NEWS

Hundreds of muggles attend Potterfest in Springfield

Giacomo Bologna, and Guillermo Hernandez Martinez

News-Leader

A few hundred muggles — or non-magical folk — came to the Gillioz Theatre in downtown Springfield this weekend for Potterfest, a Harry-Potter-themed movie celebration.

Kevin Giboney, 9, dressed as Harry Potter, poses for a portrait before the screening of the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire movie at the Gillioz Theatre in Springfield, Mo. on Feb. 18, 2017.

The Gillioz Theatre is showing all eight Harry Potter films over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Some fans of the movies — and the seven books penned by J.K. Rowling — came dressed as their favorite characters, carrying wands and drinking butterbeer.

One such superfan was 9-year-old Emelia Booth, who dressed as Hermione Granger, a precocious witch in Gryffindor House.

The young Harry Potter fan came to see the movies Saturday with her father. Like Hermione, Emelia Booth is an avid reader and said she has already read all the books, finding them fun and exciting.