July 26, 2016

“Pottermania” Hits D.C. Bookstore –Again!

By Tayla Burney

At its height, Pottermania brought big crowds to bookstores for midnight releases of the latest installment of the JK Rowling series. Readers would plop down in the store or crack the spine of the book on the sidewalk, eager to find out what came next for Harry, Hermione, Ron and the rest of the characters they’d come to know and love.

But wait…Harry’s adventures aren’t quite over. It’s not a novel, but local booksellers hope that the release of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” will bring readers out on in the wee hours this Saturday into Sunday.

This time, the latest installment takes the form of a play. Will readers queue up for that? Odds are good since it picks up where the novels left off.

Molly Olivo, book buyer for Barstons Child’s Play stores, has tickets to see the stage version of the play in London this fall and said of this weekend’s festivities, “I don’t know that you can ever recreate the same magic, but I’m going to see the play so I have very high hopes it’s going to be fantastic.” Olivo said she’s looking forward to “being able to return to Hogwarts and get back a bit of that magic. This was somewhat unexpected and is probably the last time we’ll be able to do a midnight release party for the series, so I hope everyone takes advantage of it.”

Can’t make it to the UK like Molly to see for yourself? Cast some friends and put on your own local (read: staged in your living room) production of the play. Or just go out this weekend and commune with your fellow Potter fans. Odds are good a bookstore near you is hosting festivities late Saturday night. The play goes on sale at the stroke of midnight. Check out this list and if you know of others, leave a comment for us:

Barstons Child’s Play is hosting full slates of events at all four area stores, but a few will boast unique features including Quidditch games, which will take place in the parking lot behind the Washington, D.C. store beginning at 7 p.m. and at the McLean store beginning at 10:30 p.m. Not up to speed on the sport? Well, from 2 – 6 p.m. there will be a visit by an owl from Potomac Overlook Park at the Arlington store. At all four locations 10% of sales of the play will go to An Open Book Foundation.

Curious Iguana in Frederick, Maryland has costume contests on tap for an evening of festive fun outside the beltway.

East City Bookshop on Capitol Hill has two events on tap. Saturday they’ll stay open until the wee hours of Sunday morning to make sure die-hard fans can get their copy of the play. Expect themed cocktails and movie screenings during the countdown. Then on Sunday afternoon they’re going to host a party for the kiddos who couldn’t stay up that late – and anyone else who wants in on the fun.

Hooray for Books in Alexandria, Virginia is hosting multiple festivities, too. Saturday late night activities include costumes, trivia and Pin-the-Nose-on-the-Voldemort (!). They’re also teaming up with the nearby Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum for a scavenger hunt that runs throughout the weekend and a Sunday afternoon celebration in honor of Harry’s birthday.

Kramerbooks in Dupont Circle will be hosting festivities that include Wizard Trivia and a costume contest. The bar in the café will be serving Butter Beer from 10 to midnight, which will steel your nerves for the free (fake!) lightning bolt tattoos they’ll have on hand.

One More Page Books in Arlington, Virginia will have costume contests, sorting ceremonies AND ‘Wizard Wrock Karaoke’ on tap for the evening festivities. If you’re not up to singing your heart out, there will also be trivia duels.

Politics and Prose in Northwest D.C. is transforming their coffeehouse, The Den, into a Hogwarts inspired haven where you can check out people’s costumes ahead of a contest just before midnight. There will also be crafts – DIY wands! – readings and trivia.

Upshur Street Books in Petworth will have all of the Harry Potter snacks you could wish for on hand at the stroke of midnight.