TURNER — The Turner Public Library will bustle with several events and activities with magical and spooky themes beginning at 11 .m. Saturday, Oct. 29.
“We are trying to pull some of the enchantment from the fictional worlds in the library ‘s collections and present it in a tangible way for our community to enjoy,” explained Amanda Peralta, library corporator. “Most obviously, we are pulling from Harry Potter, which the library holds in both book form and audio.”
“Another author our events connect to is American horror/science fiction writer H.P. Lovecraft,” said Anthony Shostak, library president. “Lovecraft’s influence can be felt in T.V. shows like ‘The Twilight Zone’ and ‘The X-Files’; movies like ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers,’ ‘Alien,’ and ‘The Blair Witch Project’; and the novels of writers like Stephen King and Clive Barker.”
The library’s free screening of the feature film “The Whisperer in Darkness” is courtesy of the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society.
The day won’t only feature fantasy, however.
“We’ll have live raptors on view as part of a Wind Over Wings zoology presentation,” Peralta said. “Owls have an important place in the wizarding world of Harry Potter.
“Night holds a central place in the celebration of Halloween,” she said. “As creatures of the night, owls have a broader association with the Halloween lore. Wind Over Wings will also bring a raven.”
Activities planned include:
Faerie Hour: 11 a.m. to noon in the Library Reading Room. This begins with a reading of “Faerie House” by Tracey Kane, followed by a scavenger hunt for fairy houses hidden in the library or outside, weather pending.
Lives of Owls and Other Predatory Birds: Noon to 1 p.m. in the Community Room of the library. Presented by Wind Over Wings, the program will feature two owls and two other predatory species.
Trunk or Treat: 1 to 3 p.m. in the Leavitt Area High School parking lot. This event is organized and directed by the Turner Primary Parent Teacher Committee.
Ollivander’s Wand Shop and Harry Potter’s Wizarding World: 2 to 4 p.m. on the library’s first floor. This will feature a reading from Harry Potter followed by a workshop for children to create their own magic wands.
Enchanted Obstacle Course with Boy Scout Troop 187: 2:30 to 4 p.m. on the green.
Fantasy Board Games and Magic: The Gathering: 3:30 p.m. Kids can sling spells at a Magic: The Gathering opponent. Players can bring their own decks. They can also try their hand at Munchkin Zombie, pitting themselves against unspeakable horrors from beyond in Elder Sign.
Radio Play: 3:30 p.m. in the Library Reading Room. H.P. Lovecraft’s “Dreams” will be in the Witch House.
“The Whisperer in Darkness”: 5:30 p.m. in the Community Room. Parents and guardians should note that this H.P. Lovecraft movie is not rated, however, library staff would qualify the movie as PG-13.
Refreshments will be for sale. Events are free and open to the public.
FMI, schedule updates: turnerpubliclibrary.org.
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