Judy Garland Festival 2024

Dates TBD, stay tuned.

Judy Grland Festival 2023 Events

Thursday, June 8th

~Themed Dress Up Day- Theme is Gingham/Wizard of Oz~


10:30am
- Special Access Guided Tour with John Kelsch at museum

  • Join 35-year Judy Garland authority with a guided tour of the museum gallery, house, and archives white glove experience. 

1:00 pm - Show and Tell at museum

  • bring your own favorite Judy story, memorabilia to share/show

3:00 pm - Easter Parade High Tea Party at Gilbert Mansion https://www.gilbertmansion.com/ 

  • Enjoy afternoon tea in the Gilbert Mansion of Grand Rapids. The Gilbert family spent time with Judy's entire family when the lived here. Dress in your best for this occasion, fancy hats welcomed! 

6:00pm - Welcome Reception at Rapids Brewing Company 

https://www.rapidsbrewingco.com/ 

  • Pianist, Josh Gallagher will perform a musical tribute to Judy Garland.
  • The evening will be emceed by world-renowned Judy expert and author, John Fricke. 
  • Enjoy light snacks and refreshments while sitting in the exact location of where Judy's first performance happened. Now Rapids Brewing Company, this is the site where Judy's parents "New Grand Theatre" was located. 

We highly recommend purchasing a museum membership. A daily admission ticket as well as a ticket to the event is required. 

Please note, all plans are subject to change

Friday, June 9th

~Themed Dress Up Day- Theme is Summer Stock~

 

9:am -Special Access Guided Tour with John Kelsch at museum

  • Join 35-year Judy Garland authority with a guided tour of the museum gallery, house, and archives white glove experience

10:30am - Joyride Bus Tour of Grand Rapids starting at museum

  • Enjoy a leisure bus tour through town highlighting the areas Judy's family spent time with stops at Gilbert House and Rapids Brewing basement, both places Judy's family spent time 

1:30pmC’mon Get Happy!

In conversation with the David Fantle and Tom Johnson, authors of a new book on the making of Summer Stock  coming out for purchase in Fall of 2023. Event takes place at museum. 

  • Get ready to see clips, rare photos, and insights from the making of "Summer Stock"

3:30pmPresentation of 60th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL!:

"JUDY AND HER GUESTS, PHIL SILVERS & ROBERT GOULET" -- THE ACCLAIMED 1963 CBS-TV SPECIAL

Preeminent Garland historian, best-selling author, Emmy Award-winning documentarian, and Grammy Award-nominated journalist JOHN FRICKE returns to Grand Rapids to emcee our festival weekend, as well as present a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the taping and telecast of one of Judy's most treasured television appearances. Aired just once, in March 1963, the production was a semi-pilot for her forthcoming TV series, with top-line guests: her friend of more than twenty years (and SUMMER STOCK costar) Phil Silvers, and the new Broadway (CAMELOT) luminary and recording artist Robert Goulet -- who'd recently worked with Judy on GAY PURR-EE and THE JACK PAAR PROGRAM. Scripted by Larry Gelbart (A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, M*A*S*H, TOOTSIE), musically supervised by Saul Chaplin (WEST SIDE STORY, THE SOUND OF MUSIC), and orchestrated and conducted by Mort Lindsey, the 1963 special features Judy-in-Concert (eight solos), In-Duet (multiple songs with Goulet), and a "Manhattan" routine with Silvers -- her first sketch comedy since the great radio routines with Crosby, Hope, Sinatra, et al years earlier. PLUS . . . John will be on-site at the festival from Thursday through Sunday morning breakfast, happy and ready to "talk Judy" with any and all attendees!

6pm – “BARGO” at Klockow Brewing

https://klockowbrewing.com/

  • Join fans for Judy Bingo at another local establishment
  • They have a stage, so maybe you can get up and belt some Judy songs for all to enjoy! 

We highly recommend purchasing a museum membership. A daily admission ticket as well as a ticket to the event is required. 

Please note, all plans are subject to change

Food trucks  on site from 11am till 6pm or so

Saturday, June 10th

~Themed Dress Up Day- Theme is Ruby Slippers/ Hollywood Glam~

9am -Special Access Guided Tour with John Kelsch at museum

  • Join 35-year Judy Garland authority with a guided tour of the museum gallery, house, and archives white glove experience

10:30amHollywood's Musical Heyday!

