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NEW YORK — K’lyssa Moore wasn’t that much older than the elementary school students she now teaches when she first fell in love with Harry Potter soon after the books first started coming out.
The 28-year-old reads at least part of the first book to her classes, and isn’t at all surprised when they fall under the spell of the boy wizard, just like she did, and are endlessly curious about what happens next, just like she was. But the similarity ends there, since they have something she didn’t — all seven books at their disposal.
As the 20th anniversary of the initial publishing of the first Harry Potter book is celebrated this week, another generation is being introduced to Harry, Hogwarts and all the rest of the magical world created by author J.K. Rowling.
For some of their first-generation-fan parents and other adults often doing the introducing, there’s a little bit of wistfulness that their kids won’t get to experience the midnight book release parties and other hoopla that surrounded the Harry Potter publishing phenomenon. For others, though, there’s the slightest bit of (cheerful) envy that their kids won’t have to wait to find out what happens next.
Moore is firmly in the first camp.
“Part of it, the fun of being a fan when the books were coming out, you were living it as Harry and all the characters were living it,” the Lubbock, Texas, resident said. “The wait between books was kind of like the summers they had in-between school when Harry was disconnected from the (magical) world. You do miss out on getting to make up your own theories and getting to guess what you think is going to happen because you can pick up the book and find out right away.”
Chloe Galkin is pretty sure she could probably live with that. The 41-year-old from Maplewood, New Jersey, has seen her 8-year-old son Theo tear through the entire series. “I think I would have loved to have them all, just the way he does,” she said. “We’ll finish one, he can’t wait to start the next one. I think that’s almost better in a way that you can read them continuously.”
The first book in the Harry Potter series was published in Britain on June 26, 1997. It’s since sold more than 450 million copies globally, in 79 languages. It took 10 years for all the books to come out, with multi-year gaps between offerings.
And remember, the discussions and events and fan theories were there because people needed to find ways to pass the time, pointed out Erin Pyne, 40, of Orlando, Florida. She should know — her immersion in all things Harry Potter led her to working with Universal Studios on its massively popular Harry Potter themed park attraction.
“This Harry Potter generation,” which includes her 6-year-old son, Rowan, “is so lucky, because they don’t have to wait,” she said. “We had to wait and wait and WAIT.”
Emma Joanisse can’t imagine that. The 10-year-old read the series starting with one of the numerous copies of the first book owned by her stepmother, Josee Leblanc.
“I’m glad that I didn’t have to wait because I could just read them all and not have to stop,” said Joanisse, of Montreal, through Leblanc’s translation. She admitted the idea of midnight book release parties and other events had a certain appeal, though. “It sounded like fun, being all together,” she said.
Envious or not, sharing the Harry Potter love with a new generation has been a joy and a testament to the staying power of the books, said Clayton Lord, 36, who has read the first four with his husband and their 6-year-old daughter, Cici. Prior to starting that effort last year, he hadn’t re-read the first books in the series in many years.
“There are things that you read when you’re younger and then you get back to them and you realize they’re not all you thought they were,” said Lord, of Edgewater, Maryland. When it comes to Harry Potter, even after many years, “they’re very very well-crafted, the writing is really beautiful and controlled ... I think that they hold up incredibly well.”

The sixth annual Bayou BBQ Bash will continue to feature cooking competitions in chicken, ribs and brisket categories, but organizers have also added a singing competition and will unveil the 2017 Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival poster.

Organizers will hold a Meet the Cooks kickoff for the bash from 5:30-8:30 p.m. July 13 at Hampton Inn & Suites in Morgan City. The public will have a chance to meet some of the cooks competing in the bash and sample barbecue. Door prizes will also be awarded.

The St. Mary Chamber of Commerce hosts the Bayou BBQ Bash.

For the first time, representatives with the Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival will unveil the poster for the 82nd festival during the July 13 kickoff event.

The bash will officially start July 14 with the barbecue competition to follow July 15 under the U.S. 90 bridge in Morgan City.

