Attention quidditch players: the IQA is pleased to announce the first event of its kind, Quidstock! Quidstock will bring together quidditch players from all over the world for a three-day festival of peace, love, and most importantly, quidditch.

All Quidstock artwork designed by Isaac Mitchell of ISU Quidditch. 

Quidstock will be co-hosted by the Saratoga Polo Association and will be located on their fields in Saratoga Springs, NY from Friday, October 12 and to Sunday, October 14. The date of Quidstock has been strategically chosen to kick off the IQA’s official competition season, beginning with Quidstock in the fall and ending with the World Cup in the spring.

Quidditch looks different now than it did when the first college students picked up brooms and leaped on to the pitch seven years ago, and while we’re excited about where quidditch is going, we never want to forget where it came from. This weekend celebrates the beginning. It’s to make sure we never stop having fun.

Teams will stay on site in tents that will be provided. Tents will be large enough to accommodate several teams, and each tent will have a partitioned space for each team, as well as a common area to spend quality time with your favorite quidkids from other teams. The tents will have flooring and heat, and bathroom and shower trailers will be located nearby. Think of the World Cup in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire!

Quidstock will begin with a welcoming feast on Friday night in the Great Hall-style tent, followed by bonfires and other activities. Saturday night’s festivities include fireworks, a dance party, open mic and other community events.

Gameplay will begin on Saturday and continue into Sunday. Match results can be used towards the required number of games for official member teams, as well as toward these teams’ rankings.

While there will be a focus on quidditch, there will also be a large emphasis on fun and community. Between matches, magicians, entertainers and other incredible acts will delight fans and players alike. In the evening, there will be games of capture the flag and volleyball, and bonfires and music. Quidstock is like a weekend at the best summer camp of your life!

One unique event that will take place at Quidstock is an All-Star match – but not just any All-Star match. While registering, teams will have the opportunity to nominate two of their own players, to represent them on one of two All-Star teams: the Irish and the Bulgarians. All weekend, players will have a chance to root for – or heckle – the All-Star team of their choice. These two teams will compete in a final match that will close out the festival on Sunday.

Registration, which includes participation in the games, two nights of accommodations, six meals, and all of the entertainment, will be $199 per player, and each team must bring at minimum 10 players and no more than 21 players. Quidstock is open to any college or high school team, official or unofficial. 100% of each player’s fee covers their costs. The goal of the event is for fun and not profit. If your team is interested in attending, please pre-register on the Quidstock website. This event is contingent on a minimum number of players.

For more information about registration, pictures of the venue and anything you could ever hope to know about Quidstock, please check out the website, follow @QuidStock on Twitter, and check out our Facebook event for more updates!

Quidstock website designed by Gabe Hernandez.