'Wizard of Oz' festival returns to 'Wizard of Oz' theme park

Beech Mountain, NC — Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion aren't in Kansas any more. That's because they're all headed to North Carolina.

With ruby red slippers in tow, join fans of the classic "Wizard of Oz" film from all over the world at the Land of Oz for the annual Autumn at Oz festival.

The Land of Oz originally opened in 1970 as a theme park in Beech Mountain. The hope was to make the area a year-round vacation destination. It was open for 10 years before closing. Today, it's privately owned and operates a few movie-related celebrations each year.

Visitors can follow along with Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion as they travel down the yellow brick road to the magical Land of Oz. Sept. 6-8 and Sept. 13-15.

This year's celebration is extra special as the Land of Oz commemorates the 80^th anniversary of the film with dazzling exhibits, vendors and memorabilia.

Cox Media Group