Just like the Great Hall at Hogwarts, the Chebeague Island Hall on February 25 was lit up with stars hanging from the ceiling. Outside it was dark and blustery, but inside, the Harry Potter Extravaganza was in top form.
Sitting at a long table across the stage were the Hogwarts “professors,” island adults in full costume—academic robes, wigs and witch’s hats. Below them, at the front of the room, were four tables, each with a different house flag hanging overhead. Children eagerly lined up to be “sorted” to a certain house—Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, the houses at Hogwarts in the famous Harry Potter series.
As each child sat down, a tall witch’s hat was placed on his or her head, and a mysterious voice called out the name of one of the four houses. It was clear that these kids had been anticipating the event for weeks. It was like stepping into Hogwarts itself, including the table overflowing with cupcakes.
“It’s something that everyone can have fun with,” said Tracy Calder, a Chebeague resident and junior at Greely High School who organized the event. Tracy and her younger sister Tiffany, a fifth grader at the Chebeague Island School, had the idea for the event after seeing the most recent Harry Potter movie “Deathly Hallows Part II” (Their favorite of all eight Potter movies). They volunteered their time to plan the event for the community, which gladly helped out with cooking, setting up, trivia, and much more.
It was hard to tell who had a better time, the kids or the grown-ups.
Bea Crossman was also excited about the event. A third grader at the Chebeague Island School, she was eager to be able for the first time to see all the Harry Potter movies. “I like people that like going on adventures,” said Crossman when asked why she liked Harry Potter.
Before dinner, some of the Potter movies were shown at the Chebeague Island Library next door. Others were shown at the sleepover that followed the banquet. Transportation to the Extravaganza was provided by the “Hogwarts Express”—the decorated island school bus.
Aaron Belesca, also a student at the Chebeague Island School, said that he listened to all the Potter books on tape. “They were interesting,” he says. His favorite character is Professor McGonagall. Reuben Olney, at student at Harrison Middle School in Yarmouth, said that his favorite is Mad Eye Moody. When asked why he liked Harry Potter, Olney said “It’s really good!” He was looking forward to the sleepover to follow at the library.
After a community dinner, entertainment included a raffle with winners receiving the “sorting hat” and wand, a complete set of Harry Potter movies and an original painting of Hogwarts by islander Beverly Johnson. Then came a game of Harry Potter trivia among the four houses with island adults at nearby tables providing the cheering section. Each house was asked a question, and a score was kept. It was truly impressive how much the kids knew about Harry Potter. And just like it might happen in one of the movies, Gryffindor and Slytherin ended up in a tie. The final competition involved each table making up a short rhyming magic spell in one minute or less and then reciting it on stage.
Deb Bowman, Chebeague Island’s librarian, said of the evening: “It is just for fun,” although proceeds from the dinner benefitted the library. This isn’t Chebeague’s first Harry Potter event. A few years ago, Bowman organized sleepovers at the library to mark the release of each new Harry Potter movie. The recent Extravaganza drew a new group of younger Potter fans.
Bowman says author J.K. Rowling has achieved something magical with her tale about Harry Potter, and that was evident by those who attended the Extravaganza. “It is fun for all ages.”
Chloe Dyer is a resident of Chebeague and a participant in The Working Waterfront Student Journalism Program.