Harry Potter magic returned on Saturday night, as bookstores across the country and around the world reported busy midnight release parties for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts I and II. Some of the numbers were astounding: the Strand Book Store, New York City, hosted more than a thousand fans. Likewise, Joseph-Beth in Cincinnati, Ohio, reported that a thousand people came to the store "to make this one of the most amazing midnight releases ever." Bookshop Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, Calif., drew 2,000 (more below). Amazingly, the Harry Potter festival-release party hosted by McNally Robinson in Winnipeg, Manitoba, drew nearly 20,000 people. (See story below.)
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| BookTowne, Manasquan, N.J., hosted its event at the nearby Brielle Library | |
For most stores, it was the first midnight release party since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in 2007. Worries that the magic might have worn off and that people would not like reading a playscript instead of a novel were allayed. For example, "the Potter frenzy picked up right where it left off" at Chaucer's Bookstore, Santa Barbara, Calif., Ed Conklin wrote.
Many stores drew 20-somethings who were reliving the Harry Potter phenomenon they had experienced as teens. At the same time, younger fans, who weren't old enough to participate--or weren't alive yet--got to experience the magic of such events for the first time.
Bookstore events featured many elements from parties held a decade ago--but included many additions. Parties yesterday and early this morning included scavenger hunts, trivia contests, costume awards, photo booths, face painting, music, themed food and drink and a variety of games (including quidditch).
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| Peter Glassman and Dick Robinson at Books of Wonder | |
More than 800 people, including Scholastic chairman Dick Robinson, visited Books of Wonder, New York City, during the store's celebration during the day on Saturday and at midnight for Books of Wonder's Harry Potter Festival. More than 400 people received their books by 12:10 a.m. Owner Peter Glassman noted that many daytime visitors, especially those with younger children, didn't stay until midnight but went home with their vouchers, which they planned to redeem yesterday for the book. "Others arrived, enjoyed the festival, then went out for a bite to eat and returned in time for the midnight distribution of the books. So though it was certainly crowded, it never got unmanageable and everyone was in great spirits. The whole night went wonderfully well and everyone--our customers, our staff, and our entertainers--all had a great time!"
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| Staffers in costume (including owner Kris Kleindienst, c.) at Left Bank Books, St. Louis, Mo. | |
Powell's Books, Portland, Ore., hosted midnight release parties at three of its locations: Burnside, Cedar Hills Crossing and Hawthorne. During the day, activities included a scavenger hunt and tables for drawing a patronus or solving a potions riddle. Marketing coordinator, social media Britt Appleton said staff "went all out on their costumes. We had many Harry Potters, Dumbledores, Snapes, Hagrids, and Hermiones. We also had Viktor Krum, Moaning Myrtle, we even had a cashier at Hawthorne dressed as Mrs. Norris." At 10:30, Powell's closed for the release, and staff entertained those waiting with prophecies, performances from the books, trivia contests and a photo booth. When doors opened again, there was a stamp for each book. "We also had a lightning bolt stamp for foreheads," Appleton added. "It was so much fun!"
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| Anna at Kona Stories' Muggle Wall. | |
In Hawaii, Kona Stories Bookstore, Kailua-Kona, on the island of Hawaii, held a party during the day on Saturday, which drew fans of all ages. "Guests were greeted with popcorn and butter beer while playing many magical games" that include wizard charades, a wizard drawing challenge and a trivia tournament, according to owner Brenda Lea McConnell. "Each person in costume was entered into a drawing for the illustrated Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." The winner was a young Kona resident, Anna Miller, who wrote on the Muggle Wall: "Harry Potter changed my life forever. When I had no friends in 3rd grade, the characters seemed to come out of the book and could cheer me up. They became my best friends."
On Saturday at the Doylestown Bookshop, Doylestown, Pa., the line of Harry Potter fans wrapped around the block, waiting for doors to open at 10 p.m. Then the bookshop transformed into "our idea of what an American Flourish & Blots would be," marketing and events manager Krisy Parades reported. The store was "full of candles, snitches flying around, an open mic reading of HP book 7, a costume contest and Owl & Newt trivia." Everyone counted down the seconds until midnight, and then "the book buying frenzy began," Parades added. She called it "an excellent night for all of us."
