Written by Trevor Cobb

What has been described as “three days of pure magic” is coming to Springfield this weekend. The all-weekend-long Harry Potter movie marathon will be at the Gillioz Theater in downtown Springfield, and the festival will include much more than just showings of the movies.

In addition to the movie showings, there will be a Potter Extravaganza including costume contests, commemorative shirts, raffles, a Butterbeer Bar, and much more. The Weekend of Wizardry will be a magical experience for anyone who attends, so make sure you come ready to celebrate the magical world that J.K. Rowling created in this immersive Potter experience.

“I absolutely love Harry Potter,” said sophomore Jessi Cook. “I’m so glad they’re doing this, because it gives huge fans to relive some of the magic of going to see them in theaters.”

The Gillioz will be showing the first two movies Friday night at 7:00pm and 10:30pm respectively. Saturday and Sunday, the Gillioz will be transformed into a magical world all day long, with the films shown in sequential order at 11:00a.m., 3:30p.m., and 8:00p.m. on both days. Depending on what tickets you purchase, you will have access to various outside experiences besides the movies, including matinee snacks and an evening meal provided on Saturday and Sunday. The theater will clear in between each screening, and seating is general admission, so be sure to get to your screening time early so you can snag some good seats.

“I’m not going, but I definitely see the appeal of an event like this,” said Bayless Thompson, a junior who describes herself as “a mild fan” and has only seen the movies once.

Tickets can be purchased for individual movie showings, all 8, or a special VIP pass that gets you into other experiences in between films. There are discounts for tickets bought in groups, so gather some of your Potterhead peers and save money going together.

“It would definitely be an awesome experience, but I would enjoy just watching all 8 movies on my couch with a few friends,” said Cook. This experience has reignited the Potter Passion inside some Drury students. “Maybe I’ll end up watching some of my favorites with my friends this weekend,” Cook said.

“It should be more common for other movies and TV shows to have events like this,” Thompson said. “I’d totally be down for an Orphan Black version of Potterfest.”

While a Sestrafest may not be on the horizon for the Gillioz, Potterfest can remind us all about the unity of common interests. The environment will truly be magical, as wand-wielding people dressed up as their favorite characters flock through downtown to pay homage to the films they group up with. Springfieldians will unite under one common interest, and together they will celebrate Harry Potter.

So, whether it be the boy who lived, the Mockingjay, or a collection of clones all played by Tatiana Maslany, let us gather together in the coming weeks to celebrate and share our fantastical interests with one another. Perhaps we’ll even see some wizards dressed up around campus in hopes of bringing that childlike magic and wonder to Drury.