"Staunton, Virginia, used to be a railroad hub, but now, the rail station is mainly used for thrice-weekly Amtrak stops and scenic tours of the Shenandoah Mountains. But in late September, every year, the sleepy station is transformed into Platform 9 ¾, and the roaring Amtrak is replaced by a gorgeous vintage train referred to only as the Hogwarts Express. Hundreds of Harry Potter fans fill the waiting area as the train rounds the bend on a rainy Saturday afternoon, and one by one, familiar faces deboard and wave to adoring fans: Hogwarts faculty, friends and foes, and, of course, the Boy Who Lived himself."
"As they make their way back to the main drag of Beverley Street, they pass by the Sorting Hat and Arthur Weasley's Ford Anglia, parked in front of the giant "You Belong Here" mural - an ironic town motto, considering the "U" in "Staunton" is silent. This is Queen City Mischief and Magic, a fan-led event and festival where everyone belongs: new fans, old fans, book fans, movie fans, and everyone in between. This is an era where even identifying as a Harry Potter fan can be controversial, but for these two days in the sleepy town of Staunton, Harry Potter is celebrated not as a product owned by a creator and a studio, but as a story beloved by all. Could events like this be the future of the franchise - and fandom - itself?"
"Founded in 2016 as a release party for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Queen City Mischief and Magic began as "Staunton Potter Party." It's the brainchild of Sarah Lynch, owner of local Mexican restaurant Baja Bean Co., and was initially just a way to bring people together and support Staunton's local businesses. It was a success, but everything changed with a single phone call. "We got away with it for one year, and we had flyers printed for the second year, and I ended up on the phone with Warner Bros' vice president of Intellectual Property," Lynch tells Inverse. "I was sick, vom"
Late September in Staunton turns the quiet rail station into Platform 9 3/4, where a vintage train dubbed the Hogwarts Express arrives for costumed fans. Hundreds gather to welcome characters and parade past iconography like the Sorting Hat, Arthur Weasley's Ford Anglia, and a "You Belong Here" mural. Queen City Mischief and Magic welcomes book and movie fans alike, centering communal celebration rather than commercial ownership. The event began in 2016 as a release party called "Staunton Potter Party" to support local businesses and later encountered intervention from Warner Bros' intellectual property office, exposing tensions between fan creativity and corporate control.
Read at Inverse
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