Dumbledore’s Army’s fourth annual Yule Ball was hosted at the Knight Spot on Saturday Jan. 30. A campus volunteer organization for Harry Potter enthusiasts, Dumbledore’s Army works hard every year to put the tradition on for students. Yule Ball allows a unique and positive environment for students to unwind and celebrate a love of all things Harry Potter.
At the ball, music filled the room and partygoers followed. The event offered a welcoming atmosphere, light refreshments and giveaways. Provided through funds from Geneseo Late Knight, the favors were especially magical. Among them were Deathly Hallows-themed necklaces, key chains sporting Harry Potter characters and jelly beans—akin to Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans—with less than appetizing flavors like boogers, grass and rotten eggs.
While less consistent with the Harry Potter theme, the dance floor was nonetheless enchanting. Harry Potter fans and non-enthusiasts alike boogied beneath crisp, white streamers, dazzling light and paper snowflakes.
“I’ve been involved with Dumbledore’s Army since I was a freshman,” Dumbledore’s Army secretary junior Laura Brown said. “It’s great to be able to share my love of Harry Potter and to provide people a safe space where people can have fun.”
In addition to hosting the Yule Ball, the club plans to hold a fundraiser for Chances and Changes—an organization that offers services to help victims of domestic abuse—this semester. In recent years, the club has also hosted fundraisers for Planned Parenthood, participated in multiple walks for those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and attended Relay for Life.
While the event’s food is provided by Campus Auxiliary Services and its prizes provided by funds from GLK, Dumbledore’s Army coordinates the event on its own. It is one of the club’s most important—and beloved—events of the year, and Dumbledore’s Army president senior Mikayla Dibelka emphasized the amount of work that it takes to pull off as a team.
“There are always some difficulties—things we wish we knew about in advance—but it’s worth it after all and that’s why we keep doing it,” she said. “People really look forward to this event. People in the club and non-regulars have a fantastic time and it really motivates us to keep throwing Yule Balls.”
Another huge draw to the event is its price—or lack thereof. “It’s always been free and it’ll continue to be,” Brown said. “The prizes also aren’t raffled off—they’re given away.”
As the night ended with empty trays of food and prizes in the hands of happy recipients, the Yule Ball served as an excellent model for what campus events ought to be. It brought together people of mixed interests, gave students a safe and enjoyable way to spend a Saturday night and provided people a chance to learn more about a fine campus organization.