Good and evil child wizards skipped through the library to enjoy “An Evening at Hogwarts” at the Amarillo Public Library on Feb. 8.
The library hosted this event after the positive response they received for their Yule Ball this past January.
“It’s taken us a month and a half to plan and set up this event,” Amanda Hope Shelburne, Youth Department worker at the library, said.
Shelburne said the point of the events the library hosts is to show the community what the library has to offer.
“I am blown away and pleased with the outcome,” Shelburne said. “We want to show that we’re not just bunch of stuffy old cat ladies and we like to have fun.”
Shelburne said they want to showcase some of the things they have going on from Harry Potter to comic books.
“Once you come in for one thing you look and see that there’s graphic novels,” Shelburne said. “‘Oh, you got DVD’s? Awesome.’ It exposes people to the collection we have.”
The event featured wand making, a Quidditch relay, pin the tail on the Dragon and played the movie where they replicated the signature drink of Butterbeer. They also paired up with the Don Harrington Discovery Center, who helped put up a “potions” table.
“I’m sort of a fan [of the Harry Potter franchise],” Renea Dauntes, a grad student at WT, said. “My son is and he came dressed as Harry Potter.”
Dauntes had disguised herself as Bellatrix and said the event was great because it exposes the children to literary events they can get excited about and not just play video games.
“The [game] stations they have are really fun but I’m not brave enough to attempt Quidditch,” Dauntes said. “The library staff is very good about staying in character and they’re all very sweet.”
Terri Walker works at the East Branch of the library and came in to help with the event.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for the community to come together and experience books and the thrill that comes with them,” Walker said.
Walker said the turnout was more than she expected.
“I’m very excited and I hope we get to do [more of these events soon],” Walker said.
