‘Swish and flick’: Vail Public Library hosts Harry Potter party

VAIL — In honor of Harry Potter Book Night, Vail Public Library presents a evening for children to return to Hogwarts and the Wizarding World for a magical night of potions, wand-making and enough mischief to make Messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs proud.

“It’ll be a night for kids to come and share the joy J.K. Rowling brought to life,” said Cricket Pylman, the library’s head of children’s programming.

The series, now 20 years in publication, has bewitched and continues to enthrall readers of all ages all around the world as the story itself has been translated into more than 70 languages. Floating candles and a “brick doorway” will set the stage for a truly magical evening on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the library. Parents are welcome to attend with their children and participate.

Attendees will travel through Diagon Alley where they can create their own wand at Olivander’s Wands. The wand chooses the wizard, yes, but attendees will have their choice of painting a wand and/or decorating it with gems and feathers. Brush up on your spell casting and get your wrists ready — remember, swish and flick like Professor Flitwick taught in Charms class.

Feeling a bit more like a potions master? Step into the Apothecary and you’ll be able to create slime even Professor Snape would be proud of.

Have a good sense of taste? You can go to Honeyduke’s for a Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Bean guessing game — hopefully you don’t get a vomit flavored one.

Next up, travel to Hogwarts to use the Sorting Hat to be sorted into Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Slytherin or Hufflepuff houses. Children are also welcome to visit https://www.pottermore.com to find out which Hogwarts house their talents are best suited for.

No trip to Hogwarts is complete without Sir Cadogan challenging someone to a duel — but wait, what’s this? Sir Cadogan seems to have lost his way and can’t find his original portrait. Attendees will have the chance to help Sir Cadogan and more painted characters figure out in which frame they belong.

If you are a witch or a wizard and moving portraits sound like the everyday to you, then you’re in for a treat as the library will host the Muggle version and will screen “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” starting at 5:30 p.m. While Florean Fortescue himself won’t be on hand, attendees can help themselves to making a chocolate-covered pretzel wand, eating pizza from Blue Moose and vegetables from Professor Sprout’s own garden. Rumor has it the Three Broomsticks offered up its in-house butterbeer recipe for the occasion, too. (Attendees should be aware the whipped topping includes dairy.)

Because all of the answers to everything can be found in a library book, attendees will also have the option of turning to Page 394 and revisiting the magic of the Wizarding World via the books themselves. Already feel like you know everything there is to know about Harry Potter, his friends and adventures? Think you could give Dumbledore’s pensieve a taste of its own medicine? Try your mind at Harry Potter Trivial Pursuit and see who really is the keeper of the most knowledge on all things wizarding.

Participants are encouraged, but not required, to dress up as their favorite character from the Harry Potter series. The library solemnly swears it is up to all good, and for more information, call Cricket Pylman at 970-479-2179 or email her at cpylman@vailgov.com.

via:: Vail Daily