Are you ready to apparate into the magical world of Harry Potter and host a spellbinding party that even Professor Dumbledore would approve of? Well, grab your wands and prepare to conjure up an unforgettable Harry Potter-themed bash. From decorations to treats to activities, we have all the best Harry Potter party ideas you need for a fantastic celebration.
Start with an invitation
In recent years we’ve begun to rely on Facebook events and digital invites for spreading the word about our upcoming celebrations. But we recommend going back to the old days of physical invitations for your Harry Potter-themed party.
You’ve been accepted!
Make your guests’ dreams come true by sending a Hogwarts acceptance letter as your invitation. You can print them on parchment paper or stain regular paper to give them an aged and authentic look. Don’t forget a matching envelope and wax seal! You could also include a ticket to the Hogwarts Express with the party details.
Send your post by owl
Skip the mail and send by owl post instead to immediately get your guests in the Harry Potter mindset. Set aside a day a few weeks out from the event to hand-deliver your invitations. With some help from the owls, of course. Use plush owl toys, craft paper owls, or draw owls on balloons for a cute delivery surprise!
📖 Celebrating a book lover’s special day? Check out our ideas and themes for planning a book birthday party!
Transfigure your space
To kick off your magical soirée, you’ll want to transform your venue, house, or party space into a Hogwarts-worthy haven. There is no shortage of decorating ideas across the internet, but here are some of our favorites!
Get sorted
Start your Harry Potter party by sorting your guests into Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw. Have guests complete an online quiz, then create or buy a sorting hat to announce their house in an official sorting ceremony. Hang house banners in your “Great Hall” with matching themed party favors for guests to pick up once they know their Hogwarts house.
Enchant the room
Fishing line is your best friend for DIY Harry Potter party decorations. From floating candles and winged keys to letters flying out of a fireplace, there are so many ways to create a little magic with this Harry Potter birthday party idea.
🕯️ Floating candles DIY: Buy some battery-powered candles and use fishing line and command strips to hang them around your ceiling for an enchanting effect.
🗝️ Flying keys DIY: Buy old-fashioned keys and hot glue paper wings to them, then hang them with fishing line around the ceiling at varying heights. Make one with bent wings for a Harry Potter Easter egg!
✉️ Incoming Hogwarts letters DIY: You need a fireplace for this one! Tie a few fishing lines to your fire screen and connect them to the ceiling. Then, attach many Hogwarts acceptance letters to the lines.
Follow the wizarding signs
Designate areas throughout your party as famous Harry Potter locations and make a directional sign to send guests to the right places. They can arrive at Platform 9¾, visit Diagon Alley to grab party favors, and head to Hogsmeade to hit up The Three Broomsticks for a pint of butterbeer. Add Harry Potter-themed labels to your food, drinks, and activities for an extra touch.
👻 Hosting a Harry Potter Halloween party? Check out these DIY Halloween Decorations if you want to add some spookiness to your space.
Feast like a wizard
Food, drinks, and especially sweets hold a special place in the wizarding world. Create a spread of magical delights that will leave your guests spellbound with these Harry Potter party food ideas.
A little bread and butterbeer
You can’t have a Harry Potter party without a little butterbeer. In addition to a classic butterbeer drink recipe, get creative with other butterscotch-flavored items inspired by the Harry Potter menu staple. From crunchy snacks to sweet desserts, there are so many ways to incorporate this tasty treat.
🍿 Butterbeer popcorn: Get the butterscotch vanilla flavor with the sweet crunch of caramel popcorn. A perfect snack for a Harry Potter watch party!
🧁 Butterbeer cupcakes: These brown sugar cupcakes are infused with cream soda and butter flavors, filled with butterscotch ganache, and topped with rich butterscotch buttercream.
🍪 Butterbeer cookies: Take your classic cookies and add butterscotch instant pudding, butterscotch chips, and white chocolate chips, and you get delicious cookies Harry, Ron, and Hermonie would love!
It’s as sweet as Honeydukes
Satisfy those sweet tooths with a candy station filled with fun and intriguing flavors. Serve all the Honeydukes favorites like chocolate frogs and Bernie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans. But then add some other unique Harry Potter-themed party treats to fill out your dessert table!
