Saturday, May 20th Programming
Saturday PROGRAMMING GRID
Saturday PROGRAMMING DESCRIPTIONS BY TIME
The Program Descriptions by Time follow this format:
Day, Time
Program Title
Moderators/Panelists
Location
Description
PROGRAMMING DESCRIPTIONS:
Saturday, May 20, 9 AM
The Owlery Game
Kevin (he/him)
Belknap
Welcome to The Owlery Game! You have been assigned a Letter that you must protect until you can deliver it on Sunday. Every other Owl in the game will also have a Letter. To win the most points for your House, try to steal as many Letters from other Houses’ Owls as you can before delivering them on Sunday evening – but be careful, since the other Houses’ Owls will be trying to steal your Letters! The Owlery Game (conclusion) takes place Sunday, May 21, 5 PM.
Saturday, May 20, 9 AM
Reconsidering Snape After 2016
Lorrie Kim (she/her)
Granite
Three new perspectives influenced my 2022 update of my 2016 book on Snape. Cursed Child portrayed him as an unambiguous hero rather than morally gray. The rise in U.S. hate crimes brought more focus on those who leave hate groups and fight to bring them down. The author’s transphobia prompted me to work with a trans sensitivity reader to reconsider Boggart Snape. The character’s the same, but the context has changed.
Saturday, May 20, 9 AM
WOrM Scouts Welcome Meeting
Dariti Peterson (she/her)
Gunstock
Let's reunite our WOrM Scout friendships, and welcome new magical beings that want to help make the world a better place for the magical & non-magical alike. Engaging with others who have similar interests, through WOrM Scouts you will have fun, earn badges, and make new friends. At this meeting, we'll have fun doing some badge activities, and a fun WOrM Scout craft.
Saturday, May 20, 10 AM
Upcycling Collage Workshop
Nadia Mulvihill (she/her)
Gunstock
In this new era of mixed feelings about the wizarding world and its creator, let’s remix our Potter materials into personal collages. Let’s re-envision what Potter means to us by taking it apart and putting it back together again. Materials will be available but you are welcome/encouraged to bring your own!
Saturday, May 20, 10 AM
Secrets and Lies: The Role of Deception in the Harry Potter Novels
David the Hufflepuff (he/his/him)
Belknap
Secrets and lies, that's how we grew up, and Albus, he was a natural. -- Aberforth in Hallows, page 562
The HP novels run on secrets. The climax of each novel is reached when secrets are revealed. What is the role of deception in these novels? Who deceives whom – and how? And how does the author deceive us so that we are surprised when the secrets are revealed?
Saturday, May 20, 10 AM
Celebrating Queer Joy in Potter Fandom
Kristin Cavuto (all pronouns)
Granite
Our fandom has been in a state of upheaval and pain. For those of us who are LGBTQ+, this has been a deeply personal ordeal. This session will center queer joy within the Potter fandom, and celebrate our survival, resilience, and pleasure. Come celebrate ourselves, our loves, and our community! Allies are welcome, but should be aware that this session explicitly centers LGBTQ+ voices.
Saturday, May 20, 11 AM
Did the Polyjuice Wear Off? When Someone You Loved Isn’t Who You Thought They Were
Lorrie Kim (she/her)
Granite
Professor Moody was really a Death Eater, but he taught Harry to fight. The Half-Blood Prince was dodgy, but Muffliato is great. Can Harry love his own Slytherin traits, or do they all come from Voldemort? Can we trust ourselves when an author we loved turns out to be hateful? Can we love stories by someone who now endangers us? It starts and ends with the books. Soul-search through canon discussion.
Saturday, May 20, 11 AM
The Bravest Man I Ever Knew – For V. Nigel Taylor
Ashe Jaei, J.D. (they/them)
Belknap
V. Nigel Taylor (Vladimir Snape) was a fixture in the HP community for many years, and his absence from the spaces he loved is deeply felt. This meet up is to honor him in all of his many forms: musician, actor, father, brother, friend, and soulmate. No waiting til 4AM in the lobby necessary.
Saturday, May 20, 12 noon
Wizarding World Pub Quiz
Septimus Blackwood (they/them)
Blackstone
Gather a team of your most knowledgeable Ravenclaws, hardworking Hufflepuffs, cleverest Slytherins, and confident Gryffindors as you answer trivia questions from all aspects of the wizarding world! Groups won't need to sign up ahead of time and anyone will be free to participate.
Saturday, May 20, 1 PM
Jeopardy
Septimus Blackwood (they/them)
Blackstone
This is Jeopardy! Get ready for a battle of wits as three contestants try to be the first to buzzer in this classic quiz show. Contestants will be able to sign up ahead of time.
Saturday, May 20, 2 PM
Every Poet is a Witch - How to Write a Spell, Pt 1
Susen James
Belknap
This will be a two-part workshop. Part One - We will meet to discuss the definition & components of a spell & how to write one. Contemporary examples of Poetry Spells will be shared & we will write a group spell & give instructions for personal spells. Part Two - We will share the spells we've written & group critique. Every Poet is a Witch - How to Write a Spell, Pt 2 Sunday, May 21, 2 PM
Saturday, May 20, 2 PM
Ten-Minute Talks -- By You!
