Small town transforms into a Harry Potter world

Attendees dressed as Madeye Moody and and Pamona Sprout pose on the streets of Staunton on Saturday, September 29. (Photo by Shelly Slocum)

Traveling to the small town of Staunton, Virginia on any occasion is a trip worth taking, but on one September weekend each year, it becomes a magical journey that draws thousands from across Virginia and the U.S.

The small town has an antique charm that becomes magical during their Queen City Mischief and Magic, or QCMM, weekend event. This year, the event was held September 28–30.

“The festival started three years ago,” said Sarah Lynch, owner of Staunton restaurant Baja Bean and founder

of the event. "We did it small, just one day for Harry Potter's birthday and the release of the eighth movie."

Visitors gather to play "Wizard's Chess" with the house founders. (Photo by Shelly Slocum)

The festival has since expanded from that first small celebration in 2016.

“This year we grew, and we had more people,” said Lynch. “It was really good to not have them so concentrated that people couldn’t really walk around.”

In September of 2017, QCMM’s second year attracted thousands more than expected.

"Espresso Patronum" sign. (Photo by Shelly Slocum)

“When you take on something big, you’re surprised because there’s a lot of hard problems,” said Lynch. “You didn’t think about having, ya know, 10 or 15,000 people in this little space.”

But no matter how filled the small streets, it is an understatement to say that the scenic town is a perfect fit for Mischief & Magic. From huge antique stores to tiny book stores, to walk down Beverly Street is to step back in time.

“I had for years when my son was in first grade realized that our town had everything,” said Lynch. “That tiny little building I think of as Grimmauld Place; the architecture screams those movies and books.”

A centerpiece at the potions class I attended. (Photo by Shelly Slocum)

Many of the businesses take on magical pseudonyms for the weekend, such as Kings Cross Café and Espresso Patronum. Even the Mary Baldwin campus has joined in on the Mischief & Magic, creating a logo similar to that of the Hufflepuff Crest.

As the event has grown, it has evolved into a general magical theme which is not necessarily exclusively Harry Potter, though many visitors and residence break out their best costume from the Harry Potter universe.

“My personal favorite thing is the characters, because they do such a great job,” said Lynch. “They are so in character. They bring their best costumes.”

Volunteers in the town dress up as well, taking on a new persona for the entire weekend.

A (dark, low quality) picture from the house banquet, where the food was amazing and the actors even more so. (Photo by Shelly Slocum)

“Voldemort last night had a dark mark stamper, and it was ‘so modern’ he refused to touch it, it would break the mystique,” said Lynch. “His prefect was assigned to it and he would stamp the dark mark on people, and Voldemort would touch it with his wand.”

The dedication of volunteers and Harry Potter fans is one of many things that makes the weekend great, while another fan favorite is unanimously the Butter Beer.

“I love the characters, I love the people that show up here, and I drink a lot of butter beer,” said Lynch.

Yes, it is casual to stop professor Trillani for a picture

in the middle of lunch rush. (Photo by Shelly Slocum)

Visiting muggles (you know, non-magic folk) can buy tickets to a house banquet, dragon lair tour, potions class, and other creatively detailed events.

Although there are things you can purchase, having a tight budget is not a factor when heading to Queen City Mischief and Magic, as a majority of the event is volunteer-based and admission is free to visitors.

At no cost, tourists can go on a hunt for cards throughout the town, take pictures in “selfie spots,” watch and participate in a quidditch match or wizard chess, do a scavenger hunt in Cranberry’s to earn a prize, take house-specific yule ball dance lessons, participate in wand duels, and much more.

The aesthetic of my wand and book as I await my inevitable A+ in potions class. (Photo by Shelly Slocum)

The volunteers work hard to make this weekend happen, with right at 100 volunteers this year and around 65 in 2017.

Lynch works around nine months out of the year to make the weekend happen.

“I’m gonna take this month off, and then I’ll start mid-November meeting with the city on how we’re gonna lay it out, what our footprint is gonna be, what is safe and unsafe, how we can fix it and change it,” said Lynch. “I one night stayed up all night not able to sleep, even though I was tired, thinking about what we needed to change for next year.”

The much-anticipated, annual chalk drawing by Robert Mott, who you can watch draw it on

the second day of the festival. (Photo by Shelly Slocum)

The hours put into this weekend by some volunteers is equal to that of a part-time job.

“The first four or five months, I’ll work probably 40 hours a month on this, but then the next five or six months I’ll work 40 hours a week on this,” said Lynch. “And the last month I have a bunch of people working 40 hours a week with me on this in their spare time.”

The work put in to make this event happen is incredible, and people interested in volunteering should contact Lynch.

“This town is always magical and amazing, but this weekend it’s like on steroids magical, and it’s wonderful,” said Lynch. “You don’t think you can improve on a good thing, then it gets better.”

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Me and my brother pose at Platform 9 3/4... I don't trust his driving. (Photo by Susan Slocum)

My face in one of the "selfie spots" around Staunton. (Photo by Susan Slocum)

Umbridge and Snape costumes. (Photo by Shelly Slocum)

The Hufflepuff twins, at your service. (Photo by Susan Slocum)