🐸 Chocolate frogs with boxes: Make your own homemade chocolate frogs, then print and fold pentagonal-shaped boxes for a treat straight from the Trolley Witch’s trolley of snacks.
🍭 Acid pops: These sour lollipops are a must-have if you want a sweets spread reminiscent of Honeydukes Sweetshop. But don’t worry, they won’t burn a hole in your guests’ tongues.
🟡 Golden snitch balls: Test your creativity skills with chocolate-covered peanut butter balls decorated and “painted” to look like golden snitches. Don’t forget to add the sparkly wings!
Some perfect Potter potions
Channel Professor Snape and serve colorful drinks that mimic potions from the wizarding world. There are many recipes out there for everything from Polyjuice Potion to Felix Felicis. Most can be prepared with or without alcohol, so all ages can enjoy them. Serve them in potion bottles or use a cauldron as a punch bowl for added effect!
🧪 Polyjuice potion: Transform your menu with this three-ingredient drink that’s perfect for a kid’s Harry Potter birthday party. Or, add gummy worms and bugs if you’re hosting a themed Halloween bash.
🌿 Gillywater: Recreate this quirky drink using cucumber infusion, mint, and lime mixed with sparkling or flat water. It’s so refreshing that you might feel like you can breathe underwater! You can’t, though.
🍀 Felix Felicis: Every Harry Potter party could use a little liquid luck. This citrus drink has a sweet undertone that will delight taste buds. Add vodka for the adult wizards and muggles!
🍸 Bring in a pro! Hire a bartender to prepare your potions and pour them with ease. You can even choose a flair bartender for a magical spin — literally!
Plan magical activities
Engage your guests with immersive activities inspired by the Harry Potter series. From crafts to competitive challenges, there are a ton of great Harry Potter party ideas for some wholesome wizarding fun.
Set up a wand-making station
Let your party guests create their own personalized wands with this easy craft. Find some straight-ish sticks from the yard or buy some chopsticks, grab a hot glue gun (or five), and put out an assortment of colored and glittery glue sticks. You can also paint the sticks white or black if you have a specific look in mind!
Play some trivia games
Put your guests’ Harry Potter knowledge to the test! Stick with a simple trivia game and come up with a variety of easy-to-hard questions from the Harry Potter books or movies to see who can get the most right. Or, for something a bit more interactive, break up into teams and play a game of Harry Potter-themed charades.
Host a Triwizard Tournament
Organize a series of challenges for guests to compete in for points! Send them on a scavenger hunt with Harry Potter-themed clues, set up a Wizard Chess competition, or play a Quidditch match (in the backyard or inside with a tabletop version).
🎥 Looking for more activity ideas? Set up a big screen, grab some cozy seats, and host a backyard movie night for a Harry Potter marathon.
Let GigSalad conjure up some entertainment
You might think with the right decorations, snacks, and games, your Harry Potter party is complete. But with a little GigSalad magic, you can take your celebration to the next level.
🎶 Live Music – Bring the Wizarding World to life with enchanting melodies from a string trio or a solo violinist.
🪄 Wizardry Show – Book a magician to perform mind-boggling tricks and illusions that will leave your guests in awe.
🦉 Magical Creatures Encounter – Surprise your guests by setting up interactions with animal entertainment like owls or snakes.
🎭 Character Visit – Hire actors or costumed characters to stop by the party as Harry, Hermoine, Ron, Snape, or Dumbledore!
🔥 Fire Performer – Illuminate the night with fire dancers who can recreate the magic of spells like Incendio and Lumos.
Hosting a Harry Potter-themed party doesn’t require a spellbook — it just takes a bit of creativity and planning. We hope these Harry Potter party ideas help transform your ordinary gathering into a truly magical experience your guests will remember for years. So, grab your broomsticks, don your house colors, and let the magic begin! ⚡
Book something awesome for your Harry Potter party! Find the best performers, musicians, and event services on GigSalad.
Heather is the Content Manager and a GigSalad veteran of 15+ years. She loves helping event planners create unforgettable celebrations and talent make a living doing what they love. When not at work, she enjoys reading romance and fantasy books, bingeing TV shows, playing board games, and spending time with friends.