If your kids have seen Wicked recently and the Oz obsession is still going strong in your household — we have somewhere you need to be this weekend.
The 49th Annual Oz-Stravaganza! takes over the Village of Chittenango — the birthplace of L. Frank Baum, the author who gave the world The Wonderful Wizard of Oz — from Friday, June 5 through Sunday, June 7, 2026. And yes, the streets really do have yellow brick sidewalks. This place commits.
Here’s the full breakdown:
Friday, June 5 — The park opens at 3 p.m. with rides, games, food, vendors, and Oz memorabilia. The All Things Oz Museum opens at 10 a.m. with hourly guided tours — admission is $12 per person, and children 10 and under are free. The Wizard’s Wonderful Silent Auction begins at 3 p.m., and autograph sessions with Special Oz Guests — including Hugh Gross, writer and director of “After the Wizard,” and Oz historian John Fricke — run from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Saturday, June 6 — The big day. Start with a pancake breakfast at First Presbyterian Church from 7:30 a.m. to noon. Then at 10 a.m.: the Munchkin Mile Fun Run and Toto’s Toddler Trot kick off at the Chittenango Fire Department — Toto’s Toddler Trot is a quarter-mile for ages 4 and under, and the Munchkin Mile is for kids 12 and under. Pre-registration is $12; day-of is $15. Free t-shirts for the first 100 entries.
At 11:45 a.m.: the Costume Contest — open to all ages, no pre-registration required. Dress as Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Wicked Witch, Glinda, or any Oz character your heart desires. Judging starts at 12:15 p.m. on the Main Stage, with awards in multiple categories.
And at 2 p.m.: the Oz-Stravaganza! Parade rolls down Genesee Street with Ozzie floats, animals, marching units, and Special Guests. This year’s Grand Marshal is Marissa Bode, who played Nessarose in Wicked. Streets into the village close at 1 p.m., so plan to be parked and settled before then.
Sunday, June 7 — A quieter close with the park open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Coloring Contest Awards at 11 a.m., Royal Historian of Oz Writing Contest Awards at noon, and the Grand Finale at 4 p.m. — a traditional send-off for Special Guests on the Main Stage.
🧒 Kid tips: The Costume Contest is the highlight for kids — the energy on that Main Stage when the Dorothys and Wicked Witches line up is genuinely magical. Come dressed. Also: the All Things Oz Museum is legitimately fascinating for kids who’ve seen the movie — original film artifacts, rare memorabilia, and hourly tours that hold attention better than you’d expect.
Chittenango is about a half hour from Syracuse, an hour and a half from Ithaca, and less than 30 minutes from Oneida. Full schedule at oz-stravaganza.com. 🌈
