O-kla-homa, where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain,

And the wavin’ wheat can sure smell sweet,

When the state beats out the Town of James . . .

. . .

Yes, the 25th annual list of the Top 100 Events for the coming year was revealed this week.

The Top Event for 2007 will be . . . the 100th anniversary of Oklahoma’s statehood.

Say, what?

Oklahoma? The home of the Dust Bowl? The musical?

That Oklahoma?

Yes, according to the American Bus Association. The single Top Event in all of the United States next year is Oklahoma’s anniversary.

Excuse me.

Remember Jamestown?

Next year, it’s having its 400th anniversary. In fact, it’s billed as “America’s 400th Anniversary.”

Maybe you’ve heard of it.

Oklahoma, understandably, is thrilled. Hardy Watkins, executive director of the state Tourism and Recreation Department, said yesterday that the top ranking is a huge honor.

Watkins said by phone he thinks Oklahoma may have won on sheer size. Both states’ celebrations last 18 months. Oklahoma’s includes 700 events and projects around the state; Jamestown’s includes 150 around Virginia.

But Watkins wasn’t about to say Oklahoma deserved it more.

“Obviously,” he said, “the founding of America, the founding of Jamestown—we’ve had people saying, ‘Here we are celebrating our 100th year as the founding of a state and Virginia is celebrating its 400th’—that’s impressive. Four hundred years, it dwarfs our 100 years.”

A spokesman for Jamestown 2007, Kevin Crossett, also wouldn’t get into the us-versus-Oklahoma thing yesterday. But he made the case for Jamestown.

“I think anyone that takes a minute and does some research on Jamestown and why it’s being billed as America’s 400th anniversary [would find] the reality is America would be a different place without Jamestown,” Crossett said.

He said at least four major ideas—free enterprise, representative government, cultural diversity and exploration—“all came together at that place and at that time in history and formed modern America.”

Jamestown did make the bus association’s Top 100 list, though only No. 1 is singled out.

Spokeswoman Lori Harrison, whose association represents 1,000 motorcoach and tour operators, explained yesterday that two dozen industry leaders spent days evaluating 400 nominees. One factor, obviously, was accessibility for buses and large groups.

So how was the winner picked?

“It’s the 400th anniversary for Oklahoma,” Harrison began.

Well, no, it isn’t, but please continue.

“I think the judges pull out one that they think has extra-special appeal,” she said. She wasn’t in any of the meetings. But Virginia may have been hurt by having so many other events each year.

“All I can say is that it could be that Oklahoma, they thought was a little more unique because it was Oklahoma.

“And Virginia has so much rich history. Virginia has events that are in the Top 100 every year. Some years, some states don’t have any. It could be that everyone knows about Virginia and not about Oklahoma. . . . You may not learn about Oklahoma in school. . . . It could be something like that.”

Not very comforting, is it?

You’re doin’ fine, Oklahoma!

Oklahoma O.K.

But, honestly, you ain’t no Jamestown.

Ray McAllister is a staff writer and columnist at the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Contact him at or (804) 649-6333. His column runs Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Responses may be printed from time to time.