OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS) – The premiere of The Wizard of Oz took place Aug. 12, 1939 in Oconomowoc, and 80 years later, the town will host an original screening of the award winning film.

"The iconic components I think added to the allure of, where do we find an Americana type community to be able to showcase the movie,” said City of Oconomowoc Director of Economic Development and Tourism Bob Duffy. “They weren't quite sure how it was going to be received, not just in the Midwest but in the country."

Oconomowoc was the first city to see the film, presented at the Strand Theater. It cost 25-cents to attend a matinee and 40-cents for an evening show. The city now has its own yellow brick road and The Wizard of Oz Plaza.

"We will try to continue to cherish that history but also celebrate it as we try to attract people to the community," said Duffy.

When Oconomowoc resident Harry Evans was in sixth grade, his teacher read the class The Wizard of Oz each day.

"One of the little people was actually from Watertown, Wisconsin which is just west of Oconomowoc,” said Evans. “Herbert Stothart wrote the musical score, and he was from Milwaukee, and he had a vacation home on Okauchee Lake in the Oconomowoc area."

The anniversary events begins at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, including a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Oz Plaza at 7 p.m. and a costume contest at 7:30 p.m. The film will be presented at dusk.