Celebrate Walt Disney's 100th birthday in Marceline, MO
Walt Disney's 100th Birthday
Celebration
in Marceline, Missouri
"More things of importance happened to me in Marceline than have happened since -- or are likely to in the future. Things like seeing my first circus parade, attending my first school, seeing my first motion picture" -- Walt Disney on Marceline
On September 21- 23, 2001 Marceline will host a series of activities to commemorate Walt Disney's 100th birthday. Events will include:
- Lectures and roundtable discussions by Disney historians,
artists and authors.
The largest gathering of Disney historians and authors ever is planned. The incomplete list includes historians and authors from around the world. Already scheduled are historians Dr. Robin Allan from England and Michael Broggie from the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society in the US; animation specialist Giannalberto Bendazzi from Italy; Richard Holliss and Brian Sibley from the United Kingdom, co-authors of three books about Walt Disney; Disney author Carole Mumford of the United States; and David Williams, researcher / organizer of several major exhibits from England. - Barn Raising
- Storytelling and reenacting of Disney events in Marceline
- The Disney Childhood Olympics: local and national category contests that emulate Disney anecdotes, e.g. sketching Doc Shurwood's horse Rupert, painting the side of the house with tar, etc.
- Cricket Market: Located between Ripley Square and the Santa Fe Railroad. It will be within a block of the Disney/Santa Fe Museum. It will also be about a block of the main entertainment stage. So it will be in the heart of the celebration providing a perfect opportunity for the seller of Disney collectibles to reach a vast audience of the ideal candidates to purchase their goods. Please sign up by August 15, 2001 to guarantee a space inside one of the large display tents. Anyone wishing to obtain a space at The Cricket Market should contact the Celebration Office at 660-376-WALT (9258). Or you can e-mail the office at [email protected].
- Culinary Specialities: Wolf River Apple Pie Baking and
Eating Contest
Flora Disney was know for her apple pies made from Wolf River apples grown on the family farm - Live music, including heritage fiddle contests - Elias
played in local bands, and had a reputation as an accomplished musician.
If your group would like to perform contact the Celebration office at 660-376-WALT. - Food
- Railroad lore: Stories from Santa Fe engineers, Dance Hall Girls, and Gandy dancers.
On December 5, 2001 Marceline will
Host activities to commemorate Walt Disney's birthday
- Special Music
- Main Street USA events
- Uptown Theater extravaganza
Ticket Sales and Special Pin
Tickets are available at discount until July 1, 2001. The first ticket was
purchased by Tsukasa Hayshi from Japan.Walt Disney’s 100th Birthday Celebration
Committee offers an exclusive pin to first 5000 tickets purchased online at www.wd100birthday.com. The pin
will be the official logo with the caption Premier Club under the logo.
Bed and Breakfast on Main Street USA
The Uptown Theatre apartments renovated to become the first bed and breakfast on original
Main Street USA.
For more information call 660-376-2525.
Additional Event News
State of Missouri Promotes Walt Disney’s 100th
Birthday Celebration Abroad
The eyes of the world will truly be on the small community of Marceline, Missouri. The
town of 2500 is eager to invite the world to north central Missouri to celebration the
100th Anniversary of the birth of its favorite son, Walt Disney.
Walt Disney is the most internationally recognizable of Missouri’s Notable Sons. Disney is well known in all corners of the globe. Disney is extremely popular in Japan. A documentary filmed in Marceline has already aired in Japan. The only individual with a Doctorate in Disney hails from the United Kingdom, Dr. Robin Allan.
With many Disney Historians and Authors from overseas coming to Marceline during the celebration the Missouri Department of Tourism is making a big push to promote the celebration in Europe. Matt Bendoris, the Chief Features Writer for the largest newspaper in Scotland was in Marceline, today to gather information for an article for the travel section of “The Scottish Sun.”
This will be just the beginning of the international attention as the in following weeks Marceline will be visited by Travel Editors from two newspapers in the United Kingdom.
The Disney Company helps Hometown with Celebration
With the Hometown Celebration of Walt Disney’s 100th Birthday just four months away,
Marceline received word from the Disney Company that Mickey Mouse would be in Marceline
for the celebration. Details are not finalized but it was confirmed that Mickey would
celebrate Walt’s 100th birthday in the community of 2500 in North Central Missouri
that Walt himself called home. There is still the possibility that Mickey will bring some
of his other friends in September.
The Disney Company is also preparing a 30-45 minute reel of early black and white cartoons from the company’s archives for the celebration. The loop of historic film will be shown in the Uptown Threate on Main Street USA in Marceline. The Uptown Threate was the site of the premier of “The Great Locomotive Chase” in 1956 and the site of the premier of “The Spirit of Mickey” in 1998. The Uptown Theatre will be the site of the largest roundtable of Disney historians and authors each morning during the celebration (a ticketed event) but will then show the classic cartoon free to the public the rest of the day.
Deadline For Cricket Market Vendors Extended
please sign up by August 15, 2001 to guarantee a space inside one of the large display
tents. Anyone wishing to obtain a space at The Cricket Market should contact the
Celebration Office at 660-376-WALT (9258). Or you can e-mail the office at [email protected].
Source: WD100 Birthday Press Releases
Posted: June 5, 2001