WILL ROGERS MEDALLION AWARD BRINGS FOUR DAYS OF WESTERN STORIES, STARS AND STORYTELLERS TO NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA

Public Invited to Meet Award-Winning Authors, Explore the Craft of Writing and Celebrate Will Rogers During October 28–31 Event

GRASS VALLEY, CA, UNITED STATES, September 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The American West will come to life in northeast Oklahoma this October as award-winning authors, filmmakers, actors, historians and admirers of Western culture gather for four days of storytelling, education and entertainment during the 2026 Will Rogers Medallion Award celebration, October 28–31.
Events will include a free wine-and-cheese book signing, school outreach programs, the Craft of Writing the West Conference, a community Meet & Greet, the star-studded An Evening with Will, the Will Rogers Days Parade and the annual Will Rogers Medallion Award Banquet.

WESTERN AUTHORS OPEN THE CELEBRATION IN CLAREMORE
The festivities begin Wednesday, October 28, from 6–8 p.m., with a wine-and-cheese book signing at the Claremore Museum of History, 121 North Weenonah Avenue in Claremore.
The event is free and open to the public. Readers will have an opportunity to meet accomplished Western authors, purchase personally signed books and talk with the writers whose work is helping preserve the stories, history and traditions of the American West.

Participating writers will include international bestselling authors Kathleen O’Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear, New York Times bestselling author Chris Enss, and award-winning authors Bill Markley, Joni Franks, Harriet Lewis and Preston Lewis.

AUTHORS BRING BOOKS AND STORIES TO AREA SCHOOLS
On Thursday, October 29, more than 20 participating authors will travel to schools throughout northeast Oklahoma as part of the Will Rogers Medallion Award’s educational outreach program.
The authors will speak with students about frontier history, biography, fiction, research, creativity and the writing process. Students will learn how writers discover stories, develop ideas, create characters and turn those ideas into published books.

The authors will also leave cases of books for young readers. The outreach program reflects the organization’s continuing commitment to encouraging literacy, supporting education and introducing another generation to the history and literature of the American West.

Thursday evening, authors, special guests and community members will gather for a Meet & Greet at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore. The event will feature winning books and authors, special guests and a screening of Little House Homecoming, followed by a question-and-answer session with Little House on the Prairie actor Dean Butler.

LEARN TO WRITE THE WEST FROM THOSE WHO DO IT BEST
On Friday, October 30, from 9 a.m.–4 p.m., aspiring writers, published authors and anyone interested in storytelling are invited to attend the Craft of Writing the West Conference at River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa.

Among the featured presenters will be New York Times bestselling authors Anne Hillerman, Kathleen O’Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear. These acclaimed writers have spent decades producing bestselling novels, creating memorable characters and bringing the history, cultures and landscapes of the American West to readers around the world.

Conference sessions will explore developing memorable characters, writing effective dialogue, conducting historical research, strengthening a manuscript, navigating the publishing industry and building a lasting career as an author.

AN EVENING WITH WILL—WHERE HOLLYWOOD MEETS OKLAHOMA
On Friday, October 30, from 7–9 p.m., the celebration will turn to Will Rogers with An Evening with Will, a special program honoring the humor, humanity and observations that made Rogers one of America’s most beloved figures.

Acclaimed actors Bruce Boxleitner and Barry Corbin, Little House on the Prairie star Dean Butler, Western film authority Rob Word, and Will Rogers family representative Jennifer Rogers will participate in an evening devoted to Rogers’ words and legacy.

The program will be hosted by Tanner Messer of KVOO and Tess Maune of News On 6.
Through readings and performances, the audience will experience the remarkable wit and insight of the man who famously said, “I never met a man I didn’t like.” Rogers’ observations about politics, public life and human nature remain remarkably relevant nearly a century after they were written.

A PARADE, A BANQUET AND MAJOR WESTERN HONORS
The celebration continues Saturday morning with the Will Rogers Days Parade in Claremore.
The four-day gathering culminates Saturday, October 31, with the Will Rogers Medallion Award Banquet at River Spirit Casino Resort, where the year’s outstanding achievements in Western literature and related arts will be recognized.

Actors Bruce Boxleitner and Barry Corbin will receive the organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Grammy Award-winning country artist Clint Black will receive the Will Rogers Golden Lariat Award in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to Western storytelling and his enduring dedication to preserving the spirit of the American West.

More than an awards ceremony, the annual gathering reflects the larger mission of the Will Rogers Medallion Award: preserving the stories of the American West, supporting the writers who tell them and placing those stories into the hands of another generation. In 2026, the public is invited to become part of that mission.
For registration, tickets and additional information, visit the Will Rogers Medallion Award website or email Chris Enss, executive director of the Will Rogers Medallion Award, at gvcenss@aol.com.

ABOUT THE WILL ROGERS MEDALLION AWARD
The Will Rogers Medallion Award recognizes excellence in works celebrating the history, people, traditions and enduring spirit of the American West. Through its annual awards, educational outreach, author programs, book donations and student opportunities, the organization works to preserve Western storytelling while encouraging the writers and readers who will carry those stories into the future.

Chris Enss
Will Rogers Medallion Award
+1 916-216-0995
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