'Quidditch' coming to Queensbury Wizard Fest

QUEENSBURY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - This month, sparks will fly in Jenkinsville. Magic will be in the air with good and enchanting reason, as the first annual Queensbury Wizard Fest is held at the neighborhood park.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 18, magical youngsters of all creeds can gather at Ridge/Jenkinsville Park in Queensbury for real-life games of Quidditch - also known as Quadball - based on the broomstick sport from the "Harry Potter" books and movies. There's no flying brooms in the real version, but there is plenty of fun to be had. The real-life version of the sport is described as a combination of rugby, handball, water polo and dodgeball.

The day will feature Quidditch Quadball games inviting players from colleges around the region. Teams from the University of Rochester, Cornell University, Vassar College and Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute will be playing on the Jenkinsville field. In addition, a "kidditch" clinic will be offered, where young players can learn how to play Harry Potter's favorite sport.

Vendors selling wizard-themed wares will also be onsite throughout the day. Businesses are invited to sign up and enjoy the fun, and can do so through an online form with an application deadline of Tuesday, Sept. 6.

The Queensbury Wizard Fest is organized by the Queensbury Roundtable, comprised of town officials and business owners; as well as the Lake George Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau. The organizations hope to bring more traffic to the region during a time of year when tourism traffic tends to slow down.