Dumbledore Santa is coming to Diagon Alley in Ballard this weekend

Ballard’s own Diagon Alley will host a special visitor this Saturday and Sunday: Dumbledore Santa himself. And it’s shaping up to be a big holiday event.

“Our Dumbledore Santa is a 30-year small theater pro,” explains Jon Chambers, who created Diagon Alley in his Ballard driveway for Halloween. “He will be getting professional hair and beard extensions Saturday morning from a professional volunteering her time.”

That’s just for starters. Nearly 30 Harry Potter characters — lots of wizards — will make appearances at various times over the weekend. A new two-story children’s playhouse in the likeness of Gringotts bank — complete with the dragon on top, created by artist Frank Carillo — will open for the first time along with the Leaky Cauldron playhouse.

“The girls are selling Harry Potter themed sugar cookies, peppermint hot cocoa and Butter Beer from the newly completed Leaky Cauldron,” explains Chambers.

And there will be snow: 180 gallons of fake snow covering the alley.

“We are expecting massive crowds and lines, so we are treating the event like Halloween and cycling people through around scansions. We will have helpers on site for crowd control,” he said.

Chamber estimates as many as 10,000 people have visited Diagon Alley so far, and he’s raised $8,400 for pancreatic cancer research — and counting. All donations taken at the door will also go to PurpleStride.

Santa will be visiting this Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m. The address is 7514 13th Ave NW.