While hundreds waited in line at Oak Harbor Cinemas earlier this week for the movie debut of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” countless more Potter fans are gearing up to stand in line once more when the final book of the Potter series written by J.K. Rowling hits shelves July 21.

Oak Harbor bookstores and area libraries are getting ready for the release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” on Saturday, July 21.

The Oak Harbor Library will host an all-day Harry Potter movie fest July 20 in the conference room in anticipation of the book release at midnight. The first movie will begin at noon with the following movies starting at 3, 6 and 9 p.m.

A trivia contest that day will give entrants a chance to win a complete set of the Harry Potter Books, including the coveted seventh book.

“It’s for that day only,” said Betsy Arand, Teen Librarian for the Oak Harbor Library. “All you have to do is be at least one of the showings.”

At midnight, the library will open its doors and check out copies for those muggles who are lucky enough to be high on the wait list. Since the wait list was made available for the book in February, more than 1,000 library patrons have signed up in anticipation of the book.

“They will have already received a post card in the mail if they are eligible to get a book that night,” Arand said.

Otherwise, people will have to wait until 10 a.m. Saturday for copies to hit the shelves in Oak Harbor and at other Sno-Isle library locations.

The demand for the final installment in the Harry Potter series has created a first in Sno-Isle history.

“We’re renting copies to make sure we have more available in the first few weeks to meet demand,” Arand said.

The library system will have 250 copies of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” as well as 50 talking book versions and other versions yet to be determined.

Wind and Tide Bookstore on Pioneer Way has been as busy as famed Diagon Alley bookstore Flourish and Blotts as the shop prepares for the release of the final book in the series, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”

There’s been an ongoing quiz at Wind and Tide, as well as word scrambles, crossword puzzles and everyone’s been writing their own conclusions.

“Everyone has their own ideas on what will happen,” said Wind and Tide owner Diane Sullivan of the speculation of what Rowling’s titled “Deathly Hallows” will truly bring.

The store will open at 12:01 a.m. for a book release party. There will be foods inspired by Hogwarts and wizardry, games and quizzes. Customers who pick up the Potter book at Wind and Tide that night can get a discount coupon to Nibbles Specialty Bakery.

Sullivan said she expects plenty of Potter fans dressed as wizards. This will be the third book release party the bookstore has hosted and each time the celebrations grow with enthusiasm.

“We anticipate a big crowd,” Sullivan said. “The line usually goes down the block.”

But Sullivan knows not to expect the Potter fans to hang around long.

“Everyone gets their book and runs home to start reading,” she said.

Just down Pioneer Way, Paint Your World has also caught the Potter fever. The paint-your-own pottery shop will be open 7 p.m. to midnight July 20 for a Harry Potter inspired pottery painting party. Muggles are invited to come paint tiles and enjoy snacks and drinks as they wait for Wind and Tide to open at midnight.

Arand said that each Potter release has grown in both the veil of secrecy around the books (libraries and bookstores have to sign confidentiality agreements and are sworn to keep the book under wraps), and the enthusiasm from the fans of the series.

“It’s become more and more of a big deal as the series has developed,” Arand said. “As soon as one book comes out they make predictions for the movie, and when a movie comes out it creates more fans of the books.”

We continue to see fans who have loved the books since the beginning and people who are picking them up for the first time.”

The librarian can understand the draw, having read all the books herself.

“It’s a universal story, good versus evil packaged in a new way where kids are being good fighting the evil,” she said. “It’s something that brings whole families together — the dark side appeals to the adults and the kids are thrilled it’s kids doing the magic.”

If you can’t stay awake long enough to make it to one of the 12:01 a.m. debuts of the last Potter book, don’t worry. Both Wind and Tide and the Oak Harbor library will open at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 21.

“We’ll be here for the people who want to sleep in,” Sullivan said.