MuggleNet Live! – We Solemnly Swear That We Are Up to No Good…
From when the staff started planning MuggleNet Live! 2015: Expo Patronum through the announcement of it on Halloween, trust me, it was hard for us to keep it a secret! It’s also no secret that we at MuggleNet enjoy teasing fans with more information on the expo. Believe me, it’s only because we’re just as excited about getting to host a real, live expo (in London, no less!) as you are about getting to attend it. (If you’ve heard any collective squealing lately, it was probably the result of a MuggleNet staff meeting. We apologize.)
Personally, there are so many reasons why I would love to grab a Time-Turner and make it April right now, so I thought I would share some of those with you.
First, this is MuggleNet we’re talking about! I might be a bit biased here, but I can’t think of any better host for a Harry Potter expo. We’re really not as mystical and scary behind our computers as we might seem, trust me. (I will confess that, once upon a time, I sent a fan email to Emerson Spartz, and I’m still here to tell you about it.) What we are is dedicated to bringing you the most amazing experience possible, made even better because you’ll get to share it with other Potterheads!
At the risk of sounding ridiculous, I could probably write up an entire post on why I adore our choice of venue. I’ve never been to the ExCeL Centre, but I can tell you that all of London and its surrounding area is right at your fingertips. For the record, I’ve never taken a photo attempting to run through the barrier at King’s Cross, but I just might have to go for it.
Talking about London alone, though, doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what Expo Patronum has in store. We have eight amazing special guests announced so far: Afshan Azad, Anna Shaffer, Chris Rankin, Georgina Leonidas, Harry Melling, Jessie Cave, Jon Campling, and Warwick Davis. All of them are extremely talented, and I can’t wait to meet them! I know that this is Jon’s first fan convention and Afshan’s second, so I hope we won’t be setting the bar too high. If you have yet to follow Jon on Twitter, I’m not sure what you’re waiting for because he’s definitely the wittiest Death Eater I’ve ever encountered.
MuggleNet Live! wouldn’t be nearly as exciting if we didn’t give everyone an opportunity to get autographs, which is why it’s guaranteed that you will have ample opportunity to leave the expo with at least one. Waiting in a line to even get the chance to get one autograph isn’t exactly my idea of fun, and I’m sure I’m not alone in that!
Not only do we have autographs, but we also have an amazing charity photo booth. It’s amazing because the proceeds go to charity, but the second reason why it’s so amazing, in my opinion, is because MuggleNet’s official photographer for the event is Erik Meijer. (Seriously, have you seen his portfolio?) I’m going to propose that we call the photo booth the “glamour shot photo booth” from now on because how often is it that you get to have your photo taken by an award-winning fashion photographer?
What I’m most looking forward to at MuggleNet Live! is meeting all of you. It’s so much fun to meet other Potterheads anyway, but getting to meet Potterheads from all over the UK and Europe (if not the world) is even better! I’ll be the geeky teenage girl in the MuggleNet shirt with the American accent. (And possibly speaking French with said American accent – mine could use some brushing up.)
Remember, there’s still more to come! Programming, hotel information, and even more special guests… we still have a lot left to be announced! Be sure to follow @MuggleNetLive on Twitter for all the latest updates!
Have you bought your tickets yet? Confirm your attendance on our Facebook event page too! We hope to see you on April 18, 2015!