Weeklong Festival to Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of The Wizard of Oz

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn., May 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- For the 39th consecutive year, the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minn., the birthplace of Judy Garland, is celebrating the entertainer and her timeless film, The Wizard of Oz, during its weeklong Wizard of Oz Festival, taking place June 10 – 15, 2014.

In recognition of the 75^th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz, this year's festival, formerly the Judy Garland Festival, includes a number of special events.

Kicking off the festival is the opening of a new "Land of Oz" exhibit at the Judy Garland Museum. The exhibit includes the carriage that heralded Dorothy and her friends into the Emerald City, an original Winkie Guard spear, and Dorothy's Adrian-designed 1938 pinafore test dress. It opens on Tuesday, June 10 at 10 am at the Judy Garland Museum, located at 2727 Highway 169 in Grand Rapids.

Festival organizers also hope to break the Guinness World Record for the most fully costumed Wizard of Oz characters in one place. The event takes place on Friday, June 13 at 5:30 pm on the Evergreen Terrace Lawn adjacent to the museum.

Additional festival events include a youth talent contest judged by Judy Garland's son, Joe Luft; presentations on the making of The Wizard of Oz by notable Wizard of Oz Historian John Fricke; the Emerald City Fest, including Horse of a Different Color Carriage rides; and more.

The Wizard of Oz Festival runs from Tuesday, June 10 through Sunday, June 15. All events take place in Grand Rapids, Minn., which is located three hours north of the Twin Cities and just one hour from Lake Superior to the east and the headwaters of the Mississippi River at Itasca State Park to the southwest. A complete calendar of events can be found by visiting judygarlandmuseum.com.

About the Judy Garland Museum
The Judy Garland Museum, founded in 1975, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the life and work of Judy Garland, born Frances Ethel Gumm. The museum offers educational exhibits, publications and special events, holds the world's largest collection of memorabilia honoring Judy Garland, and owns the restored home in which Garland spent her early years. To learn more about the Judy Garland Museum and the Wizard of Oz Festival, visit judygarlandmuseum.com.

SOURCE Judy Garland Museum