Garland lovers gather for 35th annual festival celebrating Minn. native, “Wizard of Oz” star

Garland lovers gather for Minn. festival

MINNEAPOLIS — Get out your ruby red slippers, it’s time for Minnesota’s yearly Judy Garland Festival.

It’s the 35th annual festival celebrating Grand Rapids native and “Wizard of Oz” star Garland, who died in 1969. This year’s festival is being held in the Twin Cities and kicks off Thursday, which would have been her 88th birthday.

The festival includes a screening of Garland’s films “A Star is Born” and “Girl Crazy” at the Historic Heights Theatre in Columbia Heights, and a game of “Judy Jeopardy” at the Marquette Hotel in Minneapolis. There will be several appearances by Jerry Maren, who was a member of the Lollipop Guild in “The Wizard of Oz” and is the one of the last surviving munchkins.

The festival is sponsored by the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids.