BY NICOLE BOWMAN-LAYTON
With Edenton-Chowan Schools dismissing at 12:30 p.m. Friday, March 27, it may be a great day to take the kids to downtown Edenton to experience the Harry Potter Extravaganza.
Don’t worry if you miss anything on Friday though, because the event, now in its sixth year, will also be held on Saturday.
County Librarian Brandy Goodwin was an intern at the Shepard-Pruden Memorial Library when the event first started.
“As a huge Potter-Head I am very, very excited for HPE 6 to commence! I am most looking forward to Saturday’s ‘All Day’ Extravaganza where Shepard-Pruden becomes Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!” Goodwin said in an interview with the Albemarle Observer.
Friday, the Taylor Theater will show “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” at 2:30 p.m.. The screening is free.
Downtown Edenton businesses are also getting involved in this year’s Extravaganza with a variety of Harry Potter-themed offerings. Corner Bakery and Edenton Coffeehouse have both prepared desserts inspired by the wizarding world created by author J.K. Rowling.
On Friday, Edenton Bay Trading Company will host a Ministry of Magic meeting and a Harry Potter Trivia Night. Both events are for adults.
On Saturday, the real fun begins. Magician Dana Hill and Sylvan Heights Bird Park will visit the Library, which will be turned into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the event.
“… Dana will teach us all about the art of Transfiguration and Sylvan Heights will introduce us to the world of ‘Fantastic Beasts’ by showing off exotic birds seen frequently in the Harry Potter series,” Goodwin said. “We will also have crafts, bubbles, face painting, Herbology class, and Ultimate Quidditch which will be a blast to participate in!”
The library’s first Harry Potter Extravaganza was initially inspired by the upcoming anniversary of the series’ publication.
“Since then, it has become a community-wide phenomenon that everyone looks forward to each year,” said Goodwin, who has read the entire Harry Potter series and the many spin-offs.
There will be a QR Code Scavenger Hunt with participating businesses between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday. The codes are on posters in the windows of some of the businesses.
Goodwin said the series had a huge impact on her life.
“The Harry Potter series changed my life and I will forever be in gratitude to the many wonderful characters created by J.K. Rowling and the lessons they taught! In the Harry Potter series, you learn very quickly that there is power in friendship. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were ‘The Golden Trio’ who went to war for each other and never left each others side, even when the odds were stacked against them,” Goodwin said. “Later on in the series, you learn also that there is always light in the face of darkness and that good trumps evil.”
Schedule
Friday, March 28
- 2:30-5 p.m. — “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” Film Showing at Taylor Theater
- 5:30-6:30 p.m. — Adult Table-to-Table Ministry of Magic With Dana Hill at Edenton Bay Trading Company
- 7 p.m. — Adult Harry Potter Trivia at Edenton Bay Trading Company
- 10 a.m.-5 p.m. — Horcrux Scavenger Hunt at the Shepard-Pruden Library (Win 1 extra door prize entry)
Saturday, March 29
- 10:20-10:50 a.m. and 11:40 a.m.-12:10 p.m. — Transfiguration with Magician Dana Hill
- 11-11:30 a.m. and 12:20-12:50 p.m. — Fantastic Beasts with Sylvan Heights
- 10 a.m.-1 p.m. — Ultimate Quidditch, Bubble Experience, Face Painting, Herbology & More!
- 10 a.m.-1 p.m. — QR Code Scavenger Hunt with Downtown Businesses
- 10 a.m.-1 p.m. — Horcrux Scavenger Hunt at the Shepard-Pruden Library (Win 1 extra door prize entry)
- 1 p.m. — Piñata
Note: Miles Layton contributed to this report.
