MuggleFest II

Another awesome event. It went on all day, but the kids and I showed up in the afternoon. Rosie was manning the front desk and checking people in at the Norman Library. Our friend Mary was manning the door for "Care of Magical Creatures".

I got the kids psyched up for "WIzard crafts", and they had plenty at the library. We learned about police dogs and reptiles in the "CAre for Magical Creatures" class. We made snitches (used feathers and golden styrofoam balls) in "Muggle Crafts". The kids got to pick out a wand which they had to swish and flick and when they picked up the right wand the basket on the desk would magically light up (the kids thought this really cool).

Even spun the wheel of fortune in "Divination". Jamie spun twice: Chaser, and Parselmouth. Cian spun Metal Charmer (maker of snitches etc.). I spun Librarian :D

They also had a potions class and herbology, but we ran out of time as we did the "Wizard's Challenge" that afternoon. Hobbit feet don't walk very fast when there is so much to see. The Wizard's Challenge dealt with a map of downtown Norman that had sponsors marked. If you visited at least 13 of the 22 locations you could be entered into a drawing to win a free copy of the next HP book. The kids and I visited 19 of the locations. Of those 19 only 16 were open by the time we got through. Most locations had a prize that they handed out. By the end Jamie and Cian were really good about spotting the sign in the window of each business that was participating.

Free things received: bag w/coloring book & water drip foam character, quartz crystals, toy snakes, cards w/ gum (and the kids managed to pick 2/6 of the one's marked w/free haircut), necklaces, temporary tattoos, lots of chocolate (which melted if we didn't eat it), snowcones, water, jelly beans, and plenty of popcorn!

After walking around in the sun we finally came back to the library where our check-in lady (one on the left in the picture) was skilled in the art of divination and miraculously knew our contact info! Finally made it over to be sorted by Dumbledore and the sorting hat. After giving me her toy snake, Jamie chose to be in Slytherin house. After sister went Cian changed his mind about going up and getting sorting and he too chose Slytherin.

After we picked up a bite to eat we ate at a park north of the police station in Norman. They had a cool water park w/ all sorts of sprinklers and nozzles and buckets etc. Have to mark this for later. Missed the Harry and the Potters meet and greet this year, but we had representatives: these folks look familiar.

Then it was finally time for the concert. The event we'd all been waiting for. We had listened to Harry and the Potters on the car ride over, and Cian has been belting all the tunes out on the porch and in our house. The band to perform before Harry and the Potters was named Refuje (band site). They were a local band that were not a wizard rock band, but they did rock! These guys were really young, but had a great sound. And all the songs they wrote themselves included a really good guitar solo by their lead guitarist! DAMN!

After an exceptionally large number of contestants in the women over 6 division of costume contest was over the Harry and the Potters concert began. Cian, who had been belting out all the tunes at home, was quiet and just listened. I tried to get him to join the audience participation parts, but he asked that I be quiet. HAHAHA but the next day he was reliving the concert with all the audience participation parts. Toward the end we were all tired, and for the last couple of songs we sat with mom and friends in the balcony seating (we had been down on the 6th row). We had a lot of fun. Would recommend it to all.

P.S. Will post my camera phone pics on my flickr eventually when I download images from phone. Link will be here.