Overview
Potterheads, prepare to lose your gosh darn minds. To celebrate Harry Potter's birthday on July 31, a newly established group named Peeves' Gang are hosting three parties across Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide (so you can expect a lot of silly wand waving). Just leave Dr Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks at home.
It's dress-up (obviously) and Butterbeer, Fire Whiskey and Polyjuice Potion will be served up en masse so make sure you book a ticket on the Knight Bus to get you home safe. The parties are being held in some pretty big locations, including the King Cross Hotel in Sydney (July 1), the Castle of Brown Alley in Melbourne (July 29) and the Castle of Sugar in Adelaide (May 27). If you're feeling especially in the spirit, you might want to bring a cake:
The HP fan world is more stupefied and damn well excited than usual lately (if you listen closely you can hear old sheets being cut up and crafted into dress robes). It could be because Brisbane held an entire Harry Potter market last month. It could be because every morning we still hopefully open the mailbox expecting a belated Hogwarts letter, or maybe because the official trailer for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them just came out and we're feeling that familiar excitement building. There's also the West End play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts I and II (the epilogue we all wanted); a sanctioned eighth 'book' has been announced based on the play and the Universal Studios Harry Potter World have just thrown their doors wide. It's a Harry Potter smorgasboard worldwide and we are damn sure going to feast.
FYI this year we celebrate Harry's 36th birthday. We know this because HP nerds investigated, argued and deduced that JK Rowling began writing the series in 1990, when Harry was 10, so he was born 1980 and turns 36 in 2016.
If you're looking for dress-up ideas, check in with Madam Malkin or borrow some mad swag from the staff:
Grab your tickets to the Melbourne party here, the Sydney party here and the Adelaide party here.
UPDATE APRIL 26, 2016: Sydney has added an extra date on Saturday, July 2, as the first party sold out quicker than the Basilisk petrified Colin Creevey. Get on it.