The best festivals in West Virginia include some of your favorite fictional characters. Heads up, Harry Potter fans! Winter can drag on sometimes, can’t it? Even if we’ve got a jam-packed schedule, we sometimes need something to mix things up a bit. Every year since the first one in 2020, folks count the days near the end of January for the extraordinary Wizard Weekend!  This Harry Potter-themed festival in West Virginia is an epic family-friendly celebration that’s a must for any fan of these interesting fictional characters.

Get ready for a weekend of magic, all you wizards and muggles in West Virginia as the Fifth Annual Wizard Weekend is coming to Fayetteville in January 2025.

The exact dates and schedule of activities have not yet been posted.

The festival promises a weekend of family-friendly fun and a full menu of events around the area.

Last year a Great Feast and the Wizarding Weekend School of Witchcraft and Wizardry took place at The Gaines Estate. We enjoy the Harry Potter references well placed in every nook and cranny at this historic venue.

Another business involved was Adventures on the Gorge which hosted a Murder Mystery event.

This is one of the nation's best adventure outfitters and resorts, so you can imagine what the staff might dream up for an event like this one.

Shopping is also a fun activity at this enchanted West Virginia festival.

Stroll through the market square and enjoy the wares of local craftspeople and other vendors.

This colorful tent of The Goods featured several handcrafted magic wands, salves, salsas, jellies, and teas.

Explore the inventory for some unique items.

One of the highlights of the week will be the costume contest that normally takes place on Saturday.

Be sure to dig your favorite Harry Potter-themed costume out of the closet! This person is dressed as Bellatrix LeStrange who was featured in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire."

Why not wear it all weekend long as you visit the festival?

Bring your best Harry Potter buddies along too, because you’ll want to team up to embark on an epic scavenger hunt which you can pick up from the Historic Fayetteville Convention and Visitors Bureau. Look for the designated items and characters throughout town and return to the visitor center for a small prize.

You might also join other Harry Potter fans to make wands to go with your costumes.

What would a wizard be without a wand?

And get some refreshments at the Cathedral Café.

Folks waited in line down the street all morning for the color-changing Wizard Mugs & Butter Beer!

All wizards and muggles will also want to attend the sorting ceremony. In what house – Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin – will you find yourself?

Got a flying broomstick? If not, no worries. You’ll still want to join a lively game of Quidditch or learn how to make potions. Sign up for one of the workshops once the schedule is announced.

The best festivals in West Virginia include this Harry Potter-themed event. Discover the 2025 updates as they are populated on the Wizard Weekend web page. Have you attended this magical event? Let us know in the comments below! Look for some Harry Potter costumes on the Etsy website.

Still on the hunt for fun things to fill your winter calendar? How about soaring through the sky on a winter zipline tour?

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/west-virginia/winter-zip-line-wv/