Oh Fuuudge! Tire Relay Winners Announced

• 12/14/2009

Hammond – Congratulations to the winners of the 2nd Annual Oh Fuuudge! Tire Relay race held on Saturday, December 12th at the Indiana Welcome Center. John and his son Zane Rayson (age 6) of Hammond took home the grand prize in the age 4-7 category. They completed the obstacle course in 1 minute and 41 seconds. The Rayson’s won a $300 gift certificate from Levin Tires and a gift basket full of ‘A Christmas Story’ merchandise donated by Albanese Confectionery and the South Shore CVA.

The winners of the age 8-12 category were Rob and Peyton Janney (male, age 12) of Valparaiso; completing the obstacle course in 1 minute and 38 seconds. The Janney’s were presented with a set of watches from Albert’s Jewelers valued at $300.

Twenty-five teams competed in the Oh Fuuudge! Relay, including mother/daughter teams as well as father/son. The relay race depicts the tire changing scene in “A Christmas Story,” where Ralphie spills lug nuts onto the street and says the “F dash-dash-dash” word. The parent/child teams “changed a tire” and ran through an obstacle course while holding a hubcap filled with lug nuts steady. The Relay is held annually in conjunction with the exhibit “A Christmas Story” Comes Home at the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond. The six animated scenes are on display until January 10th.

Click Here To See Photos

Santa visits are a rerun of movie scene at Hammond Welcome Center

HAMMOND | The long line Saturday to see the jolly fat man atop Santa's Mountain didn't seem to bother Sheila Walters and her family.
"We'll wait as long as we need to," Walters said.

read more

Actress will join cast mates Saturday in Hammond for city's anniversary festivities

Give Ralphie's teacher an A-plus for effort.

Canadian actress Tedde Moore was eight months pregnant when she graded themes, squelched pranks and consoled Flick in 1983's "A Christmas Story." Author-narrator Jean Shepherd based the classic film on his Hammond childhood.
Director Bob Clark talked Moore into playing Miss Ruth Shields, Moore said. Both she and her husband balked.

read more

The cast is getting back together on Saturday, December 5th and Sunday, December 6th for A Christmas Story Festival Weekend. All events will take place in Hammond, Indiana at the Indiana Welcome Center unless otherwise noted.

Autograph sessions at the Welcome Center include actors Scott Schwartz (Flick), Ian Petrella (Randy Parker), Zack Ward (Scut Farkus), Yano Anaya (Grover Dill) and Tedde Moore (Miss Shields). Autograph fees apply.

Special room rates are available at the Courtyard in Hammond, only steps away from the Welcome Center. Packages that include A Christmas Story themed welcome gifts, breakfast, special discounts and a VIP reception with cast members range from $129 to $165.85 per night.

Saturday's events are kicked off as the cast marshals the Hammond Holiday Parade on Indianapolis Boulevard at 10am. The cast will proceed to the Indiana Welcome Center for autographs from noon until 5pm (autograph fees apply). At 6pm, 100 guests can watch the Chicagoland premier of Clark WORLD, a documentary about Director Bob Clark. Admission for the documentary is free and seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Visitors are invited to join the cast for a pancake breakfast on Sunday morning. Breakfast begins at 8am and continues until noon at the Jean Shepherd Center in Hammond. Proceeds from the breakfast ($5/adult, $2/child) will benefit the Hammond Lion's Club. Autographs will again be at the Welcome Center from noon until 4pm (fees apply). The documentary, The Untold Christmas Story, will run at 10am, noon, 2pm and 4pm. Admission to the movie screening is free.

Guests are welcome to view the exhibit, A Christmas Story Comes Home, throughout the weekend from 8am to 8pm. Six scenes from the holiday movie classic are depicted in the exhibit hall at the Indiana Welcome Center. Admission is free. Photos with Santa on Santa's Mountain are $5 a piece and are available from 11am to 3pm.

Throughout the weekend, enter to win a number of giveaways. The Welcome Center gift shop has a variety of items, including full-sized leg lamps, on sale.

The Indiana Welcome Center is located in Hammond at the intersections of I-80/94 and Kennedy Avenue South, 30 minutes from Chicago and 2 hours north of Indianapolis. For more information, call 800.ALL.LAKE.

Nearly 30,000 Fans Visit Exhibit

• 12/01/2008

The displays were first showcased in 2003 in the windows of the Macy's in New York City and have been moved to a more permanent home in Hammond, Indiana. The film was written by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown and Bob Clark and was based on Shepherd's 1966 book, In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash. The book is a compilation of short stories based on Shepherd's experiences growing up in Hammond, Indiana.
The six scenes include; Higbee's Department Store Window, Flick's Tongue and the Triple Dog Dare, It's a major Award, Santa's Mountain at Higbee's, The Bumpus Hounds and the Parker Living Room. Also included in the exhibit is a modest replica of Santa's Mountain and includes photos with Santa and a slide for $5.
Special events will fill the weekends as well. Join in the fun for a "Mommy's Little Piggy" Eating Contest; the "Oh Fuuudge!" Parent/Child relay race; and movie showings. There is also an ongoing contest; Write a Theme Contest: "What I Want for Christmas."
All events take place at the Indiana Welcome Center, 7770 Corinne Drive in Hammond, Indiana. Details about the special events can be found at www.lakecountycvb.com/christmas or by calling (219) 989-7979.