There's No Place Like Home: Wizard of Oz Festival Returns to Chesterton, IN

Start: Saturday, May 14, 2022 10:00AM
End: Sunday, May 15, 2022 4:00PM

Over 40 years ago Chesterton, Indiana, hosted a spectacular weekend to celebrate The Wizard of Oz and for several decades became the nation’s largest Wizard of Oz Festival. And we are bringing that back. Now returning once again, the "OZsome" weekend promises to delight fans of all ages, indoors and out. The event will feature Joe Luft, the son of the legendary Judy Garland, Peter Mac as Judy and more, as Judy Garland's 100th Birthday is celebrated (Judy Garland was born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922 – June 22, 1969). Follow the Yellow Brick Road to a weekend that will present the amazing Wizard of Oz characters who will both perform and meet and greet fans for photo ops. Programs feature many favorite stars of the Oz community, such as Joe Luft (son of Judy Garland), Peter Mac as Judy, Joe Shipbaugh (Oz artist), James & Amanda Wallace (Oz Authors), over 15 munchkin actors from Oz, The Great & Powerful movie, Michael Roche (Oz Artist), Michael Siewert (Oz & Judy Garland Historian) Steven’s Puppets, Todd Rector (Oz Artist), Rick Ewigleben (Oz Artist), Michael Siewert (Oz & Judy Historian), Tim Wolak (Oz Artist) and more to be announced. Don’t miss your chance to meet the official Wizard of Oz characters: Dorothy and Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. Indoor events will take place in and around the Duneland Falls Banquet & Event Center, kicking off the weekend Friday, May 13, 2022 at 5pm with the sparkly Ruby Slipper Gala with a catered dinner, special Ozzy guests, a live Oz music concert, Oz in Chesterton retrospective, live Oz collectible auction and more. Live Entertainment, games, Oz collectibles, handmade crafts, food vendors, contests and more will be offered. On Saturday, May 14th, there will be a "Breakfast with the Wizard of Oz Characters" from 9am to 10am. Breakfast tickets are $12 per person, under age one, free. Ticket includes admission to the Wizard of Oz Days festivities. The Saturday afternoon "Celebration of the Munchkins" event will take place at 1:30 pm. The Ballroom will be transformed into Munchkin Land, complete with a sweet treats and chocolate fountain. The event will feature a presentation by Michael Siewert on Munchkin Margret Pellegrini (one of the Munchkins from the 1939 film; there were 124 munchkins in the movie). Until her death in 2013, she was one of the three surviving munchkins, the other two being Jerry Maren and Ruth Robinson Duccini. Pellegrini said she was 16 when “The Wizard of Oz” was filmed. She played one of the “sleepy head” kids and wore a flowerpot on her head in the movie. “There are two roads in life that you can take – the wrong road and the right road,” she said. “And remember, there really is no place like home.” Event Venue: Duneland Falls Banquet & Event Center, 1100 North Max Mochal Highway (SR 149)Chesterton, IN 46304 Dates: May 14 and 15, 2022 Hours: Saturday & Sunday 10am to 4pm Admission: $7.00, children under 2 free Web: https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays Email: wizardofozdays@gmail.com The reason why The Wizard of Oz is widely regarded as the first color movie is because of the effect it had on the industry. Dorothy's step into the land of Oz represented the evolution from "Old Hollywood," a sepia and monochromatic environment, into a new world full of lively color and happiness.