OKEMAH — Sarah Lee Guthrie, the singer-songwriter granddaughter of Woody Guthrie, opened the 28th annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival to a full house at Okemah’s Crystal Theatre on Wednesday night, continuing the Guthrie family tradition that binds them to the small east-central Oklahoma town that pays tribute to his life and musical legacy.
Known as “WoodyFest,” the four-day festival transforms Guthrie’s birthplace — the Okfuskee County seat with a population of roughly 3,050 — into the country’s folk music mecca one week each summer, coinciding with Guthrie’s July 14 birthday.
Guthrie, who died from Huntington’s disease in 1967, was a Depression-era activist for laborers and against fascism, and he is widely considered the central figure in American folk music. Songwriters like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp and others have credited Guthrie as a primary influence.
More than 50 folk, Americana and red dirt music soloists and bands are set to appear across five Okemah stages for WoodyFest 2025, including on the patio of the Rocky Road Tavern and at the Okemah rodeo arena, where camping festival goers and artists pitch tents and park RVs for their stay.
Nightly impromptu jam sessions often break out at a local motel after the official shows conclude.
After Sarah Lee Guthrie’s performance Wednesday night, Turnpike Troubadours lead singer Evan Felker — also an Okemah native — teamed up with prominent Americana musician Hayes Carll for a song-swap set that turned into an audience sing-along to many of the Troubadours’ hits.
It marked the first act of a WoodyFest 2025 lineup which includes John Moreland, BJ Barham, Red Dirt Rangers, Kyshona, Margo Cilker, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Pony Bradshaw, Jaimee Harris, Ellis Paul, Radoslav Lorkovic, Tom Breiding, RT Valine, Cassie Latshaw, Chris Buhalis, Joe Baxter, Shawna Russell, Pat Byrne, Miss Brown to You, Monica Taylor, Adeem the Artist, Bonnie Whitmore, My Politic, and dozens more.
The festival schedule and a complete directory of artists are available at WoodyFest.com.
“The festival continues to grow in scope and reach, while staying grounded in Woody’s vision of music as a force for connection and community,” said Randy Norman, festival director.
Other details for WoodyFest 2025
the beginning of the annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.(Michael Duncan)
Norman said growth in scope includes numerous panel discussions and hands-on workshops that will feature noted musicians, historians, authors and artists. The panel discussions include “Collecting and Connecting Woody, Lead Belly, Pete Seeger, The Weavers, and Bob Dylan,” a look into the letters, art and stories of Guthrie and his contemporaries collected by music historian Barry Ollman.
Ware the Buffalo Roams, a documentary on the personal musical journey of noted Oklahoma guitarist Terry “Buffalo” Ware is also set to be presented during the festival at the Okfuskee County Historical Society. An artist-led discussion is set to follow.
The festival has numerous events for children and families. Live performances, games, a water slide and other events are featured at the Family Day at the Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 12, at Okemah City Park. Also Saturday, Muscogee (Creek) Nation artist Nelson Harjo is set to present a program combining traditional storytelling with hands-on flute building from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Benson Media Center.
Festival organizers said online pre-festival ticket purchases came from 29 different states. During the festival, tickets may be purchased at the Okfuskee County Historical Society, 407 Broadway, and during the evening at the Pastures of Plenty entrance. All daytime performances on Thursday offer free admission. Persons age 16 and under can enter for free if accompanied by an adult ticket holder.
The festival is set to culminate late Saturday night with dozens of artists gathering on the Pastures of Plenty stage — a permanent performance venue constructed in the community’s industrial park — to be led by Guthrie family members in the singing of Guthrie’s most famous tune, This Land is Your Land.
hosts the opening performance of the 28th annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival in Okemah, Oklahoma, on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (Michael Duncan)
