“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” If William Shakespeare’s famous line holds true, there may be no better place to play your part than Staunton, Virginia. About 150 miles from Bethesda, this Shenandoah Valley city with a population of roughly 25,000 boasts a cultural scene that rivals much larger locales. The American Shakespeare Center and its Blackfriars Playhouse—the world’s only re-creation of Shakespeare’s indoor theater—is here, along with comedy shows, open mic nights, live music and the annual Queen City Mischief & Magic festival, which attracts more than 20,000 people, including Potterheads (aka Harry Potter aficionados) and festivalgoers of all ages who love a good cosplay.
My now-grown oldest son and I devoured the Harry Potter books, then movies, when he was a young teen. With each new book we grew more enamored with J.K. Rowling’s characters, especially as we learned Snape’s backstory, and that he’s not as evil as he seems, and how even the kind and seemingly all-knowing Albus Dumbledore made his mistakes and had his regrets. And of course, the epic story of friendship that has the power to conquer huge obstacles.
It’s that power of friendship—between business owners, individuals and city staff—that puts a palpable magic in Staunton’s transformation into a bewitching village each fall. The festival, scheduled for Sept. 28 and 29 this year, is a fan event not affiliated with Warner Bros. and features dozens of activities; some require tickets, but many are free. Last year’s festival included Quidditch matches, a snake show, a “Beware of Low Flying Owls Avian Show,” potions classes, a wand shop, wizarding workshops and an adults-only dance party. And you don’t need to be a wizarding fan to enjoy it, as my traveling companion discovered.
Sarah Lynch, owner of local restaurant Baja Bean, dreamed up the festival in 2016. After reading the Harry Potter series with her son, Henry, in the years after the hullabaloo surrounding the release of several books had settled down, she had her shot to celebrate in real time when the eighth story in the series, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, was set to come out on July 31, 2016, the birthday of both Harry and Rowling. Lynch contacted the owners of Staunton’s beloved Pufferbellies Toys & Books with an idea. Together, they set a goal to get a minimum of eight downtown stores with some kind of themed participation in order for Pufferbellies to do a midnight book release at Baja Bean, where Lynch promised to supply the party and a birthday cake. In April of that year, Lynch began asking business owners if they wanted to plan themed events at their stores and restaurants. By July, Lynch says, there were 70 participants. “It all felt like that scene in Cinderella where the dress, coach, etc. materialize magically—birds sewing and mice poofing into coachmen,” Lynch says. “It really still feels like that most years.”
City staff got involved after a Facebook announcement was posted two weeks ahead of the event. The post had 25,000 shares and 100,000 interactions within a couple of days, Lynch says. The city closed festival streets to traffic to keep people safe and continues to provide support.
What to know if you go
Tips
Scan QR codes printed on cards located throughout the festival for a map and the schedule, or visit the website (queencitymagic.com). Check the festival’s Facebook page (facebook.com/queencitymagic) for the latest on activities and for any weather-related revisions. The rainy Saturday in 2023 forced modifications in the Quidditch schedule and resulted in the cancellation of an evening dance party event, but most of the show went on.
Street and garage parking are available around the festival’s perimeter, though it’s sometimes tricky to get a spot. Free parking and shuttle service are available farther away.
Look for a blue-shirted “prefect”—the volunteers who escort characters through the festival and roam the streets to assist festivalgoers—if you get lost, require a bathroom or just need a photo assist.
Explore
Check out some of Staunton’s most popular attractions, including the American Shakespeare Center (americanshakespearecenter.com), the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum (woodrowwilson.org), and, outside Staunton’s city limits, the peaceful Harmony Harvest Farm (hhfshop.com), a 20-acre site in Weyers Cave that offers pick-your-own flowers, farm tours, workshops and a farm shop.
Stay
The Blackburn Inn, within walking distance of the festival, opened in 2018 after the Jeffersonian-style building received a modern artsy decor makeover that highlighted its vaulted ceilings, original heart pine floors and a reproduction antique drafting table that serves as the reception desk. Guest rooms include pillowtop beds and spacious marble bathrooms, some with soaking tubs. Rates begin at $249. 301 Greenville Ave., 540-712-0601, blackburn-inn.com
Family- and pet-friendly Tru by Hilton Staunton is right off I-81, about 2½ miles from town. The hotel’s minimalist-style guest rooms have pegs, rather than closets, for hanging clothes. You’ll also find comfy lobby seating, board games, a complimentary breakfast and wizard-themed decor galore. Rates begin at $419. 120 Crossing Way, 540-213-4000, hilton.com/en/hotels/
Next door to Tru, the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Staunton offers similarly well-rated accommodations, with a bit more in the way of amenities and an upscale vibe. Rates begin at $500. 114 Crossing Way, 540-213-4100, marriott.com/en-us/hotels/
Eats
Festival organizer Sarah Lynch’s restaurant, Baja Bean, is right in the mix on Beverley Street. The Mexican menu includes freshly made salsa and hot sauces. Visit their website for details on live music and dance party nights. 9 W. Beverley St., bajabean.com
Marino’s Lunch is a Staunton restaurant tradition that goes beyond lunch, serving breakfast (with a full bar) through dinner (think wings, hot dogs, burgers and fried green tomatoes), and doubles as a music venue with jam sessions. Visit their website for dates and times. 901 N. Augusta St., marinoslunch.com
Pizza Luca,a new and quickly popular entrant into Staunton’s dining scene created by Justin Hershey, chef-owner of nearby Chicano Boy Taco, offers brick-fired pizzas, pastas, salads and other Italian American favorites. 213A N. Lewis St., pizza-luca.com
Remedy Burger looks like the place where a grown Quidditch crew would gather for a postgame cocktail at the bar and specialty burgers, such as a housemade vegetarian broccoli/Parmesan burger with American cheese, pickles, white onion, iceberg lettuce and the special Remedy Sauce on a sesame bun, or one of the many popular beefy choices. 12 E. Beverley St., remedyburger.com
Head to Reunion Bakery & Espresso sooner rather than later (to avoid sellouts) for coffee and baked goods. This locally owned and operated bakery’s fare includes delicious quiches, muffins and a selection of festival-themed treats. 26 S. New St., reunionbakery.com
Last year, the two-day Queen City Mischief & Magic festival featured more than a dozen blocks of immersive fun. I recommend exploring the night before to get your bearings. We wandered downtown, tasty nonalcoholic “butterbeer”-inspired drinks in hand (some places got into the act on Friday), and passing under decorations strung high above the street that looked like life-size witches with black flowing fabric. Staunton’s downtown, with its beautiful old architecture—from a building with a big red brick turret to a 1903 beaux arts-style bank building constructed of granite—is an ideal setting to create a magical world.
