Accio an awesome birthday bash for Harry Potter in the Great Smoky Mountains! Wait, when’s Harry’s birthday again? C’mon, you know this — it’s July 31! Celebrate the birth of this beloved character in an enchanting place filled with candy creations, displays of magic, oddities of all sorts, wandering spirits, and a spellbinding party for the wizard of the hour.
Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, TN, are more than ready for Harry Potter fans of all ages…and houses, from Gryffindor to Slytherin and every Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw in between. How exactly should you honor Harry’s special day? Why…savoring chocolate frogs, solving mysteries with magic, making new ghost pals, winning Quidditch, and hosting a Harry Potter movie marathon, of course!
Happee Birthdae, Harry!
A Harry Potter Birthday Bash
Welcome to the restricted section — where Harry’s birthday extravaganza awaits at Anna Porter Public Library on July 31. Be sure to give Porter C. Bibliocat, an honorary board member, a purr-worthy pet. Come dressed in your best school robes or cosplay a favorite character! And while Hermione might be a little perturbed at the lack of reading done here on this special day, you’ll be happy to find:
- Quidditch (played on broomstick…naturally)
- A wand making station (where you can choose it for once)
- Tasty treats (even pumpkin juice!)
- Harry Potter board games (no confundo charms allowed!)
- Screenings of the films (see favorite book characters come to life)
Anna Porter Public Library
158 Proffitt (not Privet) Road
Gatlinburg, TN
865.436.5588
Candy Shops
Anything from the trolley? Find flavourful beans (Bertie Bott would be proud…) in the BeanBoozled game found at TopJump’s Sugar Rush Candy Store. Looking for chocolate frogs and wands…or maybe Gross Gus’s Dragon’s Drool (black licorice soda)? Check out the Crave Sweet Shop at Crave Golf Club. Up for local surprises? Head to The Island’s Big Rock Candy Kitchen, where homemade treats, like caramel apples, saltwater taffy, and gourmet popcorn await.
Magic Fun
Swish and flick! Magic can be temperamental… Learn a thing or two from the pros at work — with magic shows (apparating below) in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.
- Magic Beyond Belief | Perfect your levitation spell and come face to face with majestic mermaids and whimsical unicorns.
- Impossibilities — An Evening of Magic, Mindreading and Mayhem! | Study mindful magic (don’t forget obliviate…) and nod to the Weasley twins with hilarious antics.
- The Wonders of Magic | Cultivate your spellcasting skills with Terry Evanswood, winner of the Merlin (yep, the bearded wizard we all know and love) award.
Up for more magical fun? Grab the essentials at Doc’s Magic Shop, stop by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium (harboring intrigues that would give Knockturn Alley a run for its money) and cast spells at MagiQuest (a role-playing game for witches and wizards).
Gatlinburg Ghouls & Ghosts
Turn that light off! Be sure to keep your voice down, use nox, and tread lightly while participating in Gatlinburg ghost tours, where you can meet some of Harry’s phantasmal friends. Better yet, check out Ripley’s Haunted Mansion or the Mysterious Mansion and see how the ghouls live. Safety tip: be sure to practice your lumos cast before you go…you never know what may lurk around the next corner. Sounds like a brilliant time, right? Ah, you know what we mean!
Movie & Book Marathon at the Cabin
Ready for a Harry Potter movie marathon in your private home theater at your cabin rental in the Great Smoky Mountains? Opt for theater-style seating or sofas, massive screen TVs or projectors, and booming surround sound…so everyone can clearly hear it’s levi-O-sa. Or maybe you’d prefer to hold a few readings of the classics with a book party. Pile everyone in the living room with trolly treats and ginger beer and emote your best Dumbledore wisdom, Ron jokes, Snape threats, Hagrid accent, and hippogriff calls for the group — it will be a hoot…or a croak…or a squeak…or a meow!
And after celebrating all day in town, eating too much (yet not enough) sweets, casting spells, chatting with ghouls, and partying at the library (to Filch’s dismay), you’ll appreciate a cabin to call home with Cabins for YOU.
Aside from hosting fun marathons, relax and unwind with…
- splashes in the private indoor pool
- soothing soaks in the bubbly hot tub
- games in the epic rec room
- spa baths in the indoor jetted tub (bring your golden egg for a dip)
- magical dreams in a king-size bed
- midnight munchies in the fully equipped kitchen
- and Harry Potter quizzes over complimentary Wi-Fi.
Fill out our easy-peasy Options for YOU form, and we’ll send bewitching cabin options straight to you!
Witches, wizards, and muggles, let’s celebrate Harry Potter’s birthday — with candy, magic, ghosts, a party, and marathons — Smoky Mountain style!