If you were under the impression that you had to wait for your acceptance letter to Hogwarts to arrive in order to experience the world of Harry Potter, guess again. All over the country, you can discover small towns transforming into their own wizarding worlds, bringing our favorite books to life in an extraordinary way. Wondering if New York is home to any of these otherworldly festivals that will bring out the magic in you? Then check out this one location that you’re absolutely going to want to visit in 2018.

Starting off as a small one-day festival in downtown Ithaca back in 2015, the now-famous Wizarding Weekend quickly gained attention during its first year.
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Inspired by local teens, owners of shops in Ithaca's Press Bay Alley decided to turn the shopping strip into New York's very own Diagon Alley.
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After realizing just how many people were interested in diving into this magical world, Ithaca's Wizarding Weekend decide to expand to four days during its second year in 2016.
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From looming Dementors to House flags, you'll find downtown Ithaca covered in themed decorations around every corner you turn.
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You might be used to hearing us shout the slogan Ithaca Is Gorges, but during this unforgettable weekend, you'll only hear us talking about how Ithaca is Wizards!
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Visitors will be able to find a variety of Harry Potter-themed activities, like taking a trip to the Sorting Hat to see which House they belong to.
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And exploring some of your favorite rooms that are found inside of Hogwarts Castle.
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You'll also have the opportunity to learn about the Care of Magical Creatures from knowledgable wizards and witches.
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You can plan on seeing plenty of familiar faces while walking through the streets...
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But one well-known character you may be surprised to see is the quirky Flying Ford Anglia!
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And there's no need to wait for the trolly to come around on your enchanting train ride to Hogwarts, shops in Diagon Alley like Life's So Sweet Chocolates will be serving up all of your favorite magical candies all weekend long.
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You'll also discover plenty of other vendors throughout town offering incredible souvenirs that you'll want to take home with you.
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From Potion Crawls to Magical Scavenger Hunts around town...
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To a Half Blood Prince Blood Drive and a Cosplay Fashion Show, you'll want to make sure you're dressed to impress during Ithaca's Wizarding Weekend.
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This year the Wizarding Weekend will be held from Friday October 26th through Sunday October 28th, 2017. While the main festival taking place in downtown Ithaca is free for visitors to enjoy, there are other ticketed events going on that are worth checking out in town. Ticketed events like Hotel Ithaca's Halloween Breafkast, Advanced Potions for Adults at Coltivare Restaurant, Magical Mystery Tour and more will go on sale at the end of summer. To view all of the ticketed events, click here.

While this incredible festival may seem like it's ages away, accommodations in the area tend to book up fast so you'll want to reserve your stay ASAP if you're coming from out of town! To take a look at the Wizarding Weekend's schedule and to find out more information, check out the event's official website by clicking here.

For another glimpse at this magical festival, check out the below video:

Have you made it to Ithaca’s Wizarding Weekend before? To find out more about how you can keep yourself busy in this beautiful area, take a look at this Mini Road Trip That Will Take You Through Ithaca’s City of Waterfalls!

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