Welcome back readers, to the Wonderful Weekend of Wizardry newsletter! You can be sure to be kept in the loop of all the magical things we have in store for this years and following years. Expect to see: - Behind the scenes - Recaps of past events -Announcements - Featured performers - Vendors - AND MORE! |
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~CONTENTS~ DID YOU SEE THAT? - Grand Cinema Movie Marathon WHAT'S NEW? - Yule Feast! - Wizard Wears - Year II Announcement HEY THERE! - Meet the Project Director - Cosplay Spotlight - Meet the Directors - Featured volunteer POP QUIZ! - Trivia |
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HARRY POTTER AND THE MOVIE MARATHON 7/27/19-7/28/19 This wondrous 24-hour marathon was made possible by a magical partnership with the Grand Cinema in Tacoma, WA. Fans were entertained with back-to-back showings of all of the Potter films. The event included cosplayer pop-ups, photo-ops, food, merchandise and more, making it an unforgettable experience. Bonding through the love of this world J.K. has created, has brought everyone together, and left everyone having a phenomenal time! | | |
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Yule Feast Please join the Weekend of Wizardry in a splendid Yule Gathering!
Witches and Wizards are welcome... and since it's the holidays all you Muggles out there are welcome to join in on the fun as well! Close your eyes and envision a cozy brick building filled with magical lights and glittering fir trees. You hear children laughing as they see all the treats, goodies, and gifts all around! Your ears are beheld by some of the finest wizard carolers in the land! Your mouth begins to water as you notice the glorious feast of holiday inspired food that you are about to eat! |
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What's that you see? Is it the Yule Wizard perhaps!!?? The room is filled with smiles and magical delights! Don't forget to sit down for holiday story-time and wreath crafting! Come dressed in your most spell binding knitted fashion for the Red-Headed Family Sweater Contest! (I hear she's an excellent judge) Bring your galleons along to snag more magical keepsakes! Leave with full bellies and a heart full of joy!
Doors will open at 6:45 pm with dinner following at 7:15pm.
This event is for ages 7 and up. | | |
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FOR A LIMITED TIME.... You can get a wizarding sweater of your very own! We offer these in all the house colors as well as two Weasley-inspired colors. These are going fast! If you are a ticket holder to the Yule Feast (mentioned above) then you have the added option of saving on shipping and picking up your purchase during your registration.
Proceeds from the sales go directly back to help fund the wonderfully magical non-profit events that you all look forward to. Help keep the magic alive, while sporting a truly one of a kind design! | | |
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This design was a special collaboration between Brandi Torres and Hailie Christenson |
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The time has finally come! We are proud to announce that Year II will be held on May 29th - 31st, 2020! There have been so many things going on behind the scenes to be able to bring you this news! Isn't it exciting!? We are unable to leak the location "yet" but bookmark our web page, and keep watch in your email to be notified FIRST when ticket sales go LIVE! We thank you all for your patience, but we can honestly say that we are working super hard to bring you an even more amazing event than before! This one will be unlike any convention you have ever been to and you won't want to miss it! |
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Here is an inside scoop on some amazing individuals that are a part of what makes The Wonderful Weekend of Wizardry so MAGICAL! From founders, to directors, volunteers and amazing guests, their stories are all unique and a part of what brings these events to life! We couldn't do it without them! |
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Meet the Project Director: Miranda Fick |
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Say hello to Miranda Fick, a 36 year old self-proclaimed animal lover and all around amazing lady!
She was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, to a young mother. She has 13 siblings who are all either step, half, or adopted in, but who are all loved as real siblings! Since Indiana, Miranda moved to Baltimore to be with her husband John. Later the pair moved to Texas, and then to Lakewood WA, where they currently reside. This lady has a huge heart with a strong will to help others. Miranda worked for 8 years as a Firefighter/ EMT. She also impressively advanced within CaptialOne's mortgage department to a Senior Learning Associate, specializing in new hire programs by not only leading projects but delivering training. |
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Her passion to help is not limited to the two-legged folk, but extending into our friends with paws as well. In Texas, Miranda created a new program in a county animal shelter. The program offered new alternatives to euthanasia for all adoptable animals while also increasing the release rate drastically. She also provided countless hours of volunteer services for other Texas Nonprofits in web, marketing, volunteer management and recruiting, large event planning, and much more. Some of the organizations include: Mazie’s Mission, Doggie’s Wonderland K9 Rescue, and Junior League of Collin County. |
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Miranda and John have been together for 22 years and married for almost 13 years; they currently have two fur babies, Toby (12 yrs) and Ravenpaw (6 yrs). They have an impressive animal foster record of over 250 animals to date! Just 2 years after their move to Texas, Miranda was diagnosed with MS (multiple Sclerosis) as well as multiple types of migraines, and several other health issues that impacted her daily life. She was then forced into early medical retirement and now spend her time looking for community events to help with!
