All the folks at the Yellow Brick Road Gift Shop & Oz Fantasy Museum, along with Auntie Em and Uncle Henry, have announced the final plans for the 2005 Munchkinland Market Days festival.

The three-day event includes the debut of an Oz figurine and two Judy Garland CDs as well as celebrity personal appearances, autograph parties, home baked pies, art and craft booths, kids games, a clown, a magic show, fund raising for charities and “Picture Yourself in Oz.” Munchkinland Market Days, produced by The Yellow Brick Road and sponsored by Coca-Cola, Hilton Garden Inn, Jewel-Osco and the Porter County Republican Party, is held in conjunction with the Lakeshore Festival & Events‚ 24th annual Wizard of Oz Festival. The two events are Sept. 16, 17 & 18, 2005.

Meinhardt Raabe became world renowned as The Munchkin Coroner opposite Garland in MGM’s 1939 classic film, “The Wizard of Oz.” He will appear at Munchkinland Market Days to autograph copies of his new book, “Memories of a Munchkin.” Margaret Pellegrini also became famous as the Munchkin Townslady in the film who wore a flowerpot on her head as a hat. Pellegrini will autograph a newly commissioned figurine depicting her as she appeared in the film. Michael Roche, creator of the figurine will also be on hand to sign the figurine. Emmy Award winning producer and author John Fricke will autograph two recently released CDs that he helped produce “Classic Ballads from the Judy Garland Show” and “Judy Garland & Friends: Duets.”

Caren Marsh Doll served as Garland’s stand-in for the film. She starred in many musicals and westerns, including “Nevada Kid,” and will be autographing copies of her autobiography, “Hollywood’s Child: Dancing Through Oz.”

Other celebrities appearing at Munchkinland Market Days include artist Tim Wolak, poster artist Rick Ewigleben, curator Michael Siewert, Spitunia the Clown, Mark the Magician and the 2005 Indiana State Festivals Queen Amy Fread.

Pellegrini will be appearing at a Friday afternoon autograph party from 1:30 to 4 p.m. on the grounds of The Yellow Brick Road. Raabe, Marsh-Doll, Fricke, Ewigleben, Siewert, Wolak and Fread will be autographing all three days from 2 to 4 p.m. Wolak will be on hand all three days with his Picture Yourself in Oz life-size Oz panorama. There is a nominal charge to be photographed in the panorama. Life-size characters are set before a hand-painted backdrop of Munchkinland. Wolak will sign autographs at no charge.

The Duneland Working Women will again host Auntie Em’s Pie Booth. The women will sell slices of homemade pie along with coffee and Coca-Cola to benefit their scholarship fund. The Burns Harbor Lions Club will sponsor an Oz game booth where every child wins a prize with the proceeds benefiting the local Lions organization. The Duneland YMCA will benefit from a souvenir program book. The book will be distributed in exchange for donations. The entire proceeds go to the Duneland YMCA because The Yellow Brick Road and Coca-Cola underwrite the book along with help from businesses and organizations who purchased ads in the book.

Spitunia the Clown, Mark the Magician and caricature artist Chuck Bonnet, will provide additional entertainment. Visitors are encouraged to stroll through the art, craft and commercial booths and everyone is welcome to take photographs. There is no admission charge for Munchkinland Market Days.

The Yellow Brick Road is at St. Rt. 49 and the Indiana Toll Road, two miles south of Chesterton. Because of the limited amount of parking space at The Yellow Brick Road, it is recommended to take the shuttle provided by The Oz Festival Committee to Munchkinland Market Days. Park either in the Indiana Toll Road lot near the Yellow Brick Road. It operates every half-hour Saturday and Sunday.

The Yellow Brick Road Gift Shop may be contacted at 109 E. Yellow Brick Road (950 North), Chesterton, IN 46304 or at www.yellowbrickroadonline.com

 or by phone at 926-7048.

Posted 9/15/2005