Events Roundup: Enjoy a “Harry Potter” Halloween Party, Magical Brews, and a Wizard Tournament This Fall

Wizards, Whiskey, and Wine at the McWane Science Center

The McWane Science Center in Birmingham, Alabama, is hosting Wizards, Whiskey, and Wine this Saturday, October 26. As the title suggests, whiskey and wine will be provided to the attending wizards! The whole evening is packed with activities. After dinner, the IMAX Dome theater in the science center will present Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. For the rest of the night, enjoy the Wizard’s Quest Scavenger Hunt, a comedy performance by the Birmingham Improv Theater, and a Potions class! Unfortunately, tickets are already sold out.

Beans & Barlour Is Serving Up Some Seriously Magical Drinks

Beans & Barlour is the first restaurant in St. Petersburg, Florida, to feature alcohol-infused ice cream, coffee, and desserts! Just when you thought it couldn’t get more delicious, it did! This swanky eatery created a new line of Harry Potter–themed dessert cocktails for fans 21 and older. Mad-Eye Moody’s Polyjuice Potion, Boozy Butterbeer, and the very pink and bubbly Honeydukes Wizard Sundae are just a few of the innovations of the Beans & Barlour crew. The full Harry Potter menu will be available for the rest of October.

Herbs of Harry Potter with Professor Sprout

Hays Public Library in Hays, Kansas, is calling witches and wizards of all ages to Herbology class. Professor Sprout will be at Hays Public Library on Tuesday, October 29 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for a lesson on all things herbs and horticulture. Treats and snacks will be made available to those who show for the class.

Coventry Wizard Tournament

We all watched Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire wishing we could battle dragons, swim with merpeople, and fight through the scariest maze magic ever created. Okay, maybe not that last one, but definitely the dragons and mermaids! The historic St. Mary’s Guildhall in Coventry, England, is putting together its very own Wizard Tournament. To win the tournament, participants will compete in a battle of spell-casting! (Think magical laser tag.) Guests of the competition will be placed into their Houses and get a lesson in spells and handling wands. Once the tournament begins, Houses will compete and receive points for “accuracy, difficulty, combining spells, variety,” and damage points for hitting an opponent. Specially designed light-up robes will flash to indicate when a spell lands correctly. But be careful – Death Eaters may decide to crash the party! Tickets for the tournament are priced at £35 per person. The event dates were scheduled; however, due to unforeseen circumstances, the tournament has been postponed. New dates will be posted on the website soon.

The University of Iowa Presents a Harry Potter Library Exhibition

The University of Iowa is celebrating Halloween this year a little differently. Starting October 21, and running until the beginning of November, the university library will hold several Harry Potter–themed displays. The library is borrowing the presentations for the exhibit from residents of Iowa City. Noteworthy pieces from the exhibition include replica wands from the characters of the movies, a Potions book, replica coins from Gringotts Bank, a model Marauder’s Map, and several Harry Potter LEGO structures. The combination of science and magic seemed to inspire the event organizers. A floating Snitch is on display, thanks to the use of the library’s electromagnet.

Wizard Express Steam Train in Surrey

Residents of Surrey, England, will soon get the opportunity to ride a steam engine! Of course, it isn’t just any regular train – where’s the fun in that? The one and only Hogwarts Express is the inspiration behind the Wizard Express. Traveling on the Watercress Line, the Wizard Express starts at Ropley Station. The event will run for fans on Saturday, October 26 and Sunday, October 27, so grab your tickets while you still can! Witches and wizards of all ages are encouraged to join the fun. Prices for tickets start at £9 for a child and go to £45 for a family pack.

Harry Potter Halloween Experience 

Ballymoney Showground in Antrim, Ireland, is hosting a Halloween Harry Potter experience for the entire family! Wizarding activities and adventures will start at 6:00 p.m. and go until 9:30 p.m., with a quiet hour from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. for families with autistic and special-needs children. Attendees are encouraged to bring family and friends for a magical time making wands, brewing a potion, and enjoying the fair activities. Admission to the fairgrounds starts at £3 per person and goes to £10 for a family of four.

Side Bar in Sydney Is Hosting a Harry Potter Halloween Party

We all know that those who have grown up reading the story of the wizard orphan-boy-turned-hero are now adults themselves. But what does one do when one still has a love for Harry Potter, Halloween, and a little splash of something extra in their pumpkin juice? They party Potter style! The Side Bar in Sydney, Australia, is just the place you want to be this Halloween. Organizers of the event are touching up the bar with top-to-bottom Harry Potter themes, drinks, food, and music. A Quidditch pong tournament will be taking place at the bar as well, and winners will receive $300 in prizes! Be ready to go for a full night of fun because doors open at 7:00 p.m. Halloween night and will stay open until 3:00 a.m. The entrance fee for the party is $15 per person.

Sixth Annual Flick-or-Treat with the Sacramento River Cats

If you’re considering a quieter, more family-friendly event, a movie and trivia night is probably up your alley. The Sacramento River Cats baseball team is hosting the sixth annual Flick-or-Treat for families! This special event will be underway this Saturday, October 26 from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Raley Field in Sacramento, California. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets will be the featured film for the evening. Viewers are invited to watch the movie from the field! Trick-or-treating will be available for kids on the concourse, but dress your best, as you may have a chance to win the costume contest! Tickets are just $4 for kids and $6 for adults.

Erie Police Department to Hold Harry Potter Halloween Safe Stop

The Erie, Colorado, area police department has announced its annual Safe Stop Halloween event. Between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Halloween night, Erie PD invites residents to bring their kids for a Harry Potter–themed meet-and-greet with local officers, a tour of the police station, and an opportunity to meet McGruff the Crime Dog. Children who attend the event before the venture out for trick-or-treating will receive a bag of goodies!

Whimsic Alley Halloween House

There are many enthusiasts who decorate their homes for Halloween in Harry Potter fashion, but this one may take home the gold! The owners of the Whimsic Alley Halloween House are in their fourth year of doing up their residence in a magical theme! Each year, the Wiebe family from Langley, Canada, picks a book from the Harry Potter series to help decide the decorations. This year, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was the book of choice. There is no admission fee to view the house, but the family accepts canned goods for the Langley Food Pantry. Four cauldrons, which are themed around the four Hogwarts Houses, will serve as collection bins. The House cauldron with the most collected goods will win the House Cup!