Moving to Lakewood WA was initially intended as an opportunity for John, little did they know that an amazing opportunity would present itself for Miranda as well. |
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The Wonderful Weekend of Wizardry was the perfect calling for this bookworm! She led the programming department in year one and is now overseeing the entire event for year two! Her enthusiasm and excitement knows no bounds; she just can't pick just one department, but prefers to have her hand in them all! Her organization skill are unparalleled, but she is also super fun and has amazing magical ideas! |
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You won't find a truer friend and caring soul as Miranda. She is so loyal that she would give up her own riches to help those she cared about. She gravitates to passionate people, naturally, as she is one herself. Miranda spends her free time enjoying the outdoors with John and her close friends. Bonfires, gardening, new recipes, crafting and silliness are all a small part of what makes her such a wonderful spirit! Bring your dancing shoes and come boogie away with Miranda at Year II event! She can't wait to see all of your faces as you immerse yourself into the new amazing experience being created for you! |
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MEET THE DIRECTORS: Sarah |
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Sarah Oates is our Programming Director for the Wonderful Weekend of Wizardry! Originally from Arlington Heights, IL she found herself living in Puyallup, WA two years ago. For her Undergrad, Sarah attended the University of Illinois, studying animal science. She also attended the University of Wisconsin for veterinary school. |
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Outside of WoW she can be found working as an Emergency Veterinarian. Sarah's family consists of parents and a sister back in Illinois. She has extended family that lives throughout Wisconsin, Michigan and Washington. |
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When she's at home, Sarah has cats to keep her company while she is involved in her hobbies which include writing and computer gaming. She is an avid traveler, convention and RennFaire attendee. While preparing Year II's immersive wizarding classes, Sarah has also found other events for the Weekend of Wizardry to attend. However, she is very excited to see the decorations and costumes in May! |
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We're getting up close and personal with the members who float behind the scenes. This issue is featuring volunteer Hailie Christenson, who holds our Marketing and Branding team lead position. Plus, she creates most of the artwork found on our Weekend of Wizardry garb, website and more! |
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At the age of 23, she is an inspiring Ridgefield, WA resident. Outside of WoW, she is literally found outside. With the ambition to become a Wildlife Conservationist, she attended Brigham Young University in Idaho. Studying plant and wildlife ecology with an emphasis in wildlife, she is well on her way! Hailie has also worked in a wildlife rehab out of Oregon, a cheetah conservation in Africa and a salmon habitat restoration facility in Washington. These occupations were fulfilling yet seasonal, leading to her actively searching for her next big role. |
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Hailie's home life consists of a family first approach. Currently she is living at home with her parents; dental hygienist mom and auto body repairman father plus her 14 year old little sister. However, her identical twin sister does not live with them, but works as a professional dance instructor for Arthur Murray dance studios. |
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When it comes to hobbies, Hailie can mostly be found outdoors from backpacking, hiking, paddle boarding, rafting or fishing with her dad. If you haven't caught on, she loves animals and did some Bengal cat breeding before they retired into luxurious lives. Hailie's Siberian husky is often seen with her on jogs and bikejoring (think dry land mushing). As an artist, creativity is found in her marker art, pottery and of course cosplay. Her favorite art subject is painting animals on rocks. Hailie is accompanied by her grandpa in rock hounding so they can respectively create paintings and jewelry with help of his rock slicing machine. |
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When it comes to the Wonderful Weekend of Wizardy, Hailie is most excited to attend Year II and share her passion for art! More about Hailie can be found at her website: www.naturesartistwithhc.blogspot.com |
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Cosplayer Spotlight: Jack Blair |
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Have you ever met a person who you could tell would leave an impression on you for the rest of your life? That is what awaits those who have yet to meet the marvelous wonder that is more commonly known as Jack Blair. |
