Hogwarts is coming to the Southern Tier.
St. Bonaventure University will host its first all-ages, family-friendly Spellbound Festival from Aug. 5-7. Conjured from a love of the Harry Potter series, both scholars and fans are invited to take part in a weekend of all things magical.
The timing of the event coincides with the release of J.K. Rowling’s newest work, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” set to be released on July 31.
St. Bonaventure University and Olean Public Library staff members have joined forces to plan and conduct the celebration of the magical world created by Rowling. An interdisciplinary, academic-focused event will provide a forum for scholarly presentations from an array of perspectives.
Witches, wizards and muggles — humans, to those not familiar with Potter — of any age are invited to send a submission for review to participate in the event as a presenter or as a member of a panel on a subject relating to the books or movies.
The submissions will be juried by a review committee with the age of the writer in mind. The organizing committee hopes to feature presentations that showcase the best of a wide range of thought-provoking topics.
The academic portion of the weekend is free and open to the public. Submissions may be sent through the event website at www.stbonavenue.com/spellbound-festival.
Additionally, the festival will feature a one-of-a-kind opportunity to be “transfigured” into the world of St. Bonaventure’s version of Hogwarts. Guests will be able to choose from an array of exciting activities such as staying overnight and being sorted into one of the Hogwarts Houses; attending evening feasts in St. Bonaventure’s version of the Grand Hall; participating in Quidditch and Wizard Chess tournaments and demonstrations; shopping at the Diagon Alley vendor fair; or taking part in other activities the committee is developing.
Children younger than 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
For pricing and additional information, visit www.stbonavenue.com/spellbound-festival or contact Jennifer Pulver at 716-375-2045 or jpulver@sbu.edu.