The fandom surrounding Harry Potter is one of those pop culture phenomena that never seems to stop growing. Case in point, the second annual Festival of Wizardry. The unofficial Potter event swept into the small Canadian town of Blyth, Ontario over the weekend, welcoming over 9,000 witches and wizards and geeks of all kind to the ordinarily small town for a weekend of magical fun. Nine thousand. That’s up from 1,500 attendees in 2016.
The Festival of Wizardry, run by Transfigured Town, is about offering an immersive experience for fans who wish they’d received an acceptance letter for Hogwarts. Participants played Quidditch, competed in trivia competitions, and took lessons in various subjects like Divination and Potions. The second day of the festival was canceled due to inclement weather, but based on what I can see on social media, attendees crammed plenty of fun into the first day.One fan brought a Ford Anglia like the one belonging to Arthur Weasley. No word on whether it flies.
Getting the Anglia ready for #TransfiguredTown | So excited! #WeasleysFlyingCar pic.twitter.com/tyJmiBZE99
— Marie Antoinette (@MurryAntoinette) October 14, 2017
Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts cosplay was all around.
This just happened… & we're starstruck! Thanks @morganhoffman #TransfiguredTown #BlythON #FestivalOfWizardry #HarryPotter pic.twitter.com/WjLG4F8MKW
— Fiona Williams (@FionaWilliams3) October 14, 2017
Dining with Lucius, Bellatrix & Luna today. 🏰⚡️ #FOW2017 #festivalofwizardry #TransfiguredTown #BlythON #HarryPotter pic.twitter.com/OWn3mZVrjE
— Fiona Williams (@FionaWilliams3) October 14, 2017
The snacks were themed and on point.
What would a Harry Potter event be with Butterbeer?
You could play some Quidditch and then listen to a wizarding band.
Just chillin’ listening the @thelovegoodz at #FOW2017 pic.twitter.com/0cDMsPCQNh
— Steve Bergen (@the4bergens) October 13, 2017
Quidditch Cup @blyth #FestivalOfWizardy #TransfiguredTown pic.twitter.com/pAPzrKcNpd
— enneevee (@enneevee) October 14, 2017
I daresay, it all looks positively magical.
Would you grab a Portkey and travel to Ontario for the Transfigured Town experience in 2018? Are you feeling motivated to start a similar festival in your neck of the woods? Take a broomstick to the comments and let me know.
Featured Image: Warner Bros.
Amy Ratcliffe is an Associate Editor for Nerdist. Follow her on Twitter and keep up with her Disney food adventures on Instagram.
Want more Harry Potter?
- Take a bite of butterbeer donuts.
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- Learn how the Hogwarts Express rescued a stranded family.
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