House of the Rising Sun’ on guitar too.

That was the first thing I learned to play on guitar. My Mom could always sing, but just for fun, and mainly in the car.

What about musical influences?

Foo Fighters, Supergrass, Superdrag, The Beatles, Garth Brooks, Space Hog, when I was in middle school, and as I got older I started to appreciate and really love Bonnie Raitt, Joe Cocker, Richie Havens, Ida Cox, Big Mama Thorton, The Band, Canned Heat, stuff like that. Although, the early influences are still my favorites too.

The one musical artist (dead or alive) that you would love to perform a duet with?

Bonnie Raitt/Joe Cocker.. Toss up.

What is your favorite song on the No Bees. No Honey. release? why?

It changes.. ‘All Over Me’ right now. Its pretty epic, to me. I love the ‘movie music’ feel of some of the songs, and the production of this particular song, I love. Theres even a toned down holler in it at the end, that when we were recording it, I kept referring to as a ‘Gladiator’ yell.. Like the movie. I think the subject matter is similar to what I always write about, just maybe in a little more mature manner.

Maybe. Ha!

If you want fans to know one thing about this newest release, what would it be?

It’s my ‘Figure 8′. Don’t be mad at me.

What was your first performance on stage like (solo or with band)?

Horrid. Timid, nervous, amateur, and probably felt like pulling teeth to watch. That or paint drying. I used to suck.

What was the best part of touring Europe?

France is slowly becoming a second home to me. I cant say there is one thing. The culture, the hospitality, the language, the history, the food, the audiences are completely different. Its hard to peg one thing. I like touring in the US and in France the same, for different reasons.

Favorite thing about coming home?

The sight of the city. The smell. The red dirt. Thats after just getting off the plane, and after, my family, my house, my dogs, mexican food, playing shows in the bars I frequent. Friends. Everything. Everything is in slow motion with a movie soundtrack behind it for a few days when I get back. You learn to appreciate everything.

What was it like growing up in Oklahoma?

Perfect. Just wild enough, and just grounded enough. I will never live anywhere else if I have it my way.. probably because of how I grew up. It was just, perfect.

And now the nitty gritty -

Do you sing in the shower?

Used to sing ‘Star Spangled Banner’ in the shower when I was a kid, so my Mother says. Now a days.. Sometimes, Alicia Keys, or Bonnie Raitt, or Jamie Lidell.

What is your favorite midnight snack?

Jack Daniels.

What do you like to do most in your spare time?

Garden. I learned from my Mother and Grandmother. I mean, they never actually ‘taught’ me to garden. I just learned to love it from watching them. Its a beautiful thing to do really, garden. The life and growth and death of the whole thing.

Have you ever written on a bathroom stall?

Just things like, ‘Why are you wasting time, or trying to be profound writing in a bathroom stall? You are an idiot.’ Which is ironic really..

If you could possess a superpower, what would it be?

Rouge’s powers from X-men. I think that’s my style.

You want to absorb the memories, physical strength, and the abilities of anyone you touch? Sexy. For artistic purposes, of course, right?

I don’t think the superpowers would be strictly for artistic purposes. I would use them in general, when it was beneficial to me. I like the idea of it being a curse too.

Favorite thing about summer?

Summer skin. The heat. The sweat. The trouble. All rules go out the window in the summer.

How much time do you spend on social networking sites?

Twitter is stupid. I Facebook alot, I like that one. Its good for keeping up with my family and friends. Its set up pretty good too. Myspace is an abandoned building of a website, so to speak. Which is unfortunate, because that’s where I usually go to listen to bands, its so easy. I guess I use them a lot. It’s necessary for this job I think.

How many tats?

10ish? They started off as markers of tours, but I went on too many to keep up. So I quickly realized I should stop that. Then I started just getting joke tattoos.. Which may or may not be good. About half of them are things I really wanted to carry with me, and the other half are things that I now HAVE TO carry with me. Ha. But I love them, and wouldn’t change them because they are somewhere I’ve been, or something I’ve done. And I have one horrible mystery tattoo, that no one ever sees.

