The Unmissable Staunton Harry Potter Festival: Queen City Mischief and Magic
The Queen City Mischief and Magic Festival isn’t just the best Harry Potter festival I’ve ever been to; I think it’s legitimately the best festival I’ve ever attended, period.
If you’ve been thinking about going, or wondering where you can find the best Harry Potter festival, I give the Staunton’s Queen City Mischief and Magic my strongest recommendation.
I’ve been a fan of literary travel for more years than I can count now, and as a big Harry Potter fan, that includes scoping out the best Harry Potter attractions around the world. One of the biggest surprises for me has been Queen City Mischief and Magic. I had such an amazing time when I attended and have followed the festival’s events ever since, participating virtually when I can.
Queen City Mischief and Magic attracts about 20,000 visitors each year for three days of Harry Potter-inspired festivities and in 2023 won second place for Virginia’s Best Quirky Festival. It features a massive and creative event line-up, from live quidditch to character meet-and-greets, to potions classes, animal demonstrations, and more.
In this post, I’ll talk you through the best attractions in Queen City Mischief and Magic and give you insider information to make the most of your time, including practical information like where to park and where to stay.
Don’t forget to pin this post for later reference.
As always, this post may contain affiliate links, which means at no additional cost to you, shopping from them may generate small commissions to support the operations of this blog.
Whenever possible, I recommend buying books at local bookshops or through Bookshop.org, because shopping there puts the profits right into the hands of indie bookstores all over the country.
Queen City Mischief & Magic at a glance
In brief, Queen City Mischief and Magic is a free, 3-day festival that takes over downtown Staunton, Virginia each September. The entire downtown area transforms into a magical destination straight out of a Harry Potter book. It’s an amazing weekend guaranteed to delight Harry Potter and magic lovers of all ages.
Shops don magical window displays and sell one-of-a-kind magical goods to festival goers. The streets fill up with costumed characters. Festival tents seemingly everywhere offer different Harry Potter inspired activities or goods to sell.
Special events inspired by the Harry Potter books and movies draw huge crowds. Colored house banners take over the street lamp poles. Everywhere you look at Queen City Mischief and Magic, you’re sure to find plenty of both — mischief and magic, that is.
Read on for more detailed information about the Staunton Harry Potter festival.
Related: Queen City Mischief and Magic is just one of the many Staunton attractions for book lovers. There’s also some incredible sights for Shakespeare fans, plus some great bookstores.
How long has the Queen City Mischief and Magic Festival been around?
The Queen City Mischief and Magic Festival first began in 2016 as the passion project of a Staunton local, Sarah Lynch. Sarah owns a coffee shop in Staunton, Baja Bean, and had the idea to throw a Queen City Potter Party (Queen City is a nickname for Staunton). She and her son loved the Harry Potter books and movies and had the idea to turn downtown Staunton into Hogsmeade village.
The idea quickly caught on; in just the second year (2017), the festival was three days long. Also that year, the name changed to Queen City Mischief and Magic after Warner Brothers cracked down on festivals for copyright issues.
Now, the festival adheres closely to intellectual property rights guidelines given her by Warner Brothers. This Staunton Harry Potter festival is that only unofficially — they make it clear it has no affiliation with Warner Brothers or JK Rowling:
“Whatever your idea is of magic, bring it downtown,” summarized the Queen City Mischief and Magic festival founder. Some festival goers dress up in magical costumes from other franchises, like Doctor Who and Lord of the Rings. All are welcome.
Even without the Harry Potter name, QCMM gets more elaborate and draws bigger crowds every year.
Perhaps the most magical part of Queen City Mischief and Magic is the inspiring level of participation from the Staunton community. The Staunton Harry Potter festival is completely volunteer-run and backed by over a hundred businesses and non-profit groups in the town of Staunton. You can feel the local passion and dedication when you attend.
Queen City Mischief and Magic has continued to run since 2016, except for in 2020 and 2021, due to COVID restrictions. It came back strong in 2022 and had a very successful year in 2023 as well.
Related: There are lots of great attractions in the Mid-Atlantic for book lovers. Check out the surprising F. Scott Fitzgerald locations in Maryland, the stunning Peabody Library in Baltimore, and further north, the famous Baldwin’s Book Barn indie bookstore.
Festival Highlights
Magically transformed shops and businesses
During the Queen City Mischief and Magic Festival in Staunton, nearly all the downtown shops and businesses undergo impressive transformations. Walking down the streets feels like walking down Diagon Alley, with eye-catching window displays all around.
But it’s not just about the visuals; inside the local shops, you can browse and purchase unique items made specifically for the festival. Some of my favorite purchases were a “sleeping potion” Potter-inspired herbal tea and a dragon’s blood scented candle. Each year, the shop owners get more and more creative. You’re sure to find more than one location selling handcrafted wooden wands, too.
When it comes to food and drinks, the creativity doesn’t stop. For the Staunton Harry Potter festival, local eateries offer special menu items inspired by the wizarding world, such as Potter-inspired cocktails, “butter brew,” and other magical treats. (A delicious chocolate cauldron cake was one of my personal favorites).
