Harry Potter party provides fun for all

Harry Potter celebrated his birthday in style on Saturday from 8 to 10 a.m. at Rotary Park. Approximately 150 Muggles and Wizards gathered to join in the party fun hosted by Maricopa’s Friends of the Library.

Scarlett Wagner came as Hermione Granger

Makena Olson (below with mom Brooke) was Dobby

Festivities opened with the costume parade. Categories included best look-a-like Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Most imaginative costume was the fourth category of the event.

Costume contest entrants parade for viewers and judges.

Ron Weasley look-a-like Jakob Wagner (left) with Harry Potter winner Markey Olson.

Analia Wagner (left) won best Hermione Granger

Sydnee Akers wore her “Professor” costume to take “most imaginative”.

Partygoers competed in land-based Quidditch games, ending in a championship match won by Hufflepuff with Gryffindor as runners up.

Land-based Quidditch provided fast-moving competition.

The Library’s summer Teen Readers’ Café, ages 13 and up, presented a marionette show under the direction of Librarian Linda Wilmeth. Entitled The Day the Wizard Lost his Book, the script was written and produced by the group. Pulling the marionettes’ strings were Carson Rose, Ariana Ramirez, Heather Rodriguez and Jennifer Rodriguez.

The Teen Readers’ show featured a unicorn, a knight, a princess, a jester, a dragon and a wizard marionette

.Magician Gabriel Bueras was on site to amaze participants with his slight of hand and his feats of magic.

Another amazing card trick by magician Gabriel Bueras.

Craft tables featured various activities including wand making, Harry Potter glasses, coloring pages, door hangars, and create an animal or spider.

Crafts tables were popular spots.

Alex Herrick made Harry Potter glasses and a wand.

Anna Kramarczyk did very well at Dragon Toss in between bites of her otter pop.

Throughout the morning Harry Potter glasses, wands, activity packs, pencils and books from the Harry Potter series were awarded in raffle drawings. Prizes went to Kyle Burks, Jelena Bilaver, Esmerlda Bandin, Alton Polacek, Jakob Wagner, Cody Cox, Alex Herrick, Ben Vezie, Riley Wagner, Sydnee Akers, Michael Yelton, Trinity Wagner, Alyssa Burks and Scarlett Wagner.

Fatima Hylton and Tyler Buehr won copies of the newest Harry Potter novel, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Marijan Bilaver also won the latest edition for guessing 130 (the number was actually 138) in the jellybean jar contest.

Like any great birthday, the party ended with cakes provided by Bashas’. Fry’s Marketplace provided water and soda for the event, and Lily Castellanos popped popcorn for participants.

This Harry Potter cake featured a Quidditch scene.

Century 21 All Star Realty was the contributing sponsor for the party. Several of their staff members were present to act as costume judges and man craft tables.

Harry Potter discovered on his 11th birthday that he was the most famous person in the wizarding world. Just think what he might find out at his next party!