WOOT! Diagon Alley comes to Downtown Springfield!

[Wyldewode]

I think my town is the coolest ever! I'm going to have to go to this!

Harry Potter's Diagon Alley Comes to Downtown Springfield

Friday, July 20 2007 (07:00PM)

Diagon Alley, the famous shopping district in the Harry Potter series, comes to Downtown Springfield on Friday, July 20 to help celebrate the arrival of the seventh and final book in the Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling. Participating business, including Well Fed Head, Springfield Hot Glass Studio, Czar Graphics, and Moxie Cinema, will provide family-friendly Harry Potter-themed entertainment until the stroke of midnight, when HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHY HALLOWS will be released. Shires for Hire will also be downtown for carriage rides on this evening.

"This is the biggest literary event in decades," Nicole Chilton, Moxie Cinema co-owner, says. "We want to make sure it gets a proper celebration! And what better place to do that than in downtown Springfield? We have such a great variety of shops that perfectly match the atmosphere of Diagon Alley."

Some of the participating businesses include: Ollivander's (Springfield Hot Glass Studio, 314 S Campbell) are creating custom wizard wands and goblets, ranging from $5 to $30. The Leaky Cauldron (Moxie Cinema, 408 West Walnut) will be showing HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN for $5 at 9:00pm. Butterbeer and other snacks will be available at the bar. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes (Well Fed Head Books, 331 South Campbell) will have a variety of games and contests, as well as release HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS at midnight. Copies of the book can be pre-ordered at Well Fed Head in advance for 25% off. Visit www.wellfedheadbooks.com or call 417-832-9333 for more information and to reserve your copy online. Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions (Czar Graphics, 420 South Campbell) will make Harry Potter t-shirts to order that night. Terrortours (Shires for Hire) will provide carriage rides downtown. $10 per person for $25 for a family of four.
Festivities will begin around 7:00 pm. Tickets for Moxie Cinema are recommended to be purchased in advance.

[Menolly]

Oh how fun Lyr!! Tell us how it all comes off!

[Seafoam Understone]

Too bad we're just muggles... otherwise we'd get a portkey or appriate to it for ourselves.

ah well.

[Cagliostro]

Just curious which Springfield it is. There are many out there, y'know?

[Seafoam Understone]

Just curious which Springfield it is. There are many out there, y'know?

Probably the one with Homer Simpson.


just kidding

[Menolly]

Where is area code (417)?

[Wyldewode]

Ah. . . it's Missouri. And though we vied for the Simpson opening, we didn't get it. *shrugs*

The evening was pretty cool. We got there around 8, and walked around until 10:00. It was fun to see so many people dressed up in costume. The best thing I saw all night was "Republicans for Voldemort" shirt. Too funny! I originally intended to get a goblet or a wand, but found that the shop had sold all 18 pre-made wands (at $20 each) before the first hour was over. When I was there, the shop had taken orders for at least 50 more wands. The last goblet had sold roughly 10 minutes before I arrived. They were taking orders for them too ($25 for a four-footed conical glass), but I decided against ordering one. I did by myself a beautiful glass-beaded necklace, though.

However, one of the coolest parts of the evening was when we went to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes (The Well Fed Head). I found The Atlas of The Land (1985 bookclub edition) for $7.50. I also found the following books for $2.00 each.




Overall, I had a good time, especially watching the people who had dressed up. It made me want to go back home and get out one of my cloaks--except for the fact it was absolutely sweltering!

[Menolly]

It sounds like a fantastic time Lyr. Did you go ahead and order a wand after all?

[Seafoam Understone]

"Republicans for Voldemort" shirt Too funny.

[Menolly]

I have the bumper sticker.

I need to find the t-shirt. I wonder if it is also on Cafe Press...

[Menolly]

Ah...found it, along with other merchadise.

The Store: Republicans for Voldemort

And their original comic strip that launched the campaign, dated 08/08/2003...

[Wyldewode]

Sweet! And no, I didn't order a wand. Even the samples were gone, so I wasn't sure what I'd be getting. Same with the goblets. BUT. . . that glass studio has weekly glass fusing classes, and I plan on going down there for one. When I do I can ask about the merchandise then.

[sindatur]

"Republicans for Voldemort" shirt Too funny.

I didn't think anyone wanted Cheney to run?

[Iryssa]

My city did a Diagon Alley thing too...I went, but it was hard to appreciate everything they did, because it was SO packed with people, I couldn't see much. We retreated to a pub for a while then left early.