How to Throw a Harry Potter-Themed Party?

Harry Potter-themed parties will never go out of fashion as long as each generation continues to adore the stories. If hosts get the basics right, kids and grown-ups can have a lot of fun at a Hogwarts party. Here are five ways to create the best Harry Potter party for your guests. 

1) Invite Guests to Your Party to be Sorted into Houses

Setting the right tone for a Harry Potter-themed party starts long before guests arrive. All fans know that you can’t get into Hogwarts without your letter of invitation. In that universe, owls arrive and drop the letters down the chimney. You can find or make invitations with owls on instead. Give guests the location, time, and date, and tell them to prepare for their Hogwarts experience. 

On arrival, you can take the theme even further by sorting guests into houses. If you can find a replica sorting hat, that’s even better. Each house has its emblem and color, such as the badger and yellow for Hufflepuff, so you could give out badges or scarves that match. 

2) Help Guests Get into Character With the Right Harry Potter Props 

These badges and scarves can add to guests’ costumes and help those who didn’t get an elaborate outfit feel included. Some guests may wear authentic costumes, while others focus on accessories like hats and broomsticks. Again, you could provide some of these to share with guests in a dressing-up box.

The right props can make or break a Harry Potter party costume and enhance some of the activities throughout the event. Consider getting some cauldrons for potion-making or serving drinks. You also need some wands for casting spells. A popular choice for kids and adults is the Incendio Wand, a light-up Harry Potter wand that shoots fire. 

3) Bring Guests Together With the Best Harry Potter Party Games and Activities

A wand like the Icendio Wand is a great way to liven up activities such as duels. The dueling club at Hogwarts helped sharpen skills and strengthen rivalries. A quick-draw event – the first to cast a spell – offers friendly competition, but all unforgivable curses risk disqualification. 

Other fun games for kids at Harry Potter parties may include bobbing for apples in the witch’s cauldron, pinning the tail on the Hippogriff, and a treasure hunt to find the Golden Snitch. Grown-up parties may include icebreaker games like Who am I, Quidditch Pong, or other drinking games. 

Aside from party games, you could also stage a reading or screening event. Guests can get comfortable in front of a big screen with their suitable snacks and get nostalgic over the original movie. Alternatively, they could take turns reading their favorite passages from the books. 

4) Provide an Immersive Experience with Harry Potter Party Décor

The party games, readings, and screening rooms need the right décor to create an immersive atmosphere. Continuing with the theme of the different houses, you could recreate the banners from the Great Hall during the banquets and end-of-year celebrations. You can also transform large wall spaces with projectors showing interior shots of the school. A few plush toys of owls, cats, and toads will also go down well with younger guests. 

5) Keep Everyone Happy with Hogwarts Finest Food and Drink

None of this is complete without Harry Potter food and drinks throughout the event. There is so much on offer at a Hogwarts banquet that you can’t go wrong. However, guests will appreciate any attempt to make homemade pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs. As for the drinks, you’ll need a good supply of butterbeer for the kids and a grown-up “potion” or two in those cauldrons. 

Ending a Harry Pottery-Themed Party in Style

Finally, how about some little gift bags once the night is over? These little treats are a great way to thank guests for coming and give them something to cherish. The party favors can be simple, such as little charms, gold coins, and a box of Every-Flavor Beans. It is easy to find items online, so every guest gets the same gift. 

When you take the time to consider all of these elements—the food, activities, props, and décor —and build a theme from the invitations to the final gifts, you can’t fail. Create a complete Hogwarts experience and excite guests for the next Harry Potter party.