Library welcomes large crowd for Fantasy Day

Originally posted on Go Anacortes: https://www.goskagit.com/anacortes/news/library-welcomes-large-crowd-for-fantasy-day/article_5aa70a8a-b71d-11ed-bd6c-8f93336fdd8e.html

As visitors stepped into the Anacortes library Saturday, they weren't just stepping into the normal library.

They were stepping into a magical world where they could chat with wizards and elves, travel through a maze to find a hidden spell, set off on a quest, drink a potion or two and create a shield to protect them through the enchanted forest.

Fantasy Day, the library's annual genre event, welcomed at least 1,200 people, probably more, organizer Diana Farnsworth said. 

This is the first genre night the library has held since Sci-Fi Night in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 100 volunteers worked on the event and put in, conservatively, at least 800 volunteer hours, Farnsworth said. They helped transform the entire library in a fantasy world, plus provide treats and activities.

At least 300 of those hours went in on Saturday and Sunday, transforming the library and then cleaning it up again, Farnsworth said.

"This would not happen without our volunteers," she said.

Artist Nancy Wright created a large dragon to oversee the activities. Ora Peterson created a painting for the enchanted forest, and Julie VanQuickenborne created a dragon's nest at the event.

Much of the funding came from the Friends of the Anacortes Public Library, which has been funding this event since the library started holding it in 2015, Farnsworth said. Other major sponsors were the Anacortes Public Library Foundation, Island Optometry Clinic and Make Northwest.

Other organizations chipped in money and supplies to make sure the event went smoothly and, most importantly, was completely free for families, Farnsworth said.