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Did you ever dream of being Madeline, or perhaps Pepito, or Miss Clavel? As part of the Bemelmans Festival, the Children’s Museum of Oswego is organizing a children’s parade on Saturday, May 20th around Fort Ontario, and asking area youngsters of all ages to come dressed as one of the characters from Ludwig Bemelmans’ series of books about Madeline.
Parade participants will gather in the parking lot near the pool at Fort Ontario and begin their march at noon. The parade will end at Fort Ontario where there will be an ice cream social for parade members.
The parade is part of the Bemelmans Festival which begins on Friday, May 12 at 7 pm with a talk by Jennifer Emmons about Ludwig Bemelmans deployment as a Private in the U.S. Army to Fort Ontario in 1917. Other events will include a walking tour on Wednesday, May 17 at 7 pm of World War I sites associated with Bemelmans on the Fort Ontario grounds, and a talk in the Frances Marion Brown Theater on May 18th at 7 pm by Paul Lear, Fort Ontario State Historic Site Manager, detailing activities at Fort Ontario during World War I. Saturday, May 20 activities begin at 10 am at Fort Ontario with KiteFest, hat and kite making in the Arts Center, an exhibit of artwork by local residents showing Madeline around Oswego, storytelling, games, a barbecue by Woodchuck and a band concert by the Sounds of Brass.
The Oswego Players will premiere the play “My War With The United States” based on the book of the same title by Ludwig Bemelmans about his time in the army. The play chronicles Bemelmans’ time in Oswego in 1917. Performances in the Frances Marion Brown Theater of the Oswego Civic Arts Center will be May 13, 19, 20 at 8 pm and 14 and 21 at 2 pm. For tickets, contact the Players’ box office at 315-343-5138.
For more information and details about the Bemelmans Festival, contact FriendsofFortOntario@yahoo.com.
