Finalist Cities Announced for the Next Locations of the Wizarding World Wands Installation

Last year, a dazzling light show was set up in London in the run-up to Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald featuring nine 15-foot-tall wands modeled after those belonging to popular characters from both the Fantastic Beasts and Harry Potter series.

The installation, created in support of J.K. Rowling’s foundation Lumos, impressed Londoners so much with its display of magical might that organizers decided to take the show on the road but left the final decision of where in the hands of fans.

A national public poll was released to assess interest from cities across the United Kingdom and Ireland in hosting the next set of displays, but after a fierce competitive vote, eight finalists have been shortlisted as contenders, including Birmingham, Kingston upon Hull, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Reading, and Stoke-on-Trent in England and Dublin in Ireland.

Only four of these cities will have the honor of hosting the final light show itself, though, meaning it is more important than ever that fans vote to ensure that their city is one of the chosen few!

In celebration of the shortlisting, Paul Harris, the official wand choreographer for the Wizarding World, visited schools in the finalist areas, putting students through their paces as he taught them how to handle wands like true wizards.

Students in schools such as Westcott Primary School in Kingston upon Hull and Allerton High School in Leeds may have welcomed Harris in this celebration of the final stage of the wands ready voting process, but with the release date of Fantastic Beasts 3 still up in the air, it isn’t known yet when fans will be able to experience this exciting installation.

Is your city still in the running to host this prestigious event? Voting closes on August 26, with the winners to be announced on August 31, so be sure to vote now and get your wands ready!