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| The crowd at Book Passage, Corte Madera, Calif. | |
At the first midnight release party hosted by Page 158 Books, Wake Forest, N.C., there was trivia, Quidditch Pong, potions, wands, a costume contest (two brothers who came as Harry and Voldemort took first and second place) and birthday cake for Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling, co-owner Dave Lucey wrote. "We had a great time, and the passion of Potter fans in full swing is something to behold, that was some of the most intense rounds of trivia I've ever seen!"
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| Eleanor Roosevelt, the Book Beagle, in costume at Parnassus Books | |
The midnight release party at Parnassus Books, Nashville, Tenn., sold out, although everyone who ordered a copy of the book got a spot in the midnight pickup line. (And the store opened early yesterday, at 9 a.m. rather than the usual noon.) Mary Laura Philpott called the party "a blast."
Vroman's, Pasadena, Calif., partnered with Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra for a party that drew 200 people. The gallery exhibited Harry Potter art prints; activities included a Luna Lovegood glasses decorating station, freebies, a photobooth, food (among other edibles, Magic Wands, Sorting Hat Cookies, Golden Snitch Cheese Balls and Butter Beer), flash trivia and a costume contest. Digital media coordinator Jess Dickieson said, "We're exhausted, but we had a blast! It was such a fun night and everyone was so excited to get their book and be a part of the evening."
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| At Tattered Cover, Denver, Colo.: Hagrid & Harry (aka Charlie, son of owners Len Vlahos and Kristen Gilligan) | |
WORD Bookstores held two wild parties. WORD's Jersey City, N.J., store was "jam packed and the butterbeer flowed all night long," according to events/PR director Michelle Chen, who added, "Two Slytherins partnered with two Hufflepuff children to conquer Triwizard Trivia (and prove that bipartisanship is actually possible). We had an adorable snafu when, after drinking three butterbeers, one child rushed the stage to tell operations manager Hannah Depp and bookseller Melody Osario that he was never leaving and 'could we please put out more chocolate frogs?' " More than 200 people attended.
In Brooklyn, N.Y., WORD threw a warehouse party with Villain in Williamsburg that drew 400 attendees that included a Triwizard Trivia Tournament and some Butterbeer Pong. "What a night of nostalgia," Chen commented. "We may be all grown up but we can still pull out our dress robes and spectrespecs and scream the countdown to midnight together."
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At Bookshop West Portal, owners Neal "Mad-Eye Moody" Sofman and Anna "Minerva McGonnigal" Bullard with their son, an age-appropriate Harry Potter.
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On Saturday, Bookshop West Portal, San Francisco, Calif., and neighboring stores transformed much of their immediate area into a Harry Potter festival. Event coordinator Susan Tunis said, "Visitors traveled up and down our block of West Portal Avenue, from the Platform 9/34 display at the West Portal Muni Station, to the Chase Bank that became Gringotts for the afternoon, handing out chocolate gold galleons to all who asked. Merchants up and down the block joined enthusiastically in the celebration, becoming various Diagon Alley shops." A highlight of the afternoon was a visit by Shane, a six-year-old barn owl, along with Nancy Ellis, curator of Wild Animals, from San Francisco's Randall Museum.
The evening featured a performance by the Word for Word Performing Arts Company, during which 10 actors read scenes from books 1 and 7. Then a film was screened, and eventually several hundred diehard fans counted down the hours until midnight with costume and trivia contests. Bookshop West Portal sold out of its copies of the new book.
"It was one of the most successful days in the store's 10-year history," Tunis said. "Not one unhappy face was seen all day. Bookstore staff were repeatedly thanked for hosting the event. One mother told me that this was a day she would never forget."
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| Susan Novotny (c.), owner of the Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, N.Y., with friends. | |
57th Street Books, Chicago, Ill., had a "joyous" midnight release party, according to Colin McDonald, marketing and events coordinator for Seminary Co-op Bookstores. Some 150 attendees enjoyed trivia contests, a wand-making station and two local comedians. One of them, Hope Rehak, who helped plan bookstore release parties for previous Potter installments as a teenager, said, "I didn't have a boyfriend until my mid-20s, but that's okay because books are more important than boyfriends."