I even saw that in 2023, a local bakery sold miniatures of Hagrid’s famous birthday cake, complete with hand-piped misspelled writing on top. Split Banana Co., the delicious downtown ice cream parlor, usually offers butter brew floats, a Potter-inspired twist on the classic root beer float.
Even unexpected places join in the Harry Potter festival spirit, like the local tattoo studio that in 2023 offered flash magical tattoos for those looking to commemorate the event.
Costumed characters
At the Queen City Mischief and Magic Festival in Staunton, you’ll find plenty of Harry Potter-inspired characters roaming the streets. Keep an eye out for appearances by *unofficial* Harry, Hermione, and Ron as well as many Hogwarts professors, like Dumbledore, Snape, Umbridge, McGonagall, and even Filch. Watch out for Death Eaters, as Voldemort is often on the prowl with his Death Eaters.
These characters aren’t just for show – they’re ready to interact with attendees, whether it’s posing for photos or engaging in playful wand duels. There’s also a designated meet-and-greet area, which changes location every year. In 2023, it was held inside a historic bank building that transformed into Gringott’s Wizarding Bank, offering fans a chance to meet their favorite characters in an immersive setting.
What’s unique about the festival is that it’s not just the volunteers who dress up – attendees get in on the fun, too. In true Harry Potter fan fashion, festival-goers fully embrace the spirit of the event. Some standout sightings from when I attended included Boggart Snape dressed in Neville Longbottom’s grandmother’s clothing, complete with a stuffed pheasant hat, and Moaning Myrtle sporting a toilet seat atop her head. It’s this kind of enthusiasm of the fans that make the Queen City Mischief and Magic Festival a must-visit for any Harry Potter lover.
Character Arrivals on the “Hogwarts Express”
Of course, they can’t call it the Hogwarts Express, but one of the highlights of Queen City Mischief and Magic is when various Harry Potter-inspired characters arrive at Staunton’s historic train station on a steam locomotive, then disembark and interact with the gathered crowd.
Because this is such a popular event of the festival, they’ve begun staggering the arrivals throughout the day, so one train may bring students, another Hogwarts professors, and still another, Hogwarts founders. It’s definitely a Staunton Harry Potter festival highlight and one you shouldn’t miss.
Harry Potter inspired activities and events
The Staunton Harry Potter festival involves a packed schedule of activities you can choose to participate in. Note that the festival itself is free to attend, but many of the activities are ticketed with their own associated price. As the festival grows in popularity, it becomes more and more advisable to book your activities in advance!
Some of the events and activities at Queen City Mischief and Magic in recent years have included (stars by my personal favorites):
- The sorting hat experience (sit underneath the hat to be sorted into your Hogwarts house; the hat doesn’t actually touch your head for obvious reasons)
- Aviary show with live owls
- Slytherin snake show
- Build your own fantastic beasts by combining parts of donated stuffed animals*
- Afternoon tea with the Hogwarts founders*
- Character breakfasts in the Great Hall
- Polyjuice parade of characters
- Conversations with a mermaid (in an actual water tank, tail and all)
- Harry Potter pub trivia*
- Potions making classes*
- Music performances from the Harry Potter films
- Staged production of the off-broadway hit play, The Puffs
There are so many more, and more being added to the lineup each year.
Street Quidditch
No Harry Potter festival would be complete without some quidditch games! At Queen City Mischief and Magic, teams representing the four Hogwarts houses practice for weeks leading up to the festival. Throughout the three days of QCMM, the teams play in scheduled matches against each other, leading up to the exciting quidditch game final.
Games are played in the streets, and they are popular, so secure your spot early if you want a good viewing place!
Also, look on the schedule for quidditch workshops where you can learn to play the muggle version of quidditch.
Related: If you’re a Harry Potter fan, then England should be high on your bucket list! Check out my complete list of Harry Potter things to do in London as well as a couple of Hogwarts-esque libraries to visit in Manchester.
Harry Potter Run: Firebolt 5k and the Race of 100 Harrys
In conjunction with the Staunton Harry Potter festival, they host a Harry Potter run — well, two, actually.
First, there’s the race of 100 Harrys, and let me tell you, it’s ADORABLE. Kids can sign up for this race of about ½ mile. The entry fee is very low, and participants also get a Race of 100 Harrys t-shirt, a firebolt tattoo, and a finisher’s medal. Costumes are encouraged, and it’s recommended for parents to run alongside any young children.
For older Harry Potter fans, you can participate in the Firebolt 5k. Select your house team upon registration, then the day of, don your house t-shirt that you receive with your entry fee, and run or walk your heart out through a 5k course dotted with Harry Potter-inspired locations along the way.
The medals for this 5k are amazing. For the first four years, participants got one part of a 4-part medal of the Hogwarts crest. Currently, they are running a multi-year, multi-part medal based on the Deathly Hallows.
