In celebration of Vegan MoFo, I’m doing a month of themed dinner party ideas! The theme of the first week is… The Wizard of Oz!
My best friend’s little girl, Allison, has recently become a big Wizard of Oz fan. She’s just a toddler, but somehow the Witch’s antics and flying monkeys don’t strike any fear into her pint-sized heart. She knows the movie so well that when she and her family arrived for the Wizard of Oz Apple Pickin’ Picnic, I was eager to play my childhood Wizard of Oz record album for her. The album has some of the lines from the movie and all of those iconic songs for which it’s loved. As soon as she heard the four or five opening notes of the prologue, a light glinted in her eyes and she said, “Wizard?”
I’ve got to work on my sign skills! Everyone thought my doorbell actually was broken.
When Over the Rainbow began, Allison exclaimed, “I can’t see! I can’t see!” I worried something had happened to her eyes when my friend lifted her little girl up to see the record player. My friend said, “See, there’s nothing to see. It’s just the music.” Of course, Allison had never experienced an album before! Those songs and words were supposed to come from a television screen! With every beat of the music, Allison told us the plot points. “Bonked head.” “Wicked Witch.” And so on and so forth.
I gave Allison and her sister the party favors I’d bought for them, paper pads and pens like one might expect the Lollipop Guild to use for writing.
With that, we set out for the orchard, hoping we wouldn’t find any haunted apple trees, angry with us for stealing their apples.
Once there, we set up a picnic table with all of the menu items I’ve written about earlier in the week and heart-shaped watermelon slices for dessert:
Wizard of Oz Party Menu
Drink: The Wicked Witch of the West Smoothie
Appetizer: Yellow Brick Road Polenta & Ruby Red Marinara
Main Course: Tin Woodman’s Tortilla Twigs
Salad: Scarecrow’s Corn & Black Bean Salad
Dessert: Heart-shaped Watermelon Slices
Every person who tried the Wicked Witch of the West Smoothie, made with kale, mango, and banana got to wear the Badge of Courage. Allison truly earned hers, going back for seconds!
After the lunch was done, we took a ride on a tractor around the orchard and bid goodbye to the Wizard of Oz party week! I’ll be back next week with a couple of new party theme ideas. Until then, if you could ask the Wizard for anything, what would it be?
I’ve really enjoyed this! And what an amazing party and lucky little girl. I can’t wait to see what you come up with next.
I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed it, Kelly! It’s always fun to share things that you love, and the Wizard of Oz is definitely one of those things for me.
allison is so cute! i love that everyone who drank the smoothie got a badge of courage. even more, i love how you brought this whole menu to life. i am so impressed and in awe of your creativity.
Wow, Caitlin! That’s so kind of you to say! Thank you! And I agree, Allison is ADORABLE! Plus, a little girl who knows it’s the Wizard of Oz from just one or two notes is totally after my own heart!
Anybody who didn’t enjoy this week of Wizard of Oz on your blog is a great big party pooper.
So cute!
Thank you, Gigi! You’re invited to a party at my place anytime!
I love seeing how you brought it all together (aside from the obvious Wizard of Oz theme) for one party! I really like the small touches, like the “lollipops” and badges. What a special and magical event for all involved!
Oh, that’s nice to hear! It was a really fun day. I always love our yearly trip to the apple orchard anyway, and this made it especially memorable.
At the moment, I can’t think of anyone who would be more fun to plan a party with than you. What a perfect ending to your party week!
Okay, the next time you’re in the midwest we have to team up to put a party together!
I love the way you put everything together in the form of an apple picking picnic- so creative. The whole week has been such a treat- I can’t wait to see what your next them is!
I really don’t know what I would ask the wizard for- there’s not anything I really want/need (besides ideals like an end to animal agriculture, world peace, etc.).
It sounds like you’re in a good place with everything you really want and need. If there really were a wizard who could end suffering for our animal & human friends, I’d be the first one running with you down the Yellow Brick Road!
I remember when CDs came on the scene and we all looked at our records and rolled our eyes. We recently got a record player, though, and enjoy scouring yard sales and thrift stores for our old favorites! Listening to a record is SUCH a different experience than listening to a CD or a playlist. Ryan got me a beautiful copy of the original Muppet Movie and I love to listen to it as I cook dinner. Now I’m going to have to keep my eyes open for The Wizard of Oz record. I’m completely inspired!
Yes! Aren’t record players wonderful? David got me one for my birthday this year. I’d wanted one for a long while. I got all of my childhood albums from my parents, and it’s such a blast from the past listening to the albums I played over and over again growing up. Like you said, it’s such a different experience than listening to a CD or playlist. Putting on a record, with its crackles and pops, and listening through from one song to the next is so relaxing. I so envy your Muppet Movie album!! I definitely need that one! I already have it on CD, but that would be a great one to play on vinyl.
What a fun theme! I’m looking forward to seeing what else you come up with.
Thanks, Laura! I’m really excited about all of the upcoming parties!
What fun! I’ve really enjoyed the Wizard of Oz theme, and I’m looking forward to next week. The heart-shaped watermelon was very clever.
I had a Wizard of Oz album when I was a kid and I listened to it so many times, it eventually wore out!
I would ask the wizard to convince all humans to go vegan!!
It’s so nice to see you back again, Rose! You’ve been missed! I can definitely see why you wore out your album. It’s a good one!
The picnic was so much fun! Thanks for treating us to such a fun, healthy and unique experience. The badges of courage are still being displayed proudly around our house! We’re looking forward to our 2013 apple orchard trip already
I love our yearly tradition! I’m not surprised the badges of courage are still on display. Once you brave a green smoothie, you don’t quickly forget! Especially if you’re Josh.
What a gorgeous spread of all the deliciousness from the week!
Thank you!!
HOW FUN!!! oh my gosh what a cute idea!!
It was really fun! It’s always good to make a reason to celebrate.
Oh my gosh, that is sooo cute! I totally remember watching the Wizard of Oz the first time. My mom made it so special by letting us kids eat in front of the tv in the living room like a picnic. Nothing as fancy as your party though…
Oh, what a sweet memory! I love that! It was always such a big deal when they’d show the Wizard of Oz on TV, because it only happened once a year. Nothing like nowadays when we can play it anytime we want.
Sounds like one amazing picnic!
i love the badge of courage. i go with Kristy. i dont really want anything in particular.. its a toss up between my eyes and balance getting all perfect and all the suffering disappearing.. both of those are not really going to happen by magic:)
Those sound like excellent and worthy wishes. If I ever get an audience with the wizard, I’ll put in a good word for you!
What a fantastic theme (and party!) idea! All throughout my childhood waited and waited each year for The Wizard of Oz to be shown on TV. Great memories.
Thank you! I’m glad you have warm memories about it too! I completely agree that it was such a thrill when the Wizard of Oz would come on just once a year. It was an event, not just a movie!
My grandmother had that SAME Wizard of Oz album – i recognize the cover! She also had it on 8 track.
Wow, what a coincidence! She must have been a big fan!