Harry Potter fans invited to join back to Hogwarts celebrations

From Thursday (September 1) to Sunday (September 4), fans are invited to London’s King’s Cross Station for exciting photo opportunities, interactive performances and a live countdown.

The four-day event, which runs from 9am to 5pm daily, is to celebrate the moment when the Hogwarts Express departs from Platform Nine and Three Quarters for a new school year as first introduced by author J.K Rowling 25 years ago.

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Since then, the Harry Potter series, which has sold over 600 million copies worldwide, has been translated into over 80 languages and brought to life on screen in eight blockbuster films.

Fans can participate in special Wand Combat workshops, led by Paul Harris the wand choreographer responsible for the combat seen in several of the films, as well watch the West End cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child performing a special version of the popular ‘wand dance’ as seen in the multi-award-winning stage play.

Mr Harris will be hosting a wand training session at the start of every hour from 1pm to 5pm on Thursday, September 1 and from 10am through to 5pm on Saturday, September 2.

MAGIC: Back to Hogwarts event this week

There will also be a live countdown, hosted by some unannounced special guests, as the departure board signals the train to Hogsmeade at 11am when the iconic train makes its way to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Fans will be able to take selfies with two one and a half metre tall, giant-scale book replicas of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone featuring Thomas Taylor’s cover art first published by Bloomsbury in 1997, together with the classic Johnny Duddle special 25th Anniversary edition.

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They can also pose for photos with LEGO Harry Potter big builds of the Hogwarts Sorting Hat and Mr Weasley’s blue Ford Anglia.

In addition to photographs, there will be a brand-new Hogwarts Express video booth for people to see themselves sitting in a train carriage with Harry, Ron and Hermione.

For fans who cannot make the event in person, they can tune into Back to Hogwarts LIVE hosted by Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy, as he embarks on a personalised tour of his old stomping ground – Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – the Making of Harry Potter.

This will take place on Thursday, September 1 at 7pm.

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Meanwhile, fans can also expect news on the upcoming RPG console game, Hogwarts Legacy. A first look into the game will take place on YouTube on Thursday, September 1 at 6.20pm.

To watch, visit: youtube.com/c/WizardingWorld

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Read more from this author

This story was written by Gee Harland. She joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.

Gee covers Wallingford, Wantage and Didcot.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland

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