The event has not been held since 2018 and 2019. It was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19 and canceled again in 2021 due to cases increasing, however the center did host a virtual event with trivia last year instead.
“We are so excited to be able to bring this event back... We really missed holding the event and being able to welcome people in person,” said Natalie Fritz, archivist and director of Collections Outreach & Social Media for the Heritage Center.
The weekend is funded with the help of those allocated from the City of Springfield and the American Rescue Plan, which helped the return and expansion of this event.
This year’s event will be a little different than in 2018 and 2019. Before the Friday event was for junior kids, but this year is for all ages and is an open house, and Saturday now includes new elements, activities and is around the downtown.
“We hope people will come downtown to get food, explore the shops, and have fun at the different activities,” Fritz said.
Friday night will be an open house fair from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Heritage Center. It will include a house sorting station, crafts, a magic show, activities, games, a costume contest and more.
Saturday will be a wizardry showcase from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown Springfield. It will include potions demonstrations, an interactive wizarding trial, classes, street performers, face painting and caricature artists, activities and more.
Saturday night’s wizards ball, for those ages 21 and over, will be from 6 to 10 p.m. in the Heritage Center. It will include food, drinks, dancing lessons, music and dancing, crafts, dueling and more.
Anyone of all ages can attend the three different events, except Saturday evening is for those over the age of 21. Free babysitting for children of grades 1-6 will be offered at the YMCA where there will be activities, pizza and swimming, on a first-come, first-served basis as there is a limited amount. Transportation between the Heritage Center and YMCA will also be available.
Tickets for the full weekend are $40, Friday night are $20, Saturday daytime are $10 and Saturday night are $25. Children under three are free, but must be listed on the registration. People are encouraged to get their tickets as soon as possible for the events.
Tickets can be purchased on site for the Saturday daytime event, which will be throughout the downtown. Tickets for Friday and Saturday night, which both take place inside the Heritage Center only, will be sold until seats are filled. If sold out, the Heritage Center will let the public know via Facebook.
More information will be available on the Springfield’s Wizarding Weekend Facebook page, as well as sent to registered attendees.
Springfield’s Wizarding Weekend is a Harry Potter fan event organized by the Clark County Historical Society at the Heritage Center. It is not any way supported by Warner Bros. Entertainment, the Harry Potter book publishers, or J.K. Rowling and her representatives.
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