A happy witch on the front page of the Daily Prophet, from Remembox.
Welcome to Diagon Alley! On Halloween, blocks of Downtown Ithaca were transformed into a Harry Potter-themed world, drawing thousands of people. HP fans came from near and far– I even talked to some magical travellers from the Hudson Valley!
Businesses and organizations from across Ithaca pulled this event together over just two weeks, but I have to make a special shout-out to my friends in Press Bay Alley and my fellow members at Ithaca Generator for absolutely rocking it. Life’s So Sweet, Press Cafe, Amuse, and Bramble transformed effortlessly into magical shops, and Boxy Bikes organized what I’m guessing is the first-ever electric bike Quidditch matches which drew hundreds of wizards bellowing chants for their house’s team. Ithaca Generator was transformed into Knockturn Alley: some arduino-powered magic at Ithaca Generator let us muggles get a feel for what it’s like to flick a wand and see the magical results, next to some amazing illusions, wand-making, and a moving portrait wall. Press Bay was topped off with a giant dragon, pulled together by the Ithaca Generator team in 48 hours before the event. My Remembox Photo Booth, built at Ithaca Generator, was set up in the Alley and put hundreds of people on the front page of the Daily Prophet.
I documented the event for the Convention & Visitors Bureau and Press Bay Alley, the center of the action. Enjoy!
Wands were being made and raffled off in a live lathe demonstration at Ithaca Generator.
Dumbledore leads costume contest winner Sirius Black around the stage.
The judges deliberate.
Costume content winner, Sirius Black in Azkaban.
Costume contest contestant Mad-Eye Moody.
Costume contest contestants, Harry Potter and his Patronus.
Baby Dobby wins the kid’s ‘good character’ costume contest.
Costume contest participants.
Dolores Umbridge and contest host (and event organizer) Darlynne Overbaugh, owner of Life’s So Sweet.
Wizards and muggles try their hand at magic, with an arduino-powered wand that opened a magical box with three flicks of the wand, made at Ithaca Generator.
The LACS Quidditch team celebrates their victory in the second match of the day.
LACS seeker shows off the snitch.
The homeschool team in hot pursuit on their electric bike broom from Boxy Bikes.
Broom-mounted players wait for the beaters to resolve a quarl.
LACS team in play.
LACS team in play.
Homeschool team zooms around the scoreboard.
Wand-making demonstrations at Ithaca Generator.
Magic performances at Circus Culture.
Hogwarts guards walk through the crowd.
Phoebe Wyllyamz, dressed as a house elf, collected socks for a local homeless shelter.
Wizards capture their photos for the front page of the Daily Prophet with Remembox Photo Booth.
TCPL handed out quills as Flourish & Blotts.
People had their portraits and their patronuses sketched by local artists.
Hilby performed for a crowd of hundreds on State Street.
A young wizard directs a life-sized wizard chess match.
Wizard families get their maurader’s maps at their house common rooms.
A giant balloon basilisk.
The Cornell Raptor Program showed off some real owls!
The Cornell Raptor Program showed off some real owls!
Indian Creek Farm served hot cider.
Boxy Bikes kept their doors open and sold Quidditch T-shirts, even during the Quidditch matches!
Wizards waited in linke for customized Hogwarts acceptance letters.
The magic spilled over from Press Bay Alley all the way onto the Commons.
The magic spilled over from Press Bay Alley all the way onto the Commons.
Some people got a little more creative with their costumes, making Harry Potter references with Breaking Bad costumes.
Wizard’s chess!
A young wizard battles his uncle, Professor Snape, in the wizard duels.
A young wizard battles his uncle, Professor Snape, in the wizard duels.
The Gryffindor seeker catches the snitch!
Slytherin team, in the first match of the day.
Gryffindor with the quaffle!
Slytherine has posession!
Each Quidditch match started off with a quaffle tip-off.
Gryffindor’s seeker, soaking in the crowd’s cheers.
Lucius Malfoy casting curses during the match!
A house elf in a wizard’s duel.
A house prefect helps new students get their Maurauder’s Maps.
