Ruby Slippers Descend on New Rochelle for Contest, Screening

The Library Green was transformed into the Emerald City Thursday as the screened the family classic The Wizard of Oz.

The event sponsored by and the Downtown New Rochelle Business Improvement District was preceded by the first-ever Wizard of Oz costume contest prepared by Barbara Davis and members of the library staff. 

Davis hoped the event would ease the community’s time spent idly waiting for the film to start. She also wanted the diverse group of people who show up to the annual event to get a little homegrown entertainment by letting the imaginations of children run wild.

“This the most democratic spot in the community and what a better place to have a costume event than in a place with so many families,” she said.

Zara Marsan of New Rochelle was the first contestant to arrive. The 6-year-old was sporting the silver crown and slippers of Glinda the Good Witch made by her mother Stella Marsan.

“I chose her because she is pretty, cute and very cheerful,“ said Zara Marsan. Her mother told the New Rochelle Patch that her daughter has seen the movie countless times.

“Every year we come to the movie. This year we heard about the contest and I fixed the dress that I made so she could wear it,” said Stella Marsan proudly.

Zara Marsan would have her hands full as the other contestants arrived dressed as the titular character of Dorothy Gale.

Cristal Lacayo of Yonkers came with Toto-style bag and ruby slippers to boot. The 9-year-old came to the event with friend and New Rochelle resident Barbara Bather, who had her hands full yesterday trying to find ruby slippers.

“It is really hard to find ruby slippers in August,” said Bather, adding “they are available in droves in October. We had to go to 11 places before we found these.”

Lacayo has seen multiple interpretations of L. Frank Baum novels, including Michael Jackson’s The Wiz.

“I like the movie and what it shows. But I dressed like Dorothy because I’m adorable,” said Lacayo.

Another youngster—Gianna Schiavone—came with a little basket stuffed with a small dog. Her mother Lauren Schiavone of New Rochelle enjoyed that her daughter was so happy to compete.

“It just goes to show you that the movie is still relevant and she loves it as much as we did,” said Lauren Schiavone.

Carme Sanz walked over from her home at the Avalon with her mother Carmen Munoz to compete. The family is still new in New Rochelle, having moved from Spain four years ago.  

Carme spends a lot of time in the library enjoying its programs but when she heard about the contest she opened her closet and took out her Dorothy costume.

“She’s my favorite and we have the same color hair,” said Sanz, holding up one of her braids.

Her mother loves the idea and hopes that people take advantage of the space. 

“We live across the street so it is easy to get to. But this lets us enjoy the city and the summer,” Munoz said. “It is always so busy in the winter but events like this lets us enjoy our neighbors and breathes life into the city.”

That kind of comment brought a smile to the face of Ralph DiBart, the executive director of the BID.

“We have always had movies as a celebration of the community. The Wizard of Oz is a family classic and it is great that it is being screened in a classic downtown area like New Rochelle,” said DiBart.

DiBart and Davis also arranged for prizes to come from local downtown businesses. The crowd had a chance to win prizes from and Merry Go Round Toy Store.

The children participating in the event all got prizes inspired by the film and donated by local businesses.

As the sun fell and the contest ended, the projector roared to life and the crowd hushed to spend a night of wonder under the stars enjoying the opening lines to the now famous Over the Rainbow, sung by Judy Garland.