Wild and Wonderful
Travel WV
written by samantha cart
Wizarding
Events
Photo by Fayetteville Wizard Weekend .
For centuries , talented writers have been capturing the imaginations of readers with their fictional worlds , diverse characters and elaborate stories . This is especially true when it comes to tales of magic and the witches and wizards who wield it . This love of all things magic has inspired everything from book clubs to sports clubs and cosplay to culture , and West Virginians are no exception . Across the Mountain State , festivals devoted to celebrating the magic of the wizarding world can be found for casual fans to the most devoted enthusiasts alike .
Fayetteville ’ s Wizard Weekend
In 2020 , Fayetteville hosted its first-ever Wizard Weekend , which was met with great success .
“ Fayetteville is a magical place , so it seemed fitting to have a Wizard Weekend to celebrate the magic of our town ,” says Tabitha Stover , executive director of Visit Fayetteville WV . “ We are the kind of town where everyone is a kid at heart , and we like to play hard . If an event has heart and is a little quirky , our community shows up and brings the Fayetteville magic .”
According to Stover , while the event pulls in a lot of locals and West Virginians from across the state , it also draws a surprising number of people from neighboring states looking for a magical weekend getaway .
Some of the highlights of Fayetteville ’ s Wizard Weekend include a quidditch tournament , costume contests , hands-on potions classes , themed painting classes and a house sorting ceremony .
“ We have a volunteer who makes hundreds of handmade wands in the months leading up to this event , and she prepares elaborate costumes to wear . Faces light up when visitors pick out their wands and walk away with their spell casting sheets ,” Stover says .
Stover credits the event ’ s success to the support of the business community . Along with interactive activities , restaurants offer wizard-themed food during the weekend .
While the inaugural event saw only a handful of businesses decorating their shops for the weekend , participation has grown every year .
“ The décor gets better every year , with more businesses going all out ,” Stover says .