LeakyCon is a large event that celebrates all things J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter. From August 31st to September 3rd, fans old and young alike, travelled to the Citywest Hotel in Dublin for the four-day event. It was jam-packed, featuring panels with behind-the-scenes staff of the wizarding world, to famous on-screen witches and wizards, and a cheerful crowd of No-Majs (aka, “Non-Magical peoples”).
The days were full of opportunities: to meet and greet famous guests, as well as to browse a large selection of stalls selling merchandise featuring all things from Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Vendors travelled from near and far to sell hand-crafted wands and copies of the book series; to advertise for a Harry Potter musical called Puffs; and, in the case of one particular stall, to sell the official (unofficial) LeakyCon sandwich called, ‘A Golden Snitchwich.’
Of course, after seeing the title, our curiosity got the best of us and we had to taste ‘A Golden Snitchwich’ for ourselves. Honestly, the idea of peanut butter and Golden Grahams cereal between two slices of bread is a strange concept for a sandwich but, weirdly enough, it worked (and it tasted nothing like the dreaded Cockroach Clusters sold in Honeydukes)! For an additional bit of fun -- and an added euro -- the staff would carve the sandwich into the shape of a Golden Snitch and throw it so that you could catch it in your mouth (much like Harry did during his first Quidditch match). Hint: we opted for the much safer self-feeding option instead.
At night, fantastic melodies filled the air with music by tribute bands like, Harry and the Potters, and Tonks and the Aurors. Something about the music in the air made us think back to the Yule Ball and the memories of Harry dancing in his first set of dress robes. Of Hermione looking so - wow! - and Ron, in his -ahem- traditional frilly disaster… ah, so many sweet memories! It seems so long ago now.
The cosplayers at the convention looked simply amazing. The time and effort put into their costumes was evident. We saw a huge selection of costumes, from a variety of Newt Scamanders all the way to to Luna Lovegoods (I wonder if Evanna Lynch was impressed with the amount of people dressed as her character?). There was one specific cosplay, however, that caught our eye (and I’m sure everyone else’s). A group cosplay of the the four founding members of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry:
Godric Gryffindor (Holly Rose, Instagram: lilprincecostumes);
Helga Hufflepuff (Eleni Dimitriadis, Instagram: chameleoncosplay);
Rowena Ravenclaw (Georgia Humphrey, instagram: totallyriddikulus); and
Salazar Slytherin (Alyson Leeds, instagram: latincatcosplay).
The detail that went into each costume was simply magnificent and it is a great example in how props can really add a signature touch to intricate costume details.
Godric Gryffindor (Holly Rose, Instagram: lilprincecostumes);
Helga Hufflepuff (Eleni Dimitriadis, Instagram: chameleoncosplay);
Rowena Ravenclaw (Georgia Humphrey, instagram: totallyriddikulus); and
Salazar Slytherin (Alyson Leeds, instagram: latincatcosplay).
The detail that went into each costume was simply magnificent and it is a great example in how props can really add a signature touch to intricate costume details.
As the busy hours of the final day passed, we were even able to have a lovely chat with longtime Harry Potter fan, Amy:
Amy’s favorite character from the Harry Potter series is Luna Lovegood. She explained the reason for Luna being someone she looks up to: “... She teaches me so much. She teaches me how to believe in myself and how it’s okay to be different.”
As Amy’s friend, Dani, explained: “I think the main thing about Evanna, for a lot of people, is her mental health ... it is really inspiring for people that are coming at life in a different way. Her character represents a lot of that.”
Amy had been surprised with tickets to LeakyCon as a gift and it was clear that she was over-the-moon to be given the chance to meet the one and only, Evanna Lynch (aka, “Luna Lovegood”).
When it came time for Amy to meet Evanna Lynch in-person, Amy became so overwhelmed that she burst into tears, stopping Evanna in her tracks. Evanna came straight over to Amy, giving her a reassuring hug and asking if she was ok. Needless to say, the moment itself was magical in more ways than one.
If there is any constructive criticism about LeakyCon’s first year in Ireland, it would most-likely be that they were obviously still getting their footing, something that became apparent in small sections of the Convention Hall. To detail an example: it would have been nice to see more stalls in the trade area as, unfortunately, the place sometimes felt a little empty. With that said, of the stalls that were there, variety was far from lacking. Observationally, we also noticed a little confusion among attendees as to where they could purchase Autographs (there was no clear signage or direction posted) -- luckily, the staff were very approachable, knowledgeable, and friendly. Finally, a major downside were the ticket prices. A single day-ticket cost ~ €45 and a whole weekend came at almost quadruple the price. When compared against the average convention ticket prices in Ireland, the LeakyCon general entry -- without autographs or photos included -- was a bit steep for a day out.
Overall, the weekend was full of great fun and laughter. LeakyCon proved itself to be an incredible event that gave Muggle fans and friends the perfect opportunity to come together. Indeed, this was a memorable time for all, regardless of their Sorted status into Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. We cannot wait to see what LeakyCon brings to Ireland in the years to come, until then, as the great Professor, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore once said: “Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!”
Article written by staff writer: Courtney
Photographs of the event by staff photographer: Samantha
Photographs of the event by staff photographer: Samantha