After the year we’ve all had, there's nothing better than anticipating some down-home Christmas cheer and celebration. For those in Oklahoma, mark your calendars for the 28th Annual Chickasha Festival Of Light, which runs now through December 31st in Chickasha, OK. This year, the festivities will also feature music from regional folk duo The Imaginaries. I had a chance to catch up with Maggie McClure of The Imaginaries and hear about their new holiday album, Hometown Christmas with video; their participation in the festival; their live performance during the parade on 12/5; and their forthcoming album due Spring 2021.
Thank you to Maggie for sharing her time and insight. To hear the full interview, click the link below.
MORE ABOUT THE EVENT: Oklahoma’s favorite Americana husband/wife duo, The Imaginaries, Shane Henry (guitar, vocals) and Maggie McClure (keys, piano, vocals), announce their exciting partnership with the Chickasha Economic Development Council this holiday season to celebrate the Chickasha Festival Of Light. “We are so excited to collaborate with the Chickasha Economic Development Council,” say The Imaginaries. “Shane grew up in the area, so to help promote the city and related holiday activities during this magical time of year is very special to us!”
Named by Forbes Magazine and USA Today as one of the best light displays in the United States, the free event through December 31 will transform Shannon Springs Park’s 43 acres into a magnificent walk and drive-thru, illuminated experience.
Plus, on December 5th, The Imaginaries will also participate in the annual Chickasha Christmas Parade down Main Street, showcasing around 40 floats from businesses and community groups. The parade starts at 7:00 pm, and it will be followed by a special free outdoor performance by The Imaginaries at 8:00 pm under the tent on the main stage (1st & Chickasha, near the Rock Island Depot).
As part of the collaboration, The Imaginaries filmed a festive music video for their latest original song “Hometown Christmas,” the title track of their new holiday album, in and around the Chickasha area (socially distanced, of course) with local area businesses and a small cast / crew. The video will be released soon. Hometown Christmas (listen HERE) features 13 tracks of originals and some of the duo’s holiday favorites. ’Hometown Christmas’ is a very special song to us about coming home for the holidays,” say The Imaginaries. “There's nothing quite like that feeling. We’re very lucky to already be home in Oklahoma with our families and friends during the holidays because we know this year has been a very difficult one and a lot of people can’t go home to be with their loved ones so we dedicate this song and video to them.”
“We are excited to partner with The Imaginaries highlighting Chickasha,” says Jim Cowan, the Economic Development Director of the City of Chickasha. “We recognize their popularity not just here in Oklahoma, but across the entire country and we can’t think of anyone better to help us tell our story. Christmas is a huge part of our brand as a City, so we wanted something authentic to convey that message. Maggie and Shane’s original song, ‘Hometown Christmas’ helps us tell the world what we have here in Chickasha, Oklahoma.”
