The Aurora Public Library (APL) will continue its holiday celebrations for wizards and muggles alike Saturday, Dec. 14 with the Wizard Yule Fest at Santori Library from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Participants are encouraged to dig out their finest robes for this magical extravaganza, when we ring in the holidays with day-long activities and programs designed exclusively to entertain and excite the witch or wizard in all of us!
Participants can start the adventure by visiting the welcome desk, situated immediately in the Atrium entrance, to discover their wizarding house by visiting the sorting hat, grab tickets for exclusive programming, and take a class schedule to plan the day. Face-painting by Valery will open immediately at 11 a.m. in the Atrium, while Ginger will set up her face-painting shop in the Kiwanis Children’s Center at noon. There will be no shortage of opportunities to get the latest designs to invoke a favorite magical characters, from Harry Potter to unicorns!
Teenaged potion wiz’s can try their hands at the Escape the Potion Professor’s Office escape room experience, running throughout the day for teens in grades six through 12. Teams only will have 10 minutes to solve the puzzle! Session times will be posted outside the room and are available to all teens on a first come, first served basis.
At 11:30 a.m., have a seat in the Owlrey, otherwise known as room N125/126, to see live owls and learn about these magnificent creatures! Based in The Springbrook Nature Center in Itasca, Wings and Talons provides educational programs about birds of prey, particularly owls, with a focus on conservation and spreading awareness of the important roles they play in our natural ecosystems. Children and adults are allowed an exclusive opportunity to see and learn about various types of owls up close with trained handlers. These experts will discuss various owl characteristics, such as adaptations, ecology, and environmental impact.
Tap into your creative streak and get a ticket for one of three do it yourself Snowy Owl Painting Party sessions, at 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. in the Dolan Family Teen Program room on the second floor. All materials will be provided at this family-friendly art program! Tickets are available at the welcome table in the Atrium on a first come, first served basis.
There will be a psychic reading with acclaimed medium, Michael Gourley, on the Knight Bus, er, Bookmobile parked conveniently in the Santori Library parking lot! A time slot can be reserved at the welcome desk in the Atrium. Michael uses his psychic abilities to help visitors with their past, current or future matters regarding love life, marriage, family, friends, money, career, health, spirituality, and more. He is a top 10 Chicago psychic and has appeared on the Travel Channel show, Dead Files Revisited. Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis with time slots between noon and 3 p.m..
There will be so much more to experience throughout the day, including crafts for little wizards, virtual reality, and magical games for all ages. Bring the whole family and all your friends to celebrate the holidays and Winter season with magic at the Wizard Yule Ball!