Magic is in the air in Prospect.
“This is actually a 160, 170-year-old fort from the Civil War era. How do you make kids interested in that? Well, you bring about some wizards, some ghosts, or some superheroes and that’s what we do!” said Dean Martin, executive director, Friends of Fort Knox.
Saturday is Wizarding Day at Fort Knox.
“It’s a one-day event, but it’s going to be a blast,” Martin said. “We’ve had such great remarks afterwards. ‘Oh my gosh, Wizarding Day. Oh, that was so much fun.’ So, it’s a hit.”
Friends of Fort Knox concocted the event during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to keep people coming through the doors.
“We’re able to keep preserving the Fort by holding these events. That’s one of the reasons why we do it. And it fosters a love for the Fort,” Martin explained. “This is a natural backdrop. It looks like a castle. It looks like something out of a movie. And now you’re going to be roaming through it in the middle of the darkness trying to find dragons eggs and wizard robes and such.”
From potions class to wand making, there’s going to be something for every little witch and wizard to get their hands on.
“You got to find the dragon’s egg in the Dragon’s Lair. So, you got to find where that even is, and then when you do there’ll be a special moment when you’ll see the dragons not so happy about you finding the eggs,” he said.
It’s all set up like a scavenger hunt. Everyone will get a card to check off items as they’re found. Cards can be returned for small prize.
Costumes are encouraged, but not required.
“Making your own potion, it’ll actually be drinkable. That’s what I was told,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t know what it does to you.”
The only cost associated with Wizarding Day is the price of admission to Fort Knox; the event itself is free.
The fun starts Saturday at 10:00 a.m.