Who is the last person you called?

My husband. Just ‘Skyped’ him from my hotel room in Val D’ Isere, France. Got about a week left of tour.

If you had a bucket list, what are some things you would put down?

I don’t really have one. I’ve lived a pretty good life so far. It freaks people out when I say this, but if I died tonight, I wouldn’t be scared or sad. I’m not going to wish on things or hope to do something some day. If you don’t have plans or expectations, you cant be let down. Everything is always new and good and exciting. Only thing that comes close to a bucket list for me, is, maybe, replacing our bathroom floor, catching a pig to learn to make Saucisson, or getting my boots resoled. Things like that.

Where will Ali Harter be in five years?

In five years, I will probably be sitting in some hotel room somewhere doing this exact same thing. I’m not good at anything else anymore. I suppose I’ll ramble til I die.

Thankfully for her fans in Southwest Oklahoma, there is no waiting to catch Ali Harter perform. She will be pleasing the crowd at the 109th Birthday celebration for Lawton, Oklahoma at Elmer Thomas Park on August 6th. Her set starts at 8:30 pm and will be followed by a viewing of the film ‘Barking Water’, featuring some of Ali’s music.

The new Ali Harter website was recently launched, www.alihartermusic.com, where fans can keep up to-date with her media coverage, tour schedules and other news. Other websites are www.facebook.com/aliharterfans, www.twitter.com/alihartermusic.com, and www.myspace.com/aliharter.

Send us your thoughts, letters to the editor, comments, complaints, and criticism. Head over to our submissions page and let our inbox have it!

Animal art is beautiful and inspiring, generating a deeper appreciation for animals and nature. Art by zoo animals is part of the animal enrichment process of creating a stimulating environment that addresses an animal’s social, psychological and physical needs. Creating art is safe for the animals; the paints are non-toxic and washable. Some animals use a paint brush while others choose to paint with their paws, claws, tails and scales. Artist animals will include flamingos, grizzly bears, elephants, sea lions, rhinoceros and more. Funds raised will support the Zoo’s conservation programs.

The Comanche National Museum and Cultural Center (CNMCC) announced a generous gift of 6 paintings by prominent Comanche artists, from Native American art collector Bert Koch of Dallas, Texas.

The donation will be called “The Burt Koch Collection” and includes prized paintings by Rance Hood, Hollis Aesnap, Tim Tate Nevaquaya, Tim Saupitty and Robbie McMurtry. In addition to the art, Koch has also donated several prints signed by Hood.

“This is the most significant gift for the Comanche National Museum and Cultural Center to date,” said Phyllis Wahahrockah-Tasi, CNMCC Executive Director. “Mr. Koch has a love for Native American art and he is committed to helping us build our collection. This donation not only strengthens us as a museum but it further elevates us as the home of the most comprehensive Comanche art collection in the world,” Wahahrockah-Tasi said.

The Bert Koch Collection is valued at over $61,000 and its pieces will be rotated through CMNCC’s gallery in the months ahead. CNMCC’s fine art collection now features over 140 paintings and drawings, 16 sculptures and a variety of beadwork, entirely by artists of Comanche heritage.

“We are thrilled to accept this kind gift. It’s historic because it is the museum’s first major donation. We are very grateful to Mr. Koch for his willingness to help us obtain pieces that are so important to our great Comanche Nation,” Wahahrockah-Tasi said.

The Comanche National Museum and Cultural Center is an entity of the Comanche Nation of Oklahoma. The museum offers visitors a glimpse of traditional cultural items and detailed history about the tribe, allowing visitors a better understanding about the Comanches, the largest American Indian tribe in the Lawton-Fort Sill area.

 The museum is located 701 NW Ferris Avenue in Lawton, behind McMahon Auditorium. The hours of operations are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Admission is free and tour groups are welcome.

For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Candy Morgan at 580-353-0404.

