Wizards' Wonder Faire

Discover worlds of wonder at Princeton Public Library's Wizards & Wonder Faire on Saturday, August 16, from 5 to 9 p.m. Between 2005 and 2007, downtown Princeton, IL, hosted an amazing series of events (Festival 9 3/4), inspired by the world of J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, that combined small-town spirit, creativity and a love for reading. Princeton Public Library hopes to revive the spirit of Festival 9 3/4 with a new event drawing inspiration from additional authors and more books—in fact, celebrating the whole realm of magical or fantastic children’s literature, from Oz to Wonderland to Narnia. The event will feature vendors' and artisans' booths, children's activities, food stands, a fun-house provided by Nightmare on Fairgrounds Road, storytelling (by Mick Henneberry and Tricia Kelly) and "potions" demonstrations, and a music stage. One of the final events of the evening will be a drum circle led by Mick Henneberry.

In honor of the 75th anniversary of the release of the MGM film, Wizards & Wonder also will feature a Wizard of Oz sing-off competition at 6:30 p.m. Perform a favorite Oz-related song or dialogue from any Oz musical, e.g. The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz, or Wicked, or—here's a challenge—even Baum’s 1903 music hall adaptation! Singers must provide a karaoke CD or own instrumental accompaniment, and must sign up at the library, either in person, by calling 815-875-1331, ext. 2213, or e-mailing rmccutchan@princetonpl.org by 6:00 p.m. on Friday, August 15, 2014.

A few spots are still available for vendors. Contact the Princeton Public Library (815) 875-1331, ext 2213 or rmccutchan@princetonpl.org for more information.