Feb. 7-Sept. 13: Ozily Yours: L. Frank Baum in Coronado. Follow the Yellow Brick Road to learn about the life of L. Frank Baum in Coronado and his writings. In this exhibit, visitors will learn about this renaissance gentleman, his creativity and his generosity. The Coronado Historical Association and Museum of History and Art, 1100 Orange Ave., Coronado, 619-435-7242, open Mon-Sat 9-5, Sun 10-5.
May 22-June 28: The Wizard of Oz: According to Graham Rawle. Explore the imagination of acclaimed British artist and author Graham Rawle in this dazzling exhibition inspired by his vividly re-imagined retelling of Baum's original classic. Large scale illustrations of his handcrafted miniature sets, carved sculptures, found objects and other unusual materials are presented for the first time anywhere. Rawle will greet visitors in person Friday, May 22 from 6-9 p.m. MCAD Gallery, Minneapolis College of Art and Design.
Visit www.mcad.edu/oz for a gallery of some of the images featured in the exhibition, along with a link to Rawle's web site and a specially animated short film that brings the book's characters to life.
June 13-Dec. 9: “70 Years of Yellow Bricks and Emerald Cities” Geppi Entertainment Museum in Baltimore, Md. This Oz exhibit covers the film, books, and merchandising of Oz.
June 25-27: Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minn. Honor the actress in her home town.
July 10-12, 2009: The International Wizard of Oz Club’s 45th Winkie Convention. Asilomar Conference Center, Pacific Grove, Calif. Highlights Program celebrates the centennial of Baum’s 1901 fairytale The Road to Oz with a close look at the story and its extraordinary illustrations. See a 10-minute ballet based on its early chapter. Additional presenters include Eric Shanower, Michael O. Riley and Virginia Hawthorn. Collectors will explore Oz as an investment and have a round table show-and-tell. Costume contest, trivia game, fundraising auction, sales tables and much more. Downloadable registration forms are available.
July 31-Aug. 2, 2009: The International Wizard of Oz Club’s Munchkin Convention Syracuse/Mattydale, NY. The East Coast’s big Oz Club event has not merely returned, it’s really most sincerely returned! This Munchkin Convention will pay tribute to the MGM film’s 70th anniversary with presentations and celebrity guests. Organized this year by Kathy Di Scenna.
Registration form (page 1) & (page 2)
October 2-4, 2009: The International Wizard of Oz Club’s National Convention, Manhatten and Wamego, Kans. Working in conjunction with Kansas State University’s Program in Children’s Literature and the Oz Museum’s annual Oztoberfest, featured speakers will be Skottie Young and Eric Shanower, creators of the new Marvel Comic Wizard of Oz; Grant Hayter-Menzies, author of Mrs. Ziegfeld: The Public and Private Lives of Billie Burke; Professor Mark West, editor of Before Oz: Juvenile Fantasy Stories from Nineteenth-Century America. K-State’s call for papers and Oztoberfest’s roster of presenters further strengthen the program. We’ll honor the 70th anniversary of the MGM film, tour the Oz Museum with the surviving Munchkins, enjoy a tribute to the delightfully wicked Margaret Hamilton and spend Sunday attending Oztoberfest. (If interested, buy 4 o’clock matinee tickets to the live performance of The Wizard of Oz separately at www.columbiantheatre.com.) IWOC flier and registration information is available here.