Disney legend Mary Blair celebrated at free event Wednesday

The artist behind such films as 'Peter Pan' and 'Cinderella' will be feted at the Hilbert Museum of California Art in Orange.

Fans of the legendary Disney artist Mary Blair will want to check out the all-day celebration honoring her work Wednesday at the Hilbert Museum of California Art, including a costume contest with prizes and an evening lecture on her works.

This event, which is free, is timed to precede the D23 Disney fanfest in nearby Anaheim starting Friday, Aug. 9, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors from all over.

Visitors who dress up like a character from one of the films or attractions that Blair helped design will be eligible to win Disney gift cards or art books.

Blair helped design films and attractions such as “Alice in Wonderland,” “Peter Pan,” “Cinderella,” “Lady and the Tramp” and “It’s a Small World.”

The Hilbert Museum is located in Old Towne Orange, a few miles from Anaheim, adjacent to Chapman University. It is currently hosting an exhibit, “Mary Blair’s Wonderland: Imagining Disney’s Alice,” which continues through Sept. 7.

Museum Director Mary Platt, who curated the exhibit, will give a 40-minute talk on “The Magic and Flair of Mary Blair,” at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the museum’s Cinematic Arts Galleries in the North Wing.

“She was the first female artist to break into the all-men’s club at Disney — and her bold, groundbreaking use of color continues to inspire scores of designers and artists today,” Platt said in a prepared statement.

The museum is always free to visit but reservations are strongly recommended at hilbertmuseum.org