Celebrate Oklahoma! was a wonderful event which took place August 30 through September 1, 2014.
In its original theatrical releases, the Magna Theatre Corporation handled distribution of the Oklahoma! roadshow presentations (in 70 mm Todd-AO). RKO Radio Pictures distributed the general release version (in 35 mm anamorphic CinemaScope), which was released after its roadshow run ended. Later, when RKO was experiencing financial turmoil, 20th Century Fox assumed distribution of the general release edition. In April 2014, a restored version of the Todd-AO version was screened at the Fifth Annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood. The eight-month restoration was developed in conjunction with 20th Century Fox and the studio's film preservationist Schawn Belston.
This 2014 restoration of the Todd-AO large format version of the film is being premiered in Oklahoma during Arts Festival Oklahoma as part of the Celebrate Oklahoma! More than just a movie event, presented by Oklahoma City Community College and Ion Oklahoma.
The idea for this project came about shortly after the film was premiered at the TMC Classic Film Festival. iOn Oklahoma requested the rights to premiere the film in Oklahoma and partnered with OCCC to screen the film in the new OCCC Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater, which seats just over 1,000 and boasts a 7.1 surround sound movie house with a 17 feet x 33 feet screen and a high def projector. The goal behind the project is to introduce the film to a new generation of Oklahomans who have not experienced it.