The next morning’s steady rain didn’t deter townspeople and visitors from dressing as their favorite characters and gathering at the train station for the festival’s first arrival.
As the train approached, a red carpet was rolled out for costumed professors arriving. A family dressed as Rowling-created characters—a young boy as Draco, his father as Snape, and the boy’s siblings as Harry Potter and Dobby the elf—wandered through the jovial crowd, which was filled with people in costumes. The police were in on the fun, giving out sticker badges between crowd cheers and boos, depending on which faculty member disembarked. The characters made their way to Beverley Street, where you could meet them and take photos.
We explored the wharf area dubbed “Do Good Alley” located alongside Staunton’s weekly farmers market. It was full of tented booths where you could make crafts or buy items. You know you’re in “Do Good Alley” when you spot an iconic Virginia “LOVE” sign with a pair of Harry Potter-style spectacles set atop the “O.”
Many of the stores and restaurants near this part of the festival offered activities, too. We popped into Essentially Zen, where we watched people blend essential oils and add a crystal of their choosing in potions class, each “wizard” leaving with a custom scent. A short walk from there, Sunspots Studios held a blow-your-own glass prophecy orb workshop. Even without a workshop, the store is a must-see for the beautiful glass wands blown around copper handles.
Later that afternoon, we returned to the station to watch as a man dressed as Hagrid welcomed students arriving by train (there were four train arrival events during the festival). Volunteers Craig and Melanie Brimhall, dressed as Albus Dumbledore and Professor Minerva McGonagall respectively, oversee the festival’s characters and work throughout the year to recruit and train a cast of roughly 90 people. “This town is magic,” Lynch says as she describes the Brimhalls’ work and the hundreds of other volunteers. “Our minds are blown every year with what these creative creatures come up with to make sure our visitors feel like they are in another world.” When asked if there are any changes in store for the 2024 event, Lynch says, “This is the Year of the Dragon, so I think you’ll see some surprises along those lines.” There were already plans for dragon-themed elements when organizers realized the Chinese zodiac matched up.
Trinity Episcopal Church’s grand dining hall-style evening banquet (with its head table of costumed characters) is worth booking in advance. The 2023 menu included shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, and shortbread cookies. Arrive early to snag a seat at your favorite Hogwarts house-inspired table with settings that included a wand and protective charm. Pick up a self-guided interior tour brochure to learn about the stories behind the church’s gorgeous stained glass windows. Check trinitystaunton.org for pricing and times.
On Sunday, Staunton stores and venues were open again for activities. We meandered down the hill to catch a Quidditch match. While many participants practice ahead of time for the games, there are opportunities for festivalgoers to try their hand at it, too (visit queencitymagic.com for details). Kids competed to get balls through rings and capture the golden snitch. People cheered and jockeyed for better viewing positions around the playing field (a parking lot not far from the train station). It was easy to spot characters roving solo and in groups.
As I wandered around the sidelines, I glimpsed a woman dressed as Professor Trelawney, the eccentric divination teacher with Coke-bottle glasses who was played brilliantly by actress Emma Thompson in the third Harry Potter film. She’s one of my favorites—a hippie chick who teaches fortune-telling. I hoped to get some intel on how the 2023 event compared to the previous one, but all she said was, “Even in the rain yesterday, there were many for our arrival,” then leaned down to meet my dog. “And who is this beautiful, magical creature?”
As was the case for all the characters I’d met or watched, she was fully in character in her speech and mannerisms. I decided to ask a simple question about the festival. “Do you think the rain had a big impact on this year’s attendance?”
She smiled and granted a divination of sorts: “You know what they say: The show must go on.”
Christine Koubek Flynn reports on mid-Atlantic travel in the magazine’s Traveler’s Notebook column. She has written for The Washington Post and Coastal Living among others, and she teaches writing workshops at The Writer’s Center in Bethesda.
This story appears in the September/October 2024 issue of Bethesda Magazine.
