Shouts of magical spells and incantations could be heard all around the Kentucky Museum tonight as hundreds of people gathered outside for Harry Potter Night.

WKU students and members of the Bowling Green community and surrounding areas came to the museum tonight dressed as elves, wizards, witches and giants to celebrate their love of Harry Potter – and the new movie coming out in a week.

The museum was transformed into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, with seven classes set up for visitors to enjoy.

As guests walked through the rooms of the museum, music from the Harry Potter movies played.

One of the classes, Care and Feeding of Magical Creatures, which took place in the Felts Log House, featured professionals from Kentucky Down Under.

They showed off exotic animals like a snake, owl, skink and kangaroo. Inside, visitors were also offered scones and hot tea.

The line outside the Felts House extended from the log cabin’s door to the museum.

Dylan Blankenship, 7, waited anxiously in line.

Dressed as Harry Potter, Dylan Blankenship came from Somerset to attend the event. He said he had seen all the movies and hoped he would be sorted into Slytherin.

Sandra Blankenship, Dylan’s mother, said she was glad he was sorted into Gryffindor because she didn’t want him to be an evil wizard, a stereotype often associated with Slytherin.

When she heard about the event at her work, Sandra Blankenship, who has read all the books, said she and Dylan couldn’t wait to come.

“I told him and he couldn’t stop talking about it,” she said. “The next morning I went to get him up and he was already dressed in costume, sitting in his bed.”

Although lots of kids and their parents came to the event, the college community was present as well.

Louisville junior Tyler Underwood and Carly Lescinski, a junior from Floyds Knobs, Ind. said they were big fans and had been excited to attend.

Underwood said he most enjoyed the Potions class, where the WKU Chemistry Club had set up stations to make silly putty, play with dry ice and watch a person set their hand on fire. Lescinski said she liked Defense Against the Dark Arts, where guests could practice writing with a real quill.

“I really enjoyed it because I was awesome at it,” she said. “But the whole night has been amazing.”