The Rosamond Gifford Zoo will come alive with magic on Saturday and Sunday as witches and wizards descend for the zoo’s second annual Wizards Weekend.

The event, aimed at children ages five and up, is meant to celebrate magic and help kids learn about the animal inspirations behind the Harry Potter series, said Julie Briggs, the zoo’s event manager. Children are encouraged to come dressed in costume, but parents often come dressed as well, she added.

Last year was the first time the zoo hosted the event, and it was a success. The first day completely sold out and the second was only 50 tickets short, said Briggs.

“We’re always trying to come up with creative events, but we like to do events that have an animal tie-in,” she added.

Briggs named both classic and new activities that will be at the zoo’s biggest themed event of the year. Attendees can attend classes like the ones referenced in the Harry Potter series, such as Care of Magical Creatures, where zoo animals like bearded dragons and snakes will be brought out.

There will also be a Potions 101 class, conducted by the zoo’s partner, the American Chemical Society, where participants have the chance to make “cool, magical potions,” she said.

Briggs also added that this year, there’ll be a new addition: a Horcrux scavenger hunt, where participants can try to find all seven of Voldemort’s Horcruxes. This is the same mission Harry Potter goes on in the books and movies.

In addition to the activities, the zoo will have its own version of Diagon Alley, with stalls that have treats for sale and offer free giveaways. Children will get to see memorable characters from the series’ Moaning Myrtle, who haunts one of the bathrooms at Hogwarts, and the dementors, Briggs said.

Briggs also said that, while seeing kids come in dressed up is great, this year the zoo is making an extra effort to get its staff and volunteers in on the costume fun. She added how fun it is when the children want to take pictures with the staff.

This year, Briggs will be dressing up as Professor Trelawney, the Divination professor from the series. Others have dressed up as characters such as Professor Severus Snape.

Themed food, like replicas of Honeydukes candy shop and the Three Broomsticks cafe, will be available, and Briggs said the zoo’s standard cafe will also have items for sale.

The Rosamond Gifford Zoo has hosted other themed events, such as a Mad Hatter Tea Party, inspired by “Alice in Wonderland,” and a Super Hero Weekend, but the Wizards Weekend is the biggest one of them all.

The event takes place at the zoo on Saturday and Sunday. “Wizard Passes” are $8 for members and $10 for non-members, but non-members also have to purchase a regular entry ticket to the zoo for the day they’re attending. Adults accompanying children do not have to purchase a wizard pass but still need a zoo ticket. Passes can be purchased on the zoo’s website.

Published on February 28, 2018 at 10:14 pm

Contact Sandhya: ssiyer@syr.edu