The magical world of Harry Potter has taken over downtown Waterbury. It's a summer tradition that brings families together to celebrate the fan-favorite franchise.
The day kicked off on Friday. Like the stairs in Hogwarts castle, there was a lot of movement as the town celebrated its 4th annual Harry Potter Day.
"I'm a huge fan. At the start of summer, I went to a Harry Potter-themed camp. It was a lot of fun. I couldn't turn down the opportunity to be here today," said Emily Halliwell, of Terryville.
The event's "spokeswizard" says it's a day to celebrate Waterbury's local shops and artists.
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"The Silas Bronsin Library held Harry Potter celebrations for children for years, and then I had the idea, 'why don't we expand the magic to all of Waterbury,'" said Cyril the Sorcerer.
So, from storefronts to lunch specials, people could enjoy Harry Potter-themed treats and drinks. For fans, that means butter beer-flavored lattes and cupcakes.
"I literally take this day off from work every single year," said Michelle Cahill, of Watertown. "I really like that every single person that walks down the street today is like 'I know what house you're from and we're going to have such a good day.'"
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Cahill is a big fan of the wizard series and was determined to solve Friday's mystery activity. Participating stores had scraps of a letter that fans needed to piece together for a prize.
If you don't know what "House" you belong in, you could find out if you’re a Gryffindor or a Hufflepuff on the library lawn, where artists sold cloaks, ties, scarfs, and hand-crafted wands. Of course, Harry Potter Day wouldn't be complete without real owls and a magic performance.
The event carries over into Saturday from 10 p.m. to 3 p.m. There will be a "Quidditch" match at the Courtyard by Marriot and afternoon activities at the Mattatuck Museum.
