Forget Germany. We鈥檙e off to see Oztoberfest in Kansas
True, there鈥檚 no place like home. But for fans of 鈥�The Wizard of Oz,鈥� there鈥檚 no place like Wamego, Kan. While some Kansans cringe at their state鈥檚 association with the cultural phenomenon, this small bedroom community (population 4,312) has embraced the legacy of 鈥淭he Wizard of Oz鈥� wholeheartedly.
In 2003, the Oz Museum opened in a downtown storefront on Lincoln Avenue, Wamego鈥檚 main commercial street. Some 20,000 visitors per year pull off Interstate 70 to see one of the most comprehensive exhibits of Oz memorabilia. The success of the museum has spawned all manner of Oz-related commerce 鈥� the Poppyfield Gallery, JavOZo鈥檚 (a coffee shop), Scissors of Ahhhhz (a hair salon), even a Mexican restaurant called Toto鈥檚 Tacoz (try the Yellow Brick Burro鈥檇).
The first weekend in October, Wamego will host the fifth annual Oztoberfest. Several thousand visitors are expected at the two-day street fair, highlights of which will include hot-air balloon rides, a display of gowns worn by Judy Garland, an appearance by four of the actors who played Munchkins in the classic 1939 MGM movie, and the annual stage musical production of 鈥淭he Wizard of Oz鈥� at the historic Columbian Theatre.
In conjunction with the this year鈥檚 70th anniversary of the movie, the International Wizard of Oz Club will conduct its annual convention in Wamego and neighboring Manhattan, Kan. 鈥淩ecreating Oz,鈥� a symposium sponsored by the English department of Kansas State University, promises to lend a dash of scholarly zest to the fun.