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He is a 68 year old family man who originally hails from San Bernardino, CA. He attended San Bernardino Valley College to study Telecommunications. Now Jack resides in Vancouver WA, in a home that is a shrine to his love of the fantasy world! Dedicating sections to the works, arts, and styling of many genres. |
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He’s very much a family man who loves his kids, he even helped care for his mother after she had a stroke. This man has a huge heart that he could not contain it to just one body. (No wonder he takes on the personas of countless well known characters.) After his health pulled him out of work, he strayed into doing something he enjoyed, and that was creating magnificent characters to cosplay. |
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Jack attended his first convention in a fabulous costume where people ranted and raved over him. He went about his time there, headed home and gave it no other thought. Months later he learned how deep of an impact his presence has made on the cosplay community when a fellow cosplayer, Travis Sigler, (known as Voldemort during year 1 of Weekend of Wizardry) stumbled upon Jack at another convention. Travis declared that he had been searching for months to find Jack’s true identity. At this convention, he happened to be dressed as King Theoden (from Lord of the Rings). Jack was led through the convention center, and had about given up hope of finding a meet-up he had heard whispers about, until he turned the corner to find a crowd filling the stairs of fellow “Tolkienists” (people dressed from Lord of the Rings) They cheered and clapped for Jack, for Theoden, for their King! It was a moment that touched his heart and he was instantly initiated into the family-like world that is cosplay. |
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Jack is very well known for his portrayal of Harry Potter characters. He has mastered Dumbledore not only in appearance, but in his kind-hearted nature that captures your heart. You can also find him as the malicious potions teacher, Professor Snape; the ever watchful caretaker, Argus Filch (with Mrs. Norris in hand), and the amazing collector, Professor Slughorn. If you are a convention-goer on the west coast, you may have had the pleasure of meeting Jack, but you never know who he will be dressed as! He has played Gandalf the Grey at the Whit's End Harvest Festival; a wondrous Hobbit party, that has been held annually for the last two years in Renton WA, by Whit’s End Productions. He greeted every single guest in character and was a wonderful wandering wizard (say that three times fast)! |
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If wizards are not your speed, you should see Jack in his scurvy wonder, that is Hector Barbossa! Should Pirates of the Caribbean ever need a stand in actor, Jack’s look is so on point, he is easily mistaken for the actual character! What is even more amazing is that he has been making his own prosthetic pieces to further enhance his cosplay characters! That is no easy feat, and he makes it look so easy while at the same time you ask yourself how on earth he does it. Each costume has such a high level of detail that you are left speechless. |
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He owns one of the most amazing replicas of King Theoden’s battle armor, a full leather suit, which was an upgrade from his previous costume. It was a custom creation by Wyrd Leather and Mead, which is based in Oregon. This is a true testament to Jack’s passion for the craft. |
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No matter who he is dressed as, may it be someone menacing or friendly; his true spirit always shines through. His costumes are too many to list, and in true “Slughorn fashion” the collection continues to grow. Jack is witty and can make your sides sore from laughter. You will never be void of good cheer, good stories, and a kind heart when you are in the company of Jack Blair. Photo Credits: Jack Blair, Travis Sigler, CMC Photography, Christina Cozine, Triple Click Photo, Dann Webb Follow along with Jack on his adventures! |
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Think you know your stuff? Test your knowledge with these questions! NO CHEATING or you will loose house points! Come back to check your answers in the next issue! |
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1. How many possible Quidditch fouls are there? 2. What is the max speed for a Firebolt broomstick? 3. What is Neville’s toad’s name? Answers from last issue: 1. The Mason Family 2. The Deluminator 3. A Bezoar Stone |
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The Weekend of WIzardry is presented by CMG Events Inc. a 501(c) non-profit company *Disclaimer.. As we do not want to be hauled off to Azkaban. The Weekend of Wizardry is an immersive Harry Potter fan convention, and this event is not endorsed by, affiliated with, sanctioned or in any other way associated with Warner Bros. Entertainment. J.K. Rowling or otherwise connected with Harry Potter or J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World of HARRY POTTER. Characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR |
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