Oz-Stravaganza! kicks off Friday

The 41st annual event will feature celebrity guests, costume contests, a parade and more.

CHITTENANGO, N.Y. » The 41st annual OZ-Stravaganza! runs from Friday, June 1 through Sunday, June 3 throughout the village of Chittenango.

Oz Park will be open from 1-9 p.m. on Friday, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The hours for the All Things Oz Museum & Gift Shop are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Special guests include Stephen Schwartz, composer/lyricist of “Wicked;” Broadway stars of “Wicked,” Tiffany Haas (“Glinda”) and Michael McCorry Rose (“Fiyero”); L. Frank Baum’s great-granddaughter Gita Dorothy Morena, author of “The Wisdom of Oz;” Broadway composer, orchestrator, and symphonic arranger Steve Margoshes, who wrote the songs for “Fame – The Musical,” and who is now penning Oz-related material; costume designer Shawn Ryan, who will premiere his wardrobe recreations heralding “Wicked,” “The Wiz,” the original 1902-1903 “Wizard of Oz” stage musical, and the more recent Andrew Lloyd-Webber incarnation of Baum’s story;

and Gabriel Gale, conceptualizer and coauthor of the new book trilogy for children and young adults, “Ages of Oz.”

Emmy Award-winning producer, best-selling author, and Oz historian John Fricke will also attend.

The following is a brief list of events. For a full schedule, visit www.ozstravaganza.com.

Friday, June 1

•1 p.m. - Oz-Stravaganza! Park open

•3 p.m. - Wizard’s Wonderful Silent Auction at OzStravaganza! Park

•4 p.m. - Amusement park rides open at Oz-Stravaganza! Park

•6 p.m. - Friday Night OZ Program at First Presbyterian Church

•9:30 p.m. - Fireworks

Saturday, June 2

•10 a.m. - Oz- Strava- ganza! Park open

•10 a.m. - MunchkinMile Kid’s Fun Run and Toto’s Toddler Trot at the Chittenango Fire Department

•10:30 a.m. - Wizard’s Wonderful Silent Auction at Oz-Stravaganza! Park

•11:45 a.m. - Costume contest at Stickles Park

•Noon - Amusement park rides open at Oz-Stravaganza! Park

•2 p.m. - Oz-Stravaganza! parade

•6:30 p.m. - Saturday Night OZ Program at First Presbyterian Church

Sunday, June 3

•10 a.m. - Oz- Stravaganza! Park open

•11 a.m. - Coloring contest awards at Oz-Stravaganza! Park

•Noon - Royal Historian of Oz writing contest awards at Oz-Stravaganza! Park

•Noon - Amusement park rides open at Oz-Stravaganza! Park

•3:30 p.m. - Grand finale at the First Presbyterian Church

LEAH MCDONALD - ONEIDA DAILY DISPATCH The annual Oz-Stravaganza Parade in Chittenango on Saturday, June 4, 2016. This year’s parade will be Saturday, June 2, at 2p.m.