When I got to Campbellford on this remarkably cool for July evening, I knew something was up. The lights on the Campbellford Civic Gazebo were full ablaze – but no one was there. So as I started the trek over the Trent River bridge, the play of the wind and light on the water just added fuel to my imagination. What would be happening this July 21st to 22nd night to make the midnight sale of the last Harry Potter book memorable? I had chosen to go to Kerr’s book store because the Warkworth librarians had recommended it as a fun time – and PixofCanada readers know that Warkworth’s librarians have a knack for finding fun. Well as I passed the crest of the bridge I had my first surprise. There was a crowd of over 250 Potterites spread all over Bridge and Water Streets outside Kerr’s Books waiting to buy their copy of the Deathly Hallows.
Expecting 30-50, getting over 250 Potter fans at Campbellford
I also got a lesson in how to have fun at a Potter First Night Sale. First you have tatoos for the kids of all ages:
Potter Appropriate Tattoos
This gets the kids, many all dressed up in their HufflePuffle or RavenClaw best, in the mood. I can testfy to the fact as I had a 11 year old Potter-phile telling me why he thought The-One-Who-Should-Not-Be Named had attracted so much support. “Because everybody wants to be on the winning side, and so far the Dark Lord is really winning. Yes, I agree Harry and the DumbleDore Army are a lot more fun … but it appears the Death Eaters are a lot more effective.” “Hmmm..”, I observerd, “you have a point there but I still don’t believe the Dark Lord has done his worst. He and his cohorts could apparate more often and take hostages …”. This lively discussion went on until I just had to get some more pictures.
Free Cake (Dark Chocolate or Pure White Cake) – a Slytherin choice
And what better subject for photos than free cake and coffee. I never found out if the choice between dark chocolate and pure white cake was deliberate. But it was amusing to see that the two flavous were running almost mouth to mouth in Potter Party goers approval. I think at the very end of the night there was just a little more pure white cake slices leftover – but don’t quote me.
Book Raffle Just Before the Midnight Witching Hour
To top off the festivities, Kerr’s books had a raffle for copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. This came just before the turn of midnight and added to the festivities. And then there was steady march of customers into Kerr’s each one getting their copy of Harry’s Demise? Some rushed to thelast page to read the last line, others started from the beginning to see how it would start off (spectacularly, I may report). But most just clutched a prize of several hours of summertime reading entertainment. I waited till quarter to 1AM, one of the last stragglers in, happy to buy my copy of the concluding Harry Potter story.
My copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows
Now a full review of the book will have to wait for another day, but as already intimated, this book starts off with a lots of thrilling action. But of even more import to me was how a small, independent book store, a survivor of the Dark Lords of Indigo sweeping all independent book stores aside, had put on such a wonderful event. For 2 1/2 hours or so, the coming of Harry Potter 7 was made magical by Kerr’s Corner Books of Campbellford.