The population of Blyth swelled from 1,000 to more than 10,000 this weekend for the Harry Potter-themed Festival of Wizardry.
Fans of the franchise have come from as far away as Indonesia and New Zealand to immerse themselves in the fantasy world of wizards.
1,500 people turned out for last year’s event in Goderich. This year’s event, now relocated to Blyth, has surpassed expectations. 9,000 tickets for the two-day festival were snapped up within hours of going on sale last spring.
“People love it,” says media coordinator Melissa Knight. “People want to live it, want to be in it, want to be immersed in it. It’s fun.”
Fans can compete in trivia contests or take lessons in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Divination or Potions.
There were also Quidditch games pitting teams from Ontario and Quebec against each other.
For older fans, the festival is the perfect place to spark the imagination of young readers.
“I just really like Harry Potter and I want my son to experience the same joy I had reading the books.”
Plans are already being made for next year’s festival.
