The 31st annual Oz-Stravaganza!, honoring L. Frank Baum, author of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" and celebrating the 1939 classic movie "The Wizard of Oz", will be held June 5th-7th in Chittenango, NY. Baum was born in Chittenango May 15, 1856, where his family owned and operated a barrel factory. The Munchkins will be the Grand Marshals and the theme of this years celebration is "70 Years of Movie Magic - 100 Years Along the Road to Oz".
The event kicks off Friday, June 5th with the Emerald City Golf Classic with Munchkin Jerry Maren sponsored by Crossroads Community Church. For golf information contact Nick Staffiero at 315 687-7068. At 4pm Friday the spaghetti dinner with the Munchkins begins and will run until 7pm at Chittenango High School, 150 Genesee St., Chittenango. Also at the high school Friday evening there is a free Oz program in the Auditorium at 7pm. Munchkin autographs are available( $5 each) from 4pm-7pm, and the United States Postal Service will be available from 4:30pm-7pm offering a special one day only Oz cancellation of Chittenango's premier Baum historian, Clara Houck. Amusement rides will open at 5pm in Oz-Stravaganza! Park in Downtown Chittenango. At 7:30pm there will be tethered hot air balloon rides followed by fireworks at 9:30pm in Community Recognition Park, Legion Dr.! , Chittenango.
Events begin early on Saturday June 6th with a hot air balloon launch from the entrance of Sullivan Park, Lake St, Chittenango at 5:30am. Reservations are necessary for hot air balloon rides. Call Dwight Cramer for reservations at: 315 495 6544. At 7am an all you can eat breakfast begins at the First Presbyterian Church, which is located at Oz-Stravaganza! Park. Registration for the Munchkin Mile Fun Run begins at 10am at the Chittenango Fire Barn on Genesee St with the run beginning at 11am. To pre-register for the run call: 315 687 7115. At 10am the crafter/vendor show opens and it will run until dark. Amusement rides also begin at 10am and will run until 10pm. Other events in the park include a petting zoo, games, childrens fingerprinting, a Oz history exhibit, a wide variety of food, and entertaiment all day on stage. A chicken barbeque will be available beginning at noon at the Chittenango United Methodist Churh, 205 Falls Blvd.The US Postal Service will offer a sec! ond one day only Oz cancellation, "70 Years of Movie Magic" in Oz-Stravaganza! Park from 12:30pm-5pm.The grand Oz parade kicks off Saturday at 2pm in Downtown Chittenango and offers Ozzy floats, many marching bands, animals, Munchkins, and more. Prior to the parade Oz costume judging will take place in the Library parking lot at the intersection of Routes 5 and 13 at 12:15pm. Children in Oz costumes are invited to march in the parade following costume judging. Saturday evening beginning at 6pm another free Oz program begins at Chittenango High School. A second hot air balloon lauch will take place from the entrance to Sullivan Park at: 6:30pm. The Munchkins and other guests of Oz will be available for autographs in the park from 3:30pm-6:00pm.
Sunday June 7th starts again with a hot air balloon launch from Sullivan Park at 5:30am and the day closes with a final balloon launch at 6:30pm
The public is invited to watch all balloon lift offs, but reservations are necessay for rides. All hot air balloon activities are weather permitting. A brunch with the Munchkins will take place at Delphia Restaurant, 236 Genesee St from 9am-noon on Sunday.The vendors/crafters, petting zoo, Oz history exhibit, games, and food all open at 10am Sunday and run through 5pm. Munchkin autographs will be available from from 12;30pm - 3:00pm. At noon Sunday the finals of the Emerald City Idol singing competition begin on the stage in Oz-Stravaganza! park. Following the Idol finals at 4pm the Oz-Stravaganza! grand finale will begin.
There will be a continuous free shuttle operating Saturday 10am-6:30pm and Sunday 10am-5:30 from the free parking area at Community Recognition Park, Legion Dr. through the village and to Chittenango High school where free parking will also be available. All day Saturday and Sunday the Greater Sullivan Chamber of Commerce will run an Oz-Stravaganza! information booth where special Oz label water, official Oz programs, 50/50 tickets, and a variety of other information will be available.
Further Oz-Stravaganza! information can be found at: www.oz-stravaganza.com and www.chittenango.org , by email at: ozstravaganza@yahoo.com , or by calling 315 430-0765 or 315 415-8546.
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