Stillwater fan-favorite Steelwind, above, will be one of the bands performing in the 2021 Concerts in the Garden series at The Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University. The series kicks off with Red Dirt Rangers on May 14; Steelwind will take the stage on June 4. (Photo by Todd Johnson, OSU Agricultural Communications Services)

Botanic Garden at OSU concert series begins May 14

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Media Contact: Trisha Gedon | Communications Specialist | 405-744-3625 | trisha.gedon@okstate.edu

Music once again will waft through the trees in The Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University when the monthly Concerts in the Garden series begins May 14.

Garden Director Lou Anella said it feels wonderful to be able to start scheduling in-person events once again.

“I think everyone is excited to get back to some sense of normalcy,” Anella said. “Being outdoors is much safer, so we feel comfortable with being able to offer the concerts again.”

The Red Dirt Rangers will take the stage at 5:30 p.m. May 14 in Laura’s Bandstand on the Event Lawn at the garden, 3300 W. Sixth St., Stillwater. The event is free, and visitors are asked to wear masks and socially distance when setting up their lawn chairs.

Anella said visitors will find the garden offers many more attractions than just the monthly music events.

“We’ve added some new structural elements near the parking lot which create a lot of visual interest right as you pull in,” he said. “The Treewalk Village, a structure consisting of a series of ramps and platforms in the pin oaks just south of the labyrinth, has been expanded and is a great area for kids to play.”

Concert attendees are encouraged to walk through the expansive garden and see where OSU Extension’s television program Oklahoma Gardening is recorded, as well as get some new ideas for their own home gardens.

The Botanic Garden at OSU, set on 100 acres, features walking trails, lush gardens and is a living, multidisciplinary laboratory used by several departments within OSU’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, as well as OSU Extension.

The new road from the south entrance off of Sixth Street leads to a new parking lot located close to Laura’s Bandstand. Anella said he is excited the handicapped access has been greatly improved, making it easier for more people to come enjoy all events offered at The Botanic Garden at OSU.

Stillwater resident Gertie Mulder was happy to learn the concerts were returning to the garden.

“The Botanic Garden is such a great place to visit, and I’ve enjoyed going to the concerts for several years,” Mulder said. “I’m happy to see we’re getting back to some normalcy with the return of events like this. The garden is so beautiful, and I love getting ideas for my landscape.”

The second concert in the series, slated June 4, will feature another local favorite, Steelwind. Plans for the fall concert series already are in the works.

“The Concerts in the Garden series has proven popular for several years and we’re so excited to be able to invite the public back to The Botanic Garden at OSU following the pandemic,” Anella said.

The series is sponsored by OSU’s Office of the President, Allergy Partners of Oklahoma, The Original Hideaway, Kicker and The Botanic Garden at OSU.

Be sure to follow The Botanic Garden at OSU on Facebook for all the latest updates on events and activities.