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Mugglefest Portland 2007

The biggest Harry Potter celebration in the world, and Breakwater School was there!

Countless hours of tireless work by Breakwater faculty, staff, parents, students, and alumni paid off at the wildy popular Mugglefest from 1 pm on July 20th  until 1 am on July 21st.  Breakwater's "Office of Underage Magical Detection" culled the most magically gifted festival attendees, sorted them into Hogwarts Houses, looked into their futures using Divination techniques, and sent them along wearing blue glitter and Breakwater t-shirts.  The latest count of festival goers is 6,000, and the line for Breakwater School's booth stretched far until 12:30 in the morning!  Click here for a gallery of photos from the event.

Mugglefest, in addition to being a fun event, raised money for Youth and Family Outreach's early literacy programs.  It was a natural fit for Breakwater School to be one of the sponsors, both because of the literacy focus and the popularity of the Harry Pottor series.  The number of dollars raised is still being finalized, but the magnitude of what local businesses and organizations can do by collaborating was evident immediately when over one hundred people, some in costume, waited at the East End Beach to catch the first Narrow Gauge Railroad "Hogwarts Express" to the festival.

Breakwater School sponsored the train, and Breakwater community members served as informational resources as people embarked on their journey.  Riding the train was transformative: signs warning of Dementors, Wizards working, and Womping Willows helped visitors transition from the coast of Portland, Maine to the landscapes of Britain.  People were met by Professors Dumbledore, Snape, McGonnagle, and Umbridge, plus Hagrid, a Dementor, Gilderoy Lockheart, Dobby the House Elf, and other characters.  Potter fans bought books, made wands and golden snitches, got autographs, had their pictures taken playing Quiddich, had their hair done by magic, were interviewed by television crews, and eagerly tested their magical abilities.

Admittance to what some called Mugglefest's most popular booth (Breakwater's) was contingent upon successfully completing a brief quiz.  Those wishing to become Hogwarts students were asked a series of trivia questions only true Potter fans could answer.  Next their parchment quizzes revealed a secret password which the lucky student passed along to a gatekeeping portrait.  Once past the portrait, the student had a brief session with a Divination Professional who gave insight into their future, then went on to the Sorting Hat.  Students were sorted into the appropriate Hogwarts House, given a special House Badge, and dusted with magical blue glitter as a final matriculation ritual.  As they departed, new Hogwarts students were given small gifts, then allowed to continue exploring the wonders of Diagon Alley.

A successful event by all accounts, Mugglefest was excellent fun for a great cause.  It united fans from non-profit organizations like Breakwater School, retailers, journalists, law firms, youth groups, and many more in twelve hours of hot and crowded fun.  No one will soon forget the magic created by all the volunteers who made Mugglefest come alive, the happy children wearing capes and robes, and the release of the final book in a series that transformed children's literature and made believers of us all.  Magic most certainly begins at Breakwater School, and with our new Head of School David Sullivan, this coming school year will certainly be the most magical yet!

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