Follow the Yellow Brick Road to Beech
Autumn at Oz welcomes ‘Wizard of Oz’ fans of all ages to the old Land of Oz theme park in Beech Mountain Oct. 6-7.
Enjoy a nostalgic stroll down the Yellow Brick Road this
fall during Beech Mountain’s 19th annual Autumn at Oz weekend.
The event takes place
Oct. 6 and 7 and celebrates the old Land of Oz theme park, which operated from 1970 to 1980 high
atop Beech Mountain.
Autumn at Oz has grown from a one-day reunion of park employees to two
days of fun that attract thousands from near and far.
Attendees ride the ski chairlift or
take a motor coach to the mountaintop to meet Dorothy, visit a small Oz museum, tour Dorothy’s house
and experience a one-of-a-kind stroll on a Yellow Brick Road comprised of 44,000
bricks.
Along the way, there are visits with the Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, Professor
Marvel, Glinda the Good Witch, Auntie Em, Uncle Henry and the Great and Powerful
Wizard.
“The elevation at the top of the mountain provides a setting unlike any other,”
event coordinator Cindy Keller said. “We have huge boulders, ancient trees and giant ferns. It
really is an enchanted forest. Each year, we probably see a thousand little Dorothys. They
come in all sizes and shapes. It’s pretty much guaranteed to put a smile on your face.”
The
festivities also include live music, games, food vendors and crafts vendors. Many of these
activities, along with parking, will be available this year at Beech Mountain Resort, which will
serve as base camp for Autumn at Oz.Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite Oz
character.
Autumn at Oz has multiple sessions each day, beginning at 9:30 a.m. and running
through 5:30 p.m. Tickets, which usually sell out, are $20 and available online.
Children
age 2 and younger are admitted free, and the property is not wheelchair accessible or
accommodating to large strollers.
For tickets or more information, visit http://www.autumnatoz.com/ or call (800) 468-5506.
Directions
From Boone: Follow N.C. 105 south for 15 miles and then turn right onto N.C. 184. Follow N.C. 184 to Banner Elk and then turn left onto N.C. 194/184. N.C. 184 will veer to the right and become South Beech Mountain Parkway. Follow N.C. 184/Beech Mountain Parkway into town.
Parking
Visitor will park in the Beech Mountain Resort (Ski Beech) parking lots located 1.2 miles down Beech Mountain Parkway from the Beech Mountain Town Hall and Visitor Center.
