Frostburg State University Hosts 11th Annual Harry Potter Book Night

Mar 17, 2026 9:00 AM

Frostburg State University welcomed young witches, wizards and muggles alike for the 11^th annual Harry Potter Book Night on March 7. Hosted by the Children's Literature Centre in collaboration with the Ort Library and the Lane University Center, the event invited families to celebrate the beloved Harry Potter series through an evening of literacy-focused activities and magical fun. This year's event welcomed 121 children and 109 adults, bringing a total of 230 participants to campus.

Upon arrival, children received tote bags filled with themed goodies before exploring "Diagon Alley," where they selected wands, "shopped" for golden snitches at the Quidditch store, received journals from Flourish and Botts, adopted pygmy puffs from Weasley's Wizard Shop and picked up a howler craft kit from the Owl Emporium.

Children were then sorted by the Sorting Hat into one of the four Hogwarts houses and rotated through six interactive classes held throughout the library. Activities mirrored the fictional coursework from the acclaimed Harry Potter books.

A new class introduced this year, Care of Magical Creatures, featured live snakes presented by Reptile World. Other classes included Herbology, where children created clay mandrakes; Divination, where they made predictions using tea leaves; Potions, where they crafted invisible ink; Quidditch, where participants practiced goalkeeping, broom skills and snitch-finding; and Charms, which featured a two-part live magic show.

Children also enjoyed eight interactive wand stations, where they cast "spells" that made tables spin, typewriter keys move, secret chambers open, books shift, birds burst into flames and floo powder fly.

The evening concluded with a closing ceremony in the Lane University Center, where prizes were awarded for best behavior, outstanding costumes, the winning House Cup and several door prizes.

This annual event also serves as a m meaningful experiential learning opportunity for Frostburg State University students. More than 30 student volunteers from a variety of academic programs helped organize and facilitate activities. Teacher education students played a key role in planning the event and were joined by volunteers from other campus groups. Community members, emeriti faculty, library staff and FSU alumni also contributed their time as volunteers and instructors, helping bring the magical experience to life.

Harry Potter Book Night offers families a creative educational experience while introducing young visitors to Frostburg State's campus. By hosting the event in the Ort Library and Lane University Center, children and their families can explore campus facilities and begin forming connections with the university.