Open less than a year, Turn of the Corkscrew, Books & Wine, Rockville Centre, N.Y., is "making great strides," co-owner Carol Hoenig said, as shown by the store's Harry Potter party, a hit that featured games, costume contests and especially food, thanks to Hoenig's daughter, Natasha, who served Sorcerer's Stone Red Velvet Cupcakes, Fever Fudge, Golden Snitch, owl pellets, and much more. "Kids of all ages came and were overheard saying they were thrilled to have selected our party to attend!"
"We had a fantastic time at our midnight release party," Melissa Fox, children's event coordinator at Watermark Books & Café, Wichita, Kan., wrote. "We had several actors wandering around in character, ranging from a very dynamic Arthur Weasley to a spot-on Trelawny. We didn't have as many people dress up as I thought we would, but we had enough for a costume contest. The biggest hit was the trivia contests: we had adult and child divisions, and everyone really enjoyed testing their knowledge." Watermark also hid golden snitches around the store for people to find--with prizes for the finders.
Despite rain on Saturday night, One More Page, Arlington, Va., "was packed with fans outfitted as their favorite characters," Eileen McGervey wrote. "A fearsome, hard fought game of Harry Potter trivia ended with just one point separating each of the top three teams. Costume contest, selfie station (w/ Hermione and 'Have You Seen this Wizard'), cake, raffles and of course, books at 12:01 a.m. rounded out a wonderful evening."
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King's Books, Tacoma, Wash., hosted a Midnight Release Block Party with its neighbor comic store and three nearby restaurant/bars. sweet pea Flaherty described the evening as "crazy busy. We had over 300 people come through the bookstore and well over that including the other venues." The party featured wand making, a Diagon Alley with local craft vendors, a Divination Station, wizard photos, and a costume contest. In addition, "We had a Great Hall with 'floating' candles, a papier-mache Hedwig with a letter wall. People had a seriously good time."
Likewise, Bookshop Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, Calif., joined with seven downtown vendors to create a Harry Potter Festival, transforming a city block into Diagon Alley, with performances, wand making, butterbeer, a photo booth and more. Between that and the midnight release party, more than 2,000 witches and wizards enjoyed the festivities.
RoscoeBooks, Chicago, Ill., held a Harry Potter party yesterday, and it included singing happy birthday to both J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter when the cake was cut as well as food, drink, crafts and magical merriment. Co-manager Kelsey Westenberg called it "one of the most successful Sundays we have ever had, and made us feel honored to be part of such a supportive and enthusiastic community."
More than 200 people came to the family-friendly day party organized by Gibson's Bookstore, Concord, N.H., with a focus on the many original Harry Potter fans who have grown up and are having new families of their own that they want to share Harry Potter with. Attendees were sorted into their Hogwarts House, had their wands choose them, enjoyed some magical treats and took their OWLs. There was also a photo booth and potion classes, which included two edible potions. Events coordinator Elisabeth A. Jewell said that Gibson's "sold so many books that we ran out of unreserved copies."
Mysterious Galaxy San Diego drew some 200 Harry Potter fans to its celebration, which was led by Potter fans (and booksellers) Ashley Loga and Kelly Orazi. The event included constructing decorations, crafting treats from between the pages of the books, and organizing activities from Muggle photos in front of the Dursley mantel to house team trivia (won by the Ravenclaw team, which eked out victory over the Hufflepuff team by a single point).
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| At Savoy Bookshop and Cafe, Westerly, R.I. | |
Bank Square Books, Mystic, Conn., and Savoy Bookshop and Café, Westerly, R.I., each drew more than a hundred people to their respective parties. The events included trivia, a raffle, butterbeer and potions, a basilisk, owl balloons, hanging candles and loads of amazing costumes, event coordinator Elissa Englund reported.
blue manatee children's bookstore, Cincinnati, Ohio, had "a huge crowd and sold out of our first shipment of books," events coordinator Page Seck wrote. The store approached the party as if customers were visiting each of the Hogwarts' courses, with Divination, Potions, Transfiguation, Herbology and Charms represented. Guests were invited to be sorted with the sorting hat, make snitches, make wands, create their patronus and floo powder. Every guest also had a personalized invitation from Hogwarts delivered via floo mail. Deeper Roots Coffee next door provided butterbeer to accompany the Harry Potter birthday cake. On arrival, guests were given a Marauder's Map to aid in finding all the store had to offer for the evening. "It was an absolutely perfect night and so much fun," Seck added.