I was with my regular, long time exploring buddy who kept making references to things like ‘The Wiz’ and ‘Wicked’ and ‘Return to Oz’ and he kept giving me glances of disbelief every time I had a blank look. To be perfectly honest, the whole thing was oddly surreal. Authors doing book signings, a small carnival, guest speakers, munchkins related to Oz actors, documentary filmmakers and even distant relatives of Frank Baum all show up to mingle with an estimated 20,000 visitors over the course of the three day commemoration. A dress so highly valued in fact, that it warranted a live security officer standing guard that single dress the entire time it was on display for the weekend.Īlso while I was in Chittenango, the Oz-Stravaganza 2015 Oz-themed weekend festival was just kicking off. While I was visiting, there was even a costume on display from the musical ‘Wicked’. On display inside the museum you can view old chatskis, collectibles, memorabilia and even costumes from nearly each of the Wizard of Oz stories and spin-offs. A former storefront has been converted to part gift shop, part museum and part Mecca for Oz-realites–I have no idea if that’s what they call themselves but it sounded fun at the time I wrote this.

Right in downtown Chittenango you’ll discover the All Things Oz Museum.

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