Wokingham

Children were spellbound with excitement at the Harry Potter Midnight Launch Party at Wokingham Library on Friday night.

More than 50 lucky young Wokingham competition winners attended the party, where they enjoyed a magical time that culminated in the unveiling of the seventh and final Hogwarts adventure, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The young partygoers had won tickets to the big night in three competitions run at all the Wokingham borough’s libraries.

At the Wokingham party, the children and their families enjoyed games, puzzles and craft activities as well as being taught magical tricks by children’s magician Mike Tait – all on a Harry Potter theme. And, at one minute past midnight, the moment all Harry Potter fans had been waiting for arrived when the final book was unveiled.

One young partygoer, Matthew Hillman, aged nine, who was one of the fancy dress competition winners with his Dumbledore costume, said: “I would describe the party as very bewitching. My favourite bit was learning to do magic. I had entered all three competitions and was amazed when I found out I had won.”

Another Wokingham Harry Potter fan at the party, Stephanie Gaddum, aged nine, who was also a fancy dress competition winner with her imaginative spell book costume, said: “My favourite bit was learning to do magic tricks; they were really interesting and I’ve never done anything like that before.”

And Stephanie’s mum Ruth, who was also at the party, said: “The party is a really inventive idea. It was really good fun and great for the children. Stephanie has been so excited about tonight – the end of term paled into insignificance ever since she found out she had won a ticket.”

As well as Stephanie and Matthew, the third Wokingham fancy dress competition winner on the night was Tara Sharif – who celebrated her tenth birthday on the day of the party. All the winners received a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as a prize.

Wokingham Borough Council reader development officer for young people and families Elizabeth McDonald said: “It was an incredible evening and I think all the guests had a great time. The build up of anticipation as we got close to midnight was intense and it was magical to see so much excitement caused by a book and so much fun being had in a library. The children seemed to enjoy everything at the party, although Mike Tait and his magic tricks were particularly popular.”
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The party’s success came despite the heavy rain on Friday evening; with young fans determined they would make the big night and dedicated staff prepared to battle the bad weather to make it happen. Only one party ticket winner could not make it to the event and he is being sent a goody bag from the party to help make up for the disappointment.

Corporate head of Wokingham knowledge development Chris Hamilton said: “Apparently the children were so determined to get to the party that they would not let the floods stop them and begged their parents to get them to it, which is a credit to how much excitement the party created. I would also like to pay tribute to the dedication of the staff who made it in on the night and ensured it was such a success.”

Wokingham Borough Council