Usually, the brick path lining Acorn Alley in Kent is a popular destination for students at the nearby university.
But on Saturday, its transformation into Diagon Alley invited thousands of witches and wizards, and even some Muggles, to come celebrate the release of the latest installation of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which officially went on sale Saturday at midnight.
Off the Wagon Shop, along with Main Street Kent, organized the Kent Potterfest with over 25 businesses downtown that added their own magic touch, taking the identities of famous shops from the wizarding world.
Thousands of people of all ages, many dressed in costumes, packed into the Diagon Alley Plaza and spilled over onto the sidewalks.
Michael Lewis, a Main Street Kent board member, said the event began when Off the Wagon decided to hold a presale event for the book.
“It just kept growing and growing and growing,” Lewis said.
On the event’s Facebook page, over 3,800 people said they would attend, while an additional 12,000 said they were interested in attending.
Throughout the night, dozens of activities enchanted the busy downtown, including costume contests, mixology and potions classes, a scavenger hunt and live music.
Aiyah Faris, 12, of Akron, won the prize for best suited in the kid’s costume contest. She came as Moaning Myrtle, a character infamous for haunting the school bathroom with her crying, donning full Hogwarts robes, round glasses and topped with a cutout toilet seat over her head.
“I love the world created,” Aiyah said as she stood with her mom, Darlene, dressed as Dolores Umbridge, and her older sister, Nisreen, dressed as Bellatrix.
Many fans came with homemade costumes, including Michelle and Chris Conrad of Brimfield and their 9-month-old son, Max.
The couple dressed as trouble-making twins Fred and George Weasley, while they pushed Max, dressed as Ron Weasley, in a stroller they transformed into the flying car the characters crashed. Every year, they go back to their honeymoon destination — the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida.
“We love everything about it,” Michelle said about Harry Potter. “We’re definitely nerds.”
Lines to enter businesses often extended out the door and down the street. Many waited outside Popped, temporarily dubbed Honey Dukes and Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour, for the book’s famous butterbeer-flavored ice cream.
“If we knew there would have been this many people, we would’ve had more scarves,” said Miranda Bica, a sales associate at Carnaby Street Style, who said they sold out of their Harry Potter-themed scarves.
Festivities extended well into the night, as books were on sale to those who preordered them from the Knight Bus, Kent State University’s mobile bookstore, until 1 a.m.
“I’m just really happy Main Street Kent came up with this fabulous event,” said Robin Spano, who works at the bookstore.
Theresa Cottom can be reached at 330-996-3216.
