Universal Orlando Resort hosts another successful Harry Potter celebration

The fourth annual “A Celebration of Harry Potter” took place at Universal Orlando Resort on the weekend of January 27, bringing together celebrities from the franchise films and companies dedicated to various aspects of the Wizarding World, from publishing to studio tours to online experiences. Fans converged on Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure throughout the weekend to take in all of the expo exhibits, watch panels and demonstrations, and generally immerse themselves in all things Harry Potter.

Big kick-off at Universal Studios Florida

The event kicked off Friday night with a big bang and an overview of everything to come on Saturday and Sunday. As always, “A Celebration of Harry Potter” was included with regular theme park tickets, although fans could sign up for special vacation packages to enhance their experiences. If you’d like to get an idea of what went on all weekend, check out the video overview of the introduction, complete with celebrities and a rousing round of fireworks:

Movie celebrities come to Florida

Speaking of celebrities, this year’s contingent included Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy), Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick and Griphook) and Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom).

These four familiar faces share some of their experiences filming the Harry Potter movies in the interview below:

Visit the Wizarding World any time

Watch for details of next year’s “A Celebration of Harry Potter,” and in the meantime, enjoy a taste of the Wizarding World at both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure at any time of the year. The latter theme park was the first to bring Harry’s world to life, with Hogsmeade opening in 2010. It features rides, shops, and dining, with Hogwarts Castle as the crowning jewel.

Diagon Alley followed in 2014, opening next door at Universal Studios Florida. The two are connected by the Hogwarts Express, which offers a different journey for each direction. Like “A Celebration of Harry Potter,” the experiences in these two parts of the theme park are included in your regular admission ticket.