UPDATED: Chestnut Hill Witches & Wizards Festival, “Harry Potter” Conference Returning This October

The annual Witches & Wizards Festival is returning to Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, this October, along with the ninth annual Harry Potter Conference at Chestnut Hill College.

As with most events this year, the events in the Philadelphia-area Chestnut Hill will look a little bit different from previous years. The festivities will take place from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on October 17, 2020, with a pub crawl on October 16. The full list of events for the Witches & Wizards Festival is available on the Chestnut Hill website.

This fall, Chestnut Hill renews its seasonal tradition for the charming urban village that unites mischief and ghosts of wizards-past with family fun for an action-packed Witches & Wizards Festival weekend. Kicking off with [the] Brews and Broomsticks Pub Crawl on Friday, October 16 [–] and continuing with a day full of family-friendly programming on Saturday, October 17 – the 2020 Witches & Wizards Festival promises spooktacular entertainment and activities in a whimsical community setting.

The Harry Potter Conference at Chestnut Hill College, meanwhile, will take place virtually on October 16 and 17, its organizers have announced. More information, including information on the submission of abstracts, is available online. While the switch to a virtual format was necessary due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organizers of the conference hope that moving it online will also expand its reach to those who would not have been able to attend or present otherwise.

In previous years, we’ve covered the events in Chestnut Hill, including issues it has faced as an unofficial fan event. As Chestnut Hill reopens amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we know that there will be some changes made to the festival, but the magic will continue!

For more information on Chestnut Hill and the Witches & Wizards Festival, you can contact Chestnut Hill on its Facebook page. For more on the academic conference at Chestnut Hill College, you can contact the organizers on Facebook too.

Will you be taking part in any of the events in Chestnut Hill this year? Have you attended the festival or the conference before? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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UPDATE (August 24): Unfortunately, the Chestnut Hill Witches & Wizards Festival has been canceled for 2020, as noted in a new update on the event page:

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Chestnut Hill Witches & Wizards Festival is cancelled.

While we’re disappointed to hear this news, we hope that everyone stays safe and that the festival will be able to continue in 2021! The Harry Potter Conference will still be held virtually on October 16 and 17, as previously planned.