The St. Mary Chamber of Commerce is partnering with KQKI 95.3 FM to host the 36th annual Country Showdown from 6-9 p.m. July 14 during the Bayou BBQ Bash under the bridge. The showdown is a country music talent search and radio promotion.

Acts will compete locally for a chance to advance to one of 30 regional finals, where the winner will receive $1,000. KQKI will be awarding cash and trophies from D&L Trophies for first-, second- and third-place, a news release said.

KQKI chose to partner with the BBQ Bash after previously holding the country music competition each April at the Cypress Sawmill Festival in Patterson. But sawmill festival organizers chose not to have the festival this year.

There will be a mandatory meeting for barbecue competitors at 5:30 p.m. July 14 under the bridge.

Bayou BBQ Bash Co-founder Don Tellman expects 40 to 50 entrants to compete in the July 15 competition barbecuing half chickens, pork spare ribs and brisket. The 2016 bash had 53 teams.

The bash’s grand champion will win a gold ring from Klutts Jewelers and be put into a drawing for the chance to compete in the Jack Daniels’ World Championship Invitational Barbecue in Lynchburg, Virginia.

“That’s what brings a lot of these teams in,” Tellman said of the chance to compete in the world championship.

A few teams from Texas and Mississippi normally compete in the bash. Tellman confirmed that teams will be coming from at least as far away as Shreveport.

Tellman says the bash is a family event.

Up to 30 teams may compete in the Kids Q competition. Children 12 years old and under will cook pork chops, while ages 13-17 will cook chicken leg quarters. Cannata’s Supermarket will provide meat for the kids’ competition.

To download forms to enter the competition, visit stmarychamber.com.

The barbecue competition is a Barbecue Competitors Alliance sanctioned event. All cooking must be done on wood or wood products.

Organizers will also present trophies to the reserve grand champion, St. Mary Parish champion, corporate team champion and cash prizes to the top 10 finishers in each meat category during an awards ceremony at 5 p.m. July 15. Kids Q winners will receive prizes as well.

Immediately following the Country Showdown on the night of July 14, Lowdown will play with a guest appearance by Hal Bruni until 10 p.m.

Jus Cuz will play from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday followed by South 70 from 2-5 p.m.

Attendees of the bash may visit craft, drink and food booths under the bridge. The bash may have up to 70 craft vendors.

Leroy J. Bailey, 84, a native of Napoleonville and resident of Morgan City, died Wednesday, June 28, 2017, at his residence.
He is survived by two sons, Perry Bailey of Stephensville and Terry Bailey of Morgan City; two daughters, Connie Leger and Brenda Bailey, both of Morgan City; and two sisters, Doris Aucoin of Morgan City and Lucille Gros of Labadieville.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one daughter, six brothers and two sisters.
Visitation will be Friday from 9 a.m. until services at 11 a.m. at Twin City Funeral Home. He will be laid to rest in the Morgan City Cemetery Mausoleum.

The first African-American woman to become a Louisiana state trooper passed away recently, the Louisiana State Police said in a press release.
Joyce Stephanie Isaac Thibodeaux began her law enforcement career in 1974 when she was employed by the Lafayette City Police Department for two years.
In 1976 Thibodeaux attended the Louisiana State Police Academy and subsequently became the first African-American female trooper in Louisiana history. She served at LSP Troop I in Lafayette before retiring after 21 years of service as a detective in the LSP Gaming Division.
After her retirement, Joyce realized a lifelong goal by attending and graduating from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology in 2001. Thibodeaux also served her community as a member of the Magnolia State Peace Officers Association.
Joyce Stephanie Isaac Thibodeaux was born in Lafayette on Nov. 12, 1948, to the late Phillip and Anna Mae (George) Isaac, both of Lafayette. Joyce was a lifelong resident of Lafayette, and a 1966 graduate of Holy Rosary Institute. She was married for 10 years to Joseph Butch Thibodeaux, a union that produced two children.
Funeral services for Thibodeaux were Wednesday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church (818 12th St., Lafayette).