The final event for the evening is a film presentation and SW OK Premiere of “Barking Water”, an official 2009 Sundance film festival selection and award-winning film by Oklahoma filmmaker, Sterlin Harjo. An opening ceremony kicks-off this event. The schedule is as follows:

7:30 pm: Opening Ceremony

8:00 pm: Tim Tate Nevaquaya, Comanche Flute

8:30 pm: Ali Harter, Award-Winning Singer/Songwriter/Musician

9:30 (or dusk) pm: “Barking Water”, Award-Winning Film & SW OK Premiere

This event is free and the public is encouraged to bring picnic baskets, blankets, and lawn chairs! Concessions will be available for purchase by the Holiday in the Park organization. Oklahoma Sales Tax Holiday Aug 6-8 kicks off that Friday, making Lawton a great get-away destination or mini “Staycation” ! Shop Lawton, sit and enjoy the evening’s events, stay over night and shop some more! Lawton’s Hotel/Motel Tax supports art & humanities events through Lawton Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce Event Funding – Hotel/Motel Tax fund.

Please, no alcohol or pets (working animals only). Note that the current weather forecast for the event is a sunny 90oF with overnight lows in the 70’s. However, for inclement weather, the event will move indoors to the Museum of the Great Plains Auditorium, 601 NW Ferris Ave. Please note that the schedule may be subject to change due to events beyond our control.

Sponsors are the City of Lawton, Lawton Arts & Humanities Council, Lawton-Ft. Sill Chamber of Commerce, Oklahoma Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support provided by the Trail Dance Film Festival and the Comanche National Museum & Cultural Center.

For more about the event, contact Sharon Cheatwood, Arts Coordinator, Arts & Humanities Div at 1-580-581-3470 or 581-3471 or visit www.cityof.lawton.ok.us/lahc/LawtonFtSillBirthday.htm.

We know you have talent.

And we want it.

The Rock Island Arts Festival is gearing up for its second year, so it’s time to start filling up booths and the stage. 2009 was the festival’s outstanding inaugural year, but 2010 will be even better. The festival committee is looking for artisans to display (and hopefully sell!) their work, musicians and performers to enliven the stage, and wine, brewery and food vendors to keep everyone fueled up for the fun.

This year, the festival committee would like to highlight local folks in this homegrown festival – artists, musicians, dance groups, martial arts schools, poets, vintners and brewers, and eateries. And volunteers are also welcome and needed.

The Rock Island Festival will take place Oct. 1 and 2, 2010, at the historic Rock Island Depot in downtown Chickasha. Applications for artists, entertainers and vendors, and volunteers, are all available online at www.rockislandartsfestival.org.

See you at the Depot!

Although I would like to tell you that I’ve taken precautions - stocked up on the sunscreen, and applied it gratuitously – I’d be lying. In fact, when the time came to pack for my weekend getaways, I made sure that I packed light. “Just the necessities,” I’d tell myself. Cooler – Check. Ice – Check. Beer – Check. It’s not hard to understand how I didn’t realize how red I was until well after I’d left the water.

However, this week, instead of single-handedly keeping the Aloe Vera company in business, I opted for a different approach. I took a trip to the store to get some sunscreen and was overwhelmed, to say the least. I stared blankly at the shelves trying to figure out SPFs and UVA/UVB. Now, I’ve done a bit of research so the same thing doesn’t happend to you!

First, what is SPF? SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. A common misconception is that because the SPF is higher, the sunscreen overall is better, but that’s not quite the case. The number actually indicates how much longer you can stay in the sun. For example, it probably takes me 15 minutes to burn. An SPF 15 sunscreen would allow me to stay in the sun 15 times longer without burning. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, SPF 15 or higher is your best bet, however, past SPF 30 you’re only getting 1% to 2% more protection.

Also, when chosing a sunscreen pay attention to wether or not it UVA or UVB. UVA rays are responsible for aging the skin and overexposure to these rays can cause skin cancer. However, UVB rays are responsible for sunburns and skin cancer. It’s probably best if you pick one up that is UVA/UVB or a “broad specturm” protectant.

Of course, these tips are only helpful if you apply and reapply the product as suggested on the bottle, so pay attention to the lables!

Now that you’re all educated, go pick up some waterproof SPF 30 and I’ll see you at the lake!