If you can’t make it to Staunton for this Harry Potter run, don’t worry; you can join virtually! I’ve done this myself for years I haven’t been able to attend the festival in person. You can participate in the run, log your time for your Hogwarts house team, and receive your medal and tshirt in the mail.
Tip: The earlier you register, the cheaper it is!
These races happen rain or shine! (In 2023, it was certainly in rain).
Queen City Mischief and Magic: 2024
Mark your calendars! Queen City Mischief and Magic 2024 will be from September 28 – 29. Wizards and witches will once again take over downtown Staunton, with the 2024 theme: Mischief & Magic & Dragons, Oh my!
Follow their Facebook page to get the most reliable updates.
Practical Information
Tips for making the most out of QCMM
As a past attendee of Queen City Mischief and Magic as well as a current dedicated researcher of the event (I hope to get back there for QCMM 2024 or 2025!), here are my top tips for making the most out of your experience at this Harry Potter festival:
- For festival updates and announcements, the festival social media pages update more frequently than the website.
- Each year has a very cool t-shirt design. I love my festival t-shirt and still wear it. You can actually pre-order your t-shirt and pick it up at the festival, or you can roll the dice and try to buy one at the designated booth, but there’s no guarantee of finding your desired size.
- Register for events early. They do sell out, including the Harry Potter run. You’ll regret not participating in at least some of the themed events.
- Similarly, if you hope to stay within walking distance of Staunton’s Harry Potter festival, book your hotel or vacation rental early! Then you don’t have to worry about navigating festival parking.
- Bring some cash! Most merchants take cards, but not all of the participating non-profits will.
- For street performances like quidditch games and animal shows, arrive to the location early to get a spot with good visibility. These do get crowded.
- Look to the colored House banners around town to help orient you. Cross-reference these with your festival map to figure out where you are and where you want to go.
- In previous years, they distributed festival programs, but in 2024, it will be all digital. Download the Sched app for all the festival information, including the festival map and event schedule.
- Embrace the magic! Come in costume!
- If you are driving, bear in mind that parking options fill up very early. Also, you may want to use the Waze app to navigate, as the festival runners register the festival road closures on that app to help with navigation.
Getting to Staunton
If you’re traveling to Staunton’s Harry Potter festival from outside the city itself, there’s a number of ways you can choose to arrive.
By car: From Washington, DC, take a 2.5-3 hour drive on Interstate 66 West and Interstate 81 South. From Richmond, take Interstate 64 West and Interstate 81 North, which also takes around 2.5 to 3 hours
By bus: There is a Virginia Breeze Megabus that travels from Washington, DC to Staunton. It is a direct trip and takes about 4 hours. You can usually find roundtrip tickets for around $40-45.
Unfortunately, there’s no direct bus option from Richmond to Staunton; any bus routes go first through Washington, DC, making the trip significantly longer (like, 7-9 hours).
Search for the best train and bus options on Omio, which compares prices and timetables for quick searching. It’s always my first resource when planning a trip on public transportation.
Don’t forget: You can also get cash back by using Rakuten on Omio.
By plane: The closest major airports to Staunton, Virginia are the Charlottesville Airport (34 miles away) and Roanoke Airport (105 miles), so if you choose to fly in, you’ll need to rent a car as well to get to the festival. Check for the cheapest flights on Skyscanner, my go-to flight resource.
Parking for the Harry Potter festival
If you arrive early enough, you might be able to snag a parking spot for Queen City Mischief and Magic Festival in one of the downtown Staunton parking garages on New Street or Johnson Street.
Due to the Staunton Harry Potter festival’s popularity, they have also added an option for a Saturday shuttle. You can park at the old Staunton Mall at 90 Lee Jackson Highway and take a free shuttle bus to the festival. Note that this option is ONLY for Saturdays unless they announce otherwise for 2024.
Tip: Even this additional parking option fills up quickly! In 2023, this shuttle bus parking option was full by 11 am.
Finally, you have the option to park at Gypsy Hill Park at 600 Churchville Ave and enjoy a one-mile (flat) walk to downtown Staunton.
Where to stay in Staunton
If you can snag a room in time, I highly recommend trying to stay at Hotel 24 South, formerly known as the Stonewall Jackson Inn. It’s a beautiful, historic hotel right in downtown Staunton, so you’ll be able to walk to all of the Queen City Mischief and Magic activities. Plus, there is an indoor pool and hot tub. I’ve stayed here before and found it a really lovely place to stay in Staunton.
As you look for somewhere to stay, I recommend checking for lodging on Hotels.com. I almost always book my accommodations through Hotels.com, because you can earn rewards for every night you stay without having to choose only one hotel chain to be loyal to. You can even book locally owned apart hotels and bed and breakfasts.
If you’re looking for privately owned vacation rentals, I recommend checking VRBO. I’ve personally had much better experiences with their owners and rentals than I have with their primary competitor.
What do you think? Is the Staunton Harry Potter festival on your bucket list? I honestly can’t recommend it enough for Potter fans of all ages.
Don’t forget to pin this post to reference later in the year, and subscribe to my newsletter so you don’t miss any more cool bookish events like this again!
