Frances, born at the local hospital in 1922, lived in a little white house with her parents and two older sisters. Her father owned the local theater, and she gave her first performance there when she was just two and a half years old. She wore a little white dress, and her big number was "Jingle Bells."
Frances and her family moved from Minnesota to California when she was only four years old, but the town of Grand Rapids, Minn., has never forgotten the little girl with the great big voice – the little girl who would become Judy Garland.
Each June, around the time of Judy’s birthday, Grand Rapids hosts the Judy Garland Festival. This year’s celebration is scheduled for June 14 through June 16, but Garland fans have reason to visit year round. The town is also home to the Judy Garland Birthplace Historic House and the Judy Garland Children’s Museum.
Past festival guests have included Mickey Rooney, actress June Allyson, Wicked Witch of the West Margaret Hamilton, Judy’s ex-husband Sid Luft, and their children, Lorna and Joe Luft. A group of original Munchkins also appears each year.
The 2001 festival schedule includes the following events:
Candlelight vigil: Fans will play their favorite Judy Garland songs and share thoughts about their favorite star.
Breakfast or lunch with the Munchkins: For $10, you can eat and mingle with six original Munchkins, including Lollipop Guild member Jerry Maren and Munchkin Coroner Meinhardt Raabe. They’ll also autograph photos.
Movies on the big screen: This year’s festival will feature, of course, a big-screen showing of The Wizard of Oz, as well as Judy’s final film for MGM, Summer Stock, which co-stars Gene Kelly and features the classic musical number "Get Happy".
Caren Marsh-Doll: Judy’s stand-in in The Wizard of Oz will share memories of working with the famous star. She’ll also teach line dancing to show tunes!
Exclusive screening of Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows: If you missed the miniseries when it aired on ABC last February, you can view it for free at the festival.
Collector’s exchange: Vendors from all over the country will sell Judy Garland and Wizard of Oz memorabilia.
Judy Garland house tours: Tour the little white house, fully restored to its 1925 appearance, where Judy Garland spent the first years of her life.
It seemed that Judy Garland never forgot her Minnesota roots. "It’s a swell state, Minnesota," she once said. "We had a lovely house ... we lived in a white house with a garden. Grand Rapids is surrounded by lakes. It’s a beautiful, beautiful town."
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