Philadelphia neighborhood to transform for annual Harry Potter festival

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Every year the Chestnut Hill neighborhood in northwest Philadelphia transforms into the magical locales of Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley for its annual Harry Potter Festival and Quidditch Tournament.

Hosted in conjunction with Chestnut Hill College, the festival features ten blocks of Potter-themed entertainment from Defense Against the Dark Arts classes to Sorting Hat ceremonies -- and plenty of Butterbeer.

Chestnut Hill College, with its Gothic architecture, fills in for Hogwarts and is home to the Brotherly Love Quidditch Tournament, which is a cross between dodgeball, basketball and rugby with players mounted on broomsticks.

The events begin Friday, Oct. 21 with a Harry Potter academic conference hosted at the school and a Potter Pub Crawl Friday evening.

The festival and the quidditch tournament both begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Tickets are required for the pub crawl and can be purchased through Chestnut Hill starting Sept. 28.