Get out your Harry Potter glasses and Gryffindor scarves! Middlebury College, where students adapted J. K. Rowling's imaginary game of quidditch for the real world several years ago, hosts the second annual World Quidditch Cup this Sunday.

I read about the event on a Vermont calendar listing a few days ago and wrote the organizers to ask about their dog policy before hauling Chaucer and Brontë halfway across two states to attend. Their response was quick and enthusiastic: The Quidditch World Cup is "certainly dog-friendly" for everyone whose pets are good in crowds and around children.

At last year's tournament, they added, a number of dogs attended and seemed to enjoy themselves. (I even received a photo of a happy golden retriever at the games as proof. He wasn't wearing the colors of any of the four Hogwarts houses, though...)

In true tournament fashion, the event offers some rather unusual entertainment and food from independent local vendors in addition to the games themselves.

I'm not sure whether I'm looking forward more to seeing performances by The Flying Fists or the Mountain Ayres. The Flying Fists is a stilt-walking, flame-throwing troupe. The Mountain Ayres, on the other hand, is a Renaissance a capella group that will sing while a Middlebury chemistry professor explodes potions. Talk about guaranteed fun for kids and Harry Potter fans of all ages!

The game of quidditch itself (in this world as in Rowling's) looks pretty rough-and-tumble. The photos I've seen online suggest a madcap combination of soccer (the footwork), basketball (the throws), and dodge ball with an out-of-control second-grade class (what with the multiple balls on the field at once).

Add capes and broomsticks, and you can imagine it's quite a sight! I'll post photos on Chaucer's website after the weekend.

The 14 schools sending teams include Vassar College (my alma mater), Princeton, Boston University, Amherst College, Emerson College, Louisiana State University, UMass, and the University of Washington. See the Quidditch World Cup's official website for visitor information and the schedule. The tournament begins at 10:00 a.m.--rain, snow, or shine.

Like costumes but not into Harry Potter? Or perhaps Middlebury is just a little too far for a Sunday drive. Check out what the animal shelters, rescue groups, and retail outlets closer to home have planned for Halloween.

Macy's in Boston, for example, is hosting its second annual Howl-o-ween pet costume contest to benefit the city's Animal Rescue League on Saturday the 25th at 2:00 p.m. (The suggested registration fee is $10.00.) Prizes include an overnight stay at the pet-friendly Nine Zero Hotel, where the concierge can arrange pet sitting--a service you'll need in order to take advantage of the theater tickets that come with the package!

Polkadog Bakery will have complimentary goodie bags for the costumed canines, and photographers at the "paw-parazzi" booth can help you commemorate the silliness of the day.

Down in Greenwich, Connecticut, the same day you and your pooch can join the Howl & Prowl Costume Parade for Pets and People, which snakes from Town Hall through Havemeyer Park to the Pet Pantry Warehouse (co-sponsor of the event along with Adopt-a-Dog). The registration fee is $20 per person or $35 for the entire family.

Pet stores offer costumes galore for hounds of all sizes this time of year. As with kids' costumes, though, the best ones are usually found in your own closet and imagination. At last year's party at the Muttropolis "pet boutique" in Tucson, Chaucer went as a construction worker by borrowing from The Boy's toy chest (see photo). I lost count how many times we were stopped to receive compliments on his original costume. And the best part? His hardhat doubled as a water dish when he got thirsty.

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mustang gal |10-4-2008 So this is how Harry-Potter ignorant I am, I didn't know the name of Harry's school was called Gryffindor. But I did know about the game of quidditch. I hope my plans work out this weekend. Sounds like a grand time -- and I can take the dogs! ReplyQuote 0 0

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