Giant Harry Potter wands to tour UK - including Stoke-on-Trent

The 15ft replicas will be arriving in Stoke-on-Trent in the spring!

Artists’ impression of the wands installation in Stoke-on-Trent
Author: Alex Green, PA Senior Entertainment ReporterPublished 9th Feb 2022
Last updated 9th Feb 2022

Giant wand statues from the world of Harry Potter will tour the UK this spring in celebration of the release of the latest film in the Fantastic Beasts prequel series.

The 15ft replicas are based on those belonging to characters from the wizarding franchise and will illuminate each evening as part of a light show set to music from the films.

The installation will start in Hull, after the city received the most votes in a public poll, in the city's Queen Victoria Square from March 2 to 8.

It will then visit the Bullring in Birmingham and Smithfield in Stoke-on-Trent before ending at The Oracle shopping centre in Reading, where it will be displayed from March 30 to April 5.

See the full list of dates here:

• Hull, Queen Victoria Square - 2nd - 8th March

• Birmingham, the Bullring - 11th - 17th March

• Stoke-on-Trent, Smithfield - 21st - 27th March

• Reading, The Oracle Shopping Centre - 30th March - 5th April

The wands were previously on show in London's Leicester Square to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of the film Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone.

Polly Cochrane, country manager for WarnerMedia UK and Ireland, said: "We are delighted that this stunning installation will be touring for the first time next month and the magic will be shared with even more fans.

"Following a nationwide vote, it's exciting to know that we're bringing the wands to the biggest Wizarding World fans across the UK as we celebrate the upcoming release of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore."

The Secrets of Dumbledore arrives in cinemas on April 8 and will see Eddie Redmayne's Newt Scamander and Jude Law's Albus Dumbledore prepare to face the shadowy figure of evil wizard Grindelwald in battle.

Mads Mikkelsen took over the role from Johnny Depp, who left the Harry Potter prequel series after losing a High Court battle against his ex-wife, Amber Heard.

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