What a lotta Potter!
FAVOURITE WIZARD TO SET WORLD RECORD
A MAGICAL new world record has been set – the largest gathering of people dressed as Harry Potter!
More than 600 children from primary schools across Bolton braved the rain to take part in the fun-filled record attempt.
Just four key requirements were needed – all those taking part had to wear a tie and glasses, sport a scar on their forehead and carry a wand in their hand.
The record bid was designed to mark the 20th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – the first of JK Rowling’s spellbinding series – next Monday.
Children from 11 primary schools in Bolton took part in the mass gathering at Smithills Hall – including every single pupil from St Peters Smithills Dean CE Primary School. The publisher Bloomsbury supplied the schools involved with cardboard cut out ties and glasses.
Make-up was also sent out so the children could draw Harry Potterstyle lightning bolt scars on their foreheads, and wooden chopsticks were handed out for wands.
The previous world record stood at 521 Harry Potters and was set on March 5, 2015, by Tanbridge House School in Horsham, West Sussex.
A Guinness World Records official adjudicator sent to Bolton to verify the record attempt confirmed a gathering of 676 Harry Potters had set a new world record. In a tweet, Bloomsbury said: “We did it! We broke a @gwr as most people dressed as #HarryPotter in one gathering with Bolton Library & Museum Services for #Harry Potter20.” The publisher worked alongside Bolton council’s libraries and museum services to organise the record attempt. Librarian Anne Burns said: “We were massively excited. Bolton Library and Museum Services has organised lots of events but we have never done anything like this. We were also a bit nervous because we had to meet all the criteria which Guinness had set. Everyone has worked so hard and we did everything Anne Burns, librarian we could to make it happen.” JK Rowling jotted down her initial thoughts and ideas for the boy wizard on a napkin on a delayed train from Manchester to London King’s Cross in 1990.
The author also dreamt up the magical sport of Quidditch in Manchester, reportedly in a city centre hotel.
Bloomsbury’s initial hardback print run of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone on June 26, 1997, was a tiny 500 copies. Today the entire Harry Potter series has sold more than 450 million copies worldwide in 79 different languages.
Fun-filled events will be held across the country next week to mark the anniversary.
The British Library will also curate and host a new exhibition called Harry Potter: A History of Magic – the first ever British Library exhibition inspired by a single series of books by a living author.