Area fans of live music, family entertainment, food and arts and crafts will want to be sure and mark July 14-15 on their calendars.

The Cookson Jubilee, sponsored by the Tenkiller Area Community Organization, will be held Friday and Saturday, July 14-15, in the TACO building and grounds on Mullens Drive in Cookson and features a luau theme, as well as musical headliners Jamey Johnson and Bryan White.

Peggy Gray, TACO public relations director and historian, said the 2006 event revisits the Hawaiian theme of 1979.

“For the second time, Hawaiian will be the theme for the jubilee,” said Gray. “This time around, participants are invited to the luau; so they should practice their hula dancing, listen to some Hawaiian music, find just the right ‘island’ outfit and collect some leis around their necks when they arrive.”

As has become the custom, this year’s event will highlight many area musicians.

“Each year, the Cookson Jubilee features top musical entertainment,” said Gray. “This year brings two highly rated performers, Jamey Johnson and Bryan White. Some perennial favorites include Heartland, Becky Wright and Patty Clay, as well as Long Shot and Lacy Stark.”

Jamey Johnson is scheduled to perform Friday, July 14, at 8:30 p.m.

Johnson, an Alabama native and ex-Marine, is a songwriter as well as a country singer. According to Gray, he is just as comfortable mopping up tears on the barroom floor with an old Hank Williams-style ballad as he is tearing the roof off with a honky-tonk juggernaut.

Johnson’s debut, “The Dollar,” which hit No. 23 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. Johnson also co-wrote “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” which appeared at No. 2 on the same chart at the same time.

Johnson works hard, but doesn’t consider it labor.

“This is not work for me,” he said “This is play time for me. I don’t ever remember not wanting to do this.”

The second performer, Bryan White, is an Oklahoma native and has joined the ranks of elite country musicians from the Sooner state, including Reba McEntire, Vince Gill and Garth Brooks.

“His big voice, easy-going manner and streamlined, mainstream country-pop have made him a much sought after performer,” said Gray.

Aside from entertainment, food and arts and crafts, the Cookson Jubilee has been an important event in the lives of TACO members and others in the area.

The first Jubilee was a bicentennial celebration held in “downtown” Cookson, and included local talent, a beauty pageant, homemade foods and speeches from area and state politicians.