Airport to Unveil Bakersfield Sound Art Exhibit
Meadows Field Airport and Citizens Preserving History will display reproductions of a local music art collection in the terminal lobby.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Historical
Meadows Field Airport and Citizens Preserving History are partnering to bring a local history exhibit to the airport. Reproductions of Patti Doolittle's "Legends of the Bakersfield Sound" art collection will be displayed in the airport lobby.
Why it matters
The exhibit brings Kern County's musical heritage to travelers and residents passing through the airport. It also extends the work of Citizens Preserving History, a Kern-based nonprofit that identifies and preserves local historic places and stories.
The formal unveiling is set for Wednesday, November 4, at 12:30 p.m. in the airport lobby at 3701 Wings Way, Bakersfield. The source does not specify the number of reproductions or the length of the display.
The players
Meadows Field Airport
A public airport in Bakersfield, California, serving as the host site for the local history exhibit.
Citizens Preserving History
A Kern-based nonprofit founded to identify, rescue, and preserve historic places and stories in the local area.
Patti Doolittle
A local artist whose "Legends of the Bakersfield Sound" collection is the basis for the exhibit's reproductions.
The details
Patti Doolittle's "Legends of the Bakersfield Sound" artwork will be reproduced and displayed in the airport lobby as part of the partnership. Citizens Preserving History previously worked to preserve Merle Haggard's boyhood home, a precedent for its local preservation work.
Timeline
November 4, 2026, at 12:30 p.m.: formal unveiling of the portraits at Meadows Field Airport.
Historical Context
The exhibit follows the pattern of Citizens Preserving History's earlier work, including its effort to preserve Merle Haggard's boyhood home. Applying that model to the Bakersfield Sound art tradition moves local preservation beyond physical buildings into the region's musical and visual culture.
Travelers passing through Meadows Field Airport can view the reproductions in the lobby once the exhibit is installed. Residents get a free, accessible way to see Kern County music history without leaving town.
The takeaway
Local history can live in everyday public spaces, not only in museums and historic buildings. Visitors to the airport will encounter Bakersfield's musical heritage as part of their travel.
What happens next
The formal unveiling of the portraits takes place Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. at Meadows Field Airport.
Further reading
Explore more local stories in the Historical section of our Bakersfield coverage.
