Where's the Best Harry Potter Party?
Posted 06.28.11 by Mandy
In 2007, pretty much every bookstore in the U.S. and U.K. had a party to celebrate the final book in the Harry Potter series, but where's the party now that the final movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, is being released?
One party that sounds pretty good is at the Hippodrome Wide Screen Cinema in Charleston, SC. It includes a costume contest, trivia games, and themed drinks and candy. The theater also has a beer and wine license, so hopefully the butter beer will be a little more potent than just some cream soda with a shot of butterscotch flavor thrown in.
Though it's not actually a party, AMC Theaters is having a four-day Harry Potter marathon at theaters all over the U.S., and it's bound to have a party atmosphere with all those hard-core HP fans coming together. The marathon will happen over four days, screening all eight movies starting on July 11 and ending with a midnight showing of Deathly Hallows: Part 2 on July 15. At Cinemaworld in Lincoln, RI, they're taking it a step further with a 24-hour "Muggle Marathon" starting at 3 am on July 14. It'd probably be a good idea to catch a nap sometime on the 14th if you're going to attend that event.
If these events are a little too... mainstream for you, consider LeakyCon 2011. The event, hosted by The Leaky Cauldron fansite staff, takes place in Orlando, FL, with convenient access to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Park, of course. The convention consists of panels, keynote speakers, and round-table discussions, as well as Quidditch games, "wizard rock concerts," and a Rocking Charity Ball. Just remember, if you invite the Patil twins to the ball, be sure not to ignore them once you're there. It's pretty safe to assume a midnight showing of The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 will be involved, as well. The conference will be held from July 13 through 17, so there's still a little time to make travel arrangements.
If you like nerdy but need something a little more low key, the Princeton Library in Princeton, NJ, is hosting a Harry Potter Filibuster on July 7. Participants will read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone aloud until the entire book is read. The "filibuster" is followed by a week-long Harry Potter movie marathon, but it is just a public library, so you're on your own for a midnight screening of the final movie.
The winner, though, for the absolute best party has to go to the "Harry Potter: The Magical Event" at the London Film Museum, which we learned about via Mugglenet. The event is free of charge to anyone in costume and features games, video games, LEGOs, props, and costumes used in the movies, toys, and complimentary photos of attendees taken against a Hogwarts backdrop. An awesome Harry Potter party and a royal wedding all within just a couple of months? Man, Brits get to have all the fun. The London Film Museum's party takes place on July 2, so you might want to start working on travel arrangements if you aren't in the London area.
Is there an amazing Potter party going on in your area? Tell us about it in the comments below.