  • They sang and danced their way into the nation’s heart. Join celebrity authors and film historians David Fantle and Tom Johnson as they take us all down memory lane with stories of their 45-year career interviewing legendary Golden Age musical stars including Fred Astaire, Gene
    Kelly, Ann Miller, Mickey Rooney, Leslie Caron, The Nicholas Brothers and more.

12:30pm - Jennifer Grimm Sings Judy Garland in Judy's House

  • You won't want to miss this intimate private performance with Jennifer Grimm in the Judy Garland childhood home. 
  • Enjoy light snacks and refreshments while this sensation belts out Judy songs for a small group of people to enjoy.
  • Member discount not applicable to this activity. 

2pm – Judy Jeopardy with Joe Malinovsky and Paul Herrick at museum

  • Test your Judy knowledge with a fun interactive game of Judy Jeopardy.

3:30pm – Judy show and tell continued at museum.

  • Bring your favorite Judy item, memorabilia, story, or words to share with others to enjoy

5pm – Open mic night at museum

  • Celebrate on our newly purchased 0.6 acre lot next to the Judy Garland childhood home! 
  • Celebrate Judy, by sharing your performance art with us. Judy songs welcome but not required, we want to celebrate music as a whole! 
  • Food trucks and beer tent on site for convenience.

6pm - Jennifer Grimm Sings Judy Garland in Judy's House

  • You won't want to miss this intimate private performance with Jennifer Grimm in the Judy Garland childhood home. 
  • Enjoy light snacks and refreshments while this sensation belts out Judy songs for a small group of people to enjoy. 
  • Member discount not applicable to this activity. 

8pm – tentative FREE outdoor showing of "The Wizard of Oz" at Pokegama Dam (34385 U.S. HWY 2, Grand Rapids MN 55744)

We highly recommend purchasing a museum membership. A daily admission ticket as well as a ticket to the event is required. 

Please note, all plans are subject to change

Food trucks  and Klockow Brewing will be on site from 11am till food and beverages are sold out! 

Sunday, June 11th

9am - Final goodbyes at Judy Garland Museum

  • Coffee, juice, muffins, and fruit

Judy movies showing all day long at museum

Become A Member

Membership Benefits

  • Unlimited annual admission
  • 15% Discount on purchases at the museum store
  • 15% Discount on birthday party rental space
  • 15% Discount on certain event tickets
  • Volunteer opportunities
  • Gift memberships are always a nice surprise for family & friends!

Please Note

We highly recommend purchasing a Judy Garland Museum Membership. Members receive unlimited general admission to the museum as well as 15% off all event tickets and gift store purchases. Once membership is purchased online, a promotional code will be emailed to you so you can receive the discount on events for festival. If you are already a member, please email or call to receive code. 

email:   info@judygarlandmuseum.com

phone:  218-327-7926

A general admission ticket ($12/adult) will be required each day of the festival and needed to attend each activity. We are not offering online pre-registration for admission passes. These can be purchased at the front desk upon arrival. Each visitor and JGM member will receive a colored wristband to ensure general admission ticket is paid for and then people can come and go as needed throughout the entire day with these wristbands. 

Accommodations in our community fill up fast this time of year. Be sure to arrange accommodations soon! Visit Grand Rapids, Minnesota

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hollywood hey day
FantleJohnson1

David Fantle, mostly in collaboration with Tom Johnson, has been interviewing, writing and speaking about Hollywood's Golden Age stars for 40 years where their work has appeared in media outlets throughout the world. Fantle’s career also includes more than three decades working as an award-winning marketing and public relations professional, including a tenure as Deputy Tourism Secretary for Wisconsin. He resides in Milwaukee, Wis. and is an adjunct professor in film at Marquette University.

 

Tom Johnson began his collaboration with David Fantle in 1978 as a student journalist at the University of Minnesota by co-writing an award-winning arts and entertainment column for the “Minnesota Daily” called “Entertainment Ltd.” Johnson was a senior editor at Netflix and has written movie reviews and features for E! Online, Moviefone and People magazine, among other publications. Johnson's entertainment writing has been recognized with a Minnesota Newspaper Association achievement award and a National Hearst Foundation award for news writing.