Brent Satterly (he/him/his) and Lorrie Kim (she/her)
Blackstone
What HP topic do you know so well that you could give a ten-minute talk about it, with no preparation? Bring your own ideas or take prompts from the audience – your choice. Enter your name into the Goblet of Ad Lib. If our own Professor Umbridge draws your name, you’ll have ten minutes of our rapt attention! We’ll have enough time to cheer on four champions. And… Sonorus!
Saturday, May 20, 3 PM
Checking in on Your Vault: A Personal Finance Meet-Up
Jillian Staniec (she)
Gilford
Whether you're as wealthy as a Malfoy or living a more Weasley lifestyle, this is a meet up to come together and chat about personal finance stuff. This open meet-up will be framed by the participants and may include different approaches to managing your galleons, how to get one of those well-paying Ministry jobs, and hopefully hearing from some folks who are planning to "Incendio" (FIRE) their lives.
Saturday, May 20, 3 PM
Fanfiction in the Wake of a Wounded Fandom
Eustacy “Stace” Santiago (they/them)
Granite
Our fandom has been gravely wounded. The effects extend to transformative works. Let’s discuss how we as readers, writers, allies, and transgender, non-binary, and intersex people engage with fanfiction in the aftermath of TERF-apocalypse. Then, select authors of the MISTI-Con 2023 Fanfiction Collection will share excerpts from their work. Intended for general audiences. There will be a separate adults-only program at another time.
Saturday, May 20, 4 PM
Wizard Rock Sing-Along
Eustacy “Stace” Santiago (they/them)
Outdoors by the campfire (beach)
Join wizard rock bands and fans for a campfire-style sing-along. Bring your voices, ukuleles, kazoos, percussions, guitars, or any other acoustic instrument and prepare to perform as a collective, or just watch and clap along. We'll play a predetermined set of old wrock favorites and new tunes. Check the list (complete with lyrics, chords, and links) and learn the songs ahead of time, or just show up and jam.
Saturday, May 20, 4 PM
The Impact of Going Into Hiding, or Why Wizards Use Old-Fashioned Things
David the Hufflepuff (he/his/him)
Belknap
The magical folk in the Harry Potter novels use many “old-fashioned” artifacts, such as quills and torches, although other contemporary fictional representations of witches (such as "Bewitched") show them using telephones and electricity. Why is the HP world so different? This presentation argues that using such old-fashioned things is a logical consequence of the wizards going into hiding in 1692 and consequently missing out on things that have been developed since then.
Saturday, May 20, 4 PM
The Unpaid Labour (Queer & BIPOC only Space)
Jaz Boston (they/them)
Gilford
An open & safe space for folks on intersections of being queer+BIPOC (QTIBIPOC: Queer, Trans, Intersex, Black, Indigenous, People(s) of Colour.) Have you been in an environment where you're the first/second person to be there? Did you chuckle at that question? A space for like-minded folks to discuss anything and everything (HP & within the time limit). Maybe make a new friend. No pressure. Bring your authentic self. Allies, please give us the room.
Saturday, May 20, 5 PM
A Gathering of the Venerable Participants
Marti Sterin
Gilford
A gathering of those of us who are looking at 60 (or 50) in the rear-view mirror.
Saturday, May 20, 5 PM
Poisons in the Hogwarts Garden
Susen James
Belknap
Poisons in the Hogwarts Garden will be a presentation about the dangerous plants growing at Hogwarts & their use as potion ingredients.
Saturday, May 20, 5 PM
Songwriting 101
Geoff Hutton (they/them), Hawthorn & Holly, Kalysta Flame, Eustacy “Stace” Santiago (they/them)
Granite
In this panel, some of our wizard rock musicians will get together and talk about their writing process. Where did some of their most popular ideas come from? Is there a way they like to write that inspires them? What advice do they have for aspiring wrock stars/fellow musicians? Join us as we discuss what it's like to create and perform their own music.
Saturday, May 20, 11 PM
Ten-Minute Talks By You -- After Dark Edition!
Brent Satterly (he/him/his) and Lorrie Kim (she/her)
Blackstone
18+ only! Our own Professor Umbridge kicks things off with a risqué welcoming number. Then enter your name into the Goblet of Ad Lib for the chance to be one of four people delivering a 10-minute HP talk on the spot – choose your own topic or take audience suggestions. Hem hem! It doesn’t have to be on a naughty topic – but it certainly can be!
Sunday, May 21, 12 midnight (Saturday night)
How long can you last? A reading of My Immortal
April O’Neil (she/her)
Blackstone
How long can you last? Can you last a page? Two pages? Come and find out with us. We will be reading (out loud) My Immortal. We will start with the first person and once they start to laugh, the story will be passed to the next person.