2017 Chestnut Hill Harry Potter Festival & Quidditch Tournament: What You Need To Know

CHESTNUT HILL, PHILADELPHIA – Chestnut Hill will be full of magic in October, as the 7th Annual Chestnut Hill Harry Potter Festival & Quidditch Tournament is all set to transform the Garden District into a piece of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

The 2017 festival will be held Friday, Oct. 20 and Saturday, Oct. 21 on Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill and this year's event will expand to a 12-block footprint.

The fun kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20 with Wands & Wizards Night on the Avenue. Activities include photo booths, performances by aerialists, fortune tellers along Germantown Avenue, and much more. Food and beverage specials will be available at participating restaurants throughout Chestnut Hill and stores on the Germantown Avenue will remain open until 9 p.m.

Friday will also host the costume contest, which begins at 8 p.m. The location is to be determined.

There is a small fee to participate – but spectators pay nothing – and registration details will be announced by Sept. 25. Participants must be 18 years of age or older. Seating for the costume contest will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Saturday Oct. 21's events begin at 10 a.m. and end at 4 p.m.

The day will feature a greeting from Dumbledore; Science of Wizarding and Sorting Hat demonstrations; Harry Potter Quizzo; and more.

Also, Saturday brings the Philadelphia Brotherly Love Cup Quidditch Tournament where teams from area schools and communities will compete in the seminal sport from Harry Potter's universe. The round robin style tourney is set to begin at 10 a.m.

The tournament will be held at Chestnut Hill College's main campus, 9601 Germantown Ave. and is free to attend.

Kids enjoy 10 interactive "make and take" activities with special Magical Wristbands offer Potter fans Wristbands are $20 per person and will available for sale beginning Aug. 29 on ChestnutHillPA.com

Make and take activities include make your own Golden Stitch, make your own paper glasses, owl decorating, design your own crest, bubble wands, Potter pics, bookmark making, and more.

More details will be made available closer to the festival, so stay tuned for the info, you Muggles!

Image via The Conmunity, Flickr Commons