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John Fricke

John Fricke is a respected pop culture historian of film and stage musicals and their creative participants. More specifically, he is widely regarded as the world's preeminent Wizard of Oz and Judy Garland author, authority, and lecturer.  As a Preeminent Garland historian, best-selling author, Emmy Award-winning documentarian, and Grammy Award-nominated journalist JOHN FRICKE returns to Grand Rapids to emcee our 2023 festival weekend; John will be on-site at the festival from Thursday through Sunday morning breakfast. He will present on Friday June 9th. He is an avid museum cheerleader and always makes time to talk about Judy Garland to those he meets! You won't want to miss you chance to meet John Fricke!

Celebrate Judy Garland With Open Mic Night

What better way to celebrate Judy Garland, up on stage for Open Mic Night. A great place for everyone to participate in good music, food, and beverages. You never know who will get up on that stage and sing their hearts out! We like to keep it open, but if you want to get on a list, sign up here!

Sponsors

Paul and Joan Herrick

 

Past Events

Beyond the Lions, And Tigers, And Bears, Oh My!

Judy Garland 100th Birthday Celebration June 9th-12th, 2022

Thanks to all who came out to celebrate the extraordinary life of Judy Garland on the 100th Anniversary of her birthday as we remembered and honored the Grand Rapids, Minnesota gem. Your participation and support are greatly appreciated by the Judy Garland Museum®. If you couldn’t make it this time, we look forward to seeing you at our next event!

The celebration hosted events for all ages including movie showings, meet and greets, special access guided tours, a 5k, and Judy’s 100th Birthday Fundraising Dinner, and a FREE outdoor showing of the "The Wizard of Oz" on a huge jumbo screen.

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The Judy Garland Festival June 20-22, 2019

To kickoff the 2019 Judy Garland Festival we showed Judy’s first talk show appearance from December 1962. John Fricke presented the film clips and anecdotes he created for the 2014 Turner Classic Movies Festival in Los Angeles. It's a motion picture history of Judy from childhood to maturity, in glimpses of her work with everyone from Fanny Brice and Mickey Rooney to Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, and Maximilian Schell. John Fricke presents backstage and behind-the-scenes memories from Judy's concert era, as written by the fans, friends, and strangers with whom she met and mingled across those years. Plus: recollections from those who have offered remembrances or thoughts about her across these past five decades

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Wizard of Oz Festival 2018

A cast of adults and children took the audience back to the time the Gumm family (Judy Garland's family) lived in the little white house in Grand Rapids. The songs they sang and stories about what happened while they lived here.

Embark on the unique items related to Judy Garland that have never been seen by the public. During the last twenty-three years, the Judy Garland Museum has received some lovely and unusual items related to Judy and her family history. Hear the stories behind them, as only museum director John Kelsch can tell.

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Wizard of Oz Festival 2017

Perfect for the whole family! Historian/documentarian John Fricke entertains with behind-the-scenes stories and video about the making of The Wizard of Oz. Learn how some of the special effects were accomplished–decades before the existence of computer imaging! Hear about the bloopers that crept into the finished film, so that you can watch for them in Friday night’s free screening.

John Fricke is regarded as the preeminent Judy Garland and MGM Wizard of Oz historian and has written seven books on these topics. He’s the recipient of Emmy Awards as co-producer of the PBS American Masters and A&E Biography Garland documentaries, and a Grammy Award nominee for his liner notes on the Capitol CD, Judy Garland: 25th Anniversary Retrospective. John has appeared as a programmer and co-host on the Turner Classic Movies network and at their Los Angeles Film Festival. In addition, he’s been interviewed on The Today Show, CNN, Entertainment Tonight, The Joan Rivers Show, National Public Radio, and Sirius Satellite Radio, and has become a regular at the Judy Garland/Wizard of Oz Festival. We are happy to welcome him back this year.

world record of most people dressed up as the wizard of oz

The Wizard of OZ Festival of 2014

The Wizard of OZ Festival of 2014 corralled in 1,093 people dressed in their best Wizard of Oz costumes and gave them the claim to the Guinness World Record