Family Life

Our Harry Potter Birthday

Over the last couple of months, Tee has worked her way through Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and is now halfway through Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The girls have also seen the first two Harry Potter movies (that’s as far we’ll let them) more times than I can count. When Tee turned six earlier this month, she made a special request for a Harry Potter themed birthday party.

I remembered a while ago we’d come across a flyer advertising this local Vancouver-based company called Young Wizards Academy that provides actors to host themed kids’ parties. Hubby was kind of partial to a Star Wars party, but Tee had her heart set on the Hogwarts Potion Party instead. So we invited Professor Marty McGonagal and Professor Trelawney to visit our mini Hogwarts (also known as my basement) and lead our party guests in some Hogwarts magic.

After warming up the crowd with some sleight of hand, Professor McGonagal presided over a sorting hat ceremony for each child. The sorting hat really talked, and each child received a loaner black robe emblazoned with the crest of their particular house and a magic wand to keep. As the birthday girl, Tee was placed in Gryffindor of course!

Tee in the sorting hat

And Kay was placed in Ravenclaw House.

Kay in the sorting hat

Most of the younger kids weren’t familiar with Harry Potter, but it really didn’t seem to matter much. Once they were suitably attired in their wizarding robes, they practiced their wand defense skills and magic incantations with great gusto.

Then Professor Trelawny taught a potions class that was just the right length to keep the attention of 12 kids aged 3-8 years. The kids got to add magical components like spider eggs, flubberworm slime, orc’s blood, and dragon tears into their cauldrons (aka: white plastic cups) and beakers to see the potions change colours or foam up.

Hogwarts Potions Party   Potions and Magical Components  Making a Magical Potion

Our Hogwarts adventure ended with a treasure hunt whereupon each child got to choose and take home their own philosopher’s stone. We wrapped up with a commemorative photo op for each child in a cute cut out frame just like Sirius Black’s wanted poster in The Prisoner of Azkaban.

Have You Seen This Dangerous Wizard?

Have You Seen This Dangerous Wizard?

I really can’t recommend Marty and Young Wizards Academy enough. The kids all had a fantastic time, and even the shy kids were slowly pulled into the fun.

Once the performance part was over, it was time for cake, and what a cake it was! My good friend Kristy from The Cowardly Lemon has been creating incredible custom cakes for us since the girls came along, so I asked her if she could make us a Harry Potter inspired cake. The girls always say, “Aunty Kristy is the best cake maker ever!” And boy, are they right! After a brainstorming session with me, this is the custom Hogwarts cake she made for us!

Custom Hogwarts Cake

With six towers, two turrets, and cobblestone texture walls, the cake was incredible all on its own. But it also came with hand molded flying broomsticks, Hedwig the owl roosting up on the roof, and amazing little details like the sorting hat and a stack of magic books left behind by an absentminded student.

Custom Hogwarts Cake

The kids didn’t believe it was a real cake until we cut it, but everyone sure enjoyed the double hit of chocolate cake and chocolate frosting. Kristy’s cakes are always delicious – everyone had second helpings! If you’re planning a party, wedding, or event in Greater Vancouver, I highly recommend Kristy at The Cowardly Lemon! She’s amazing!

Custom Hogwarts birthday cake

After cake and butterbeer, the kids enjoyed a rousing light saber battle (of course we fit some Star Wars in there!) before heading home to ask their own parents to start reading Harry Potter with them. Tee loved her Harry Potter birthday, and she can’t wait to do it again next year!

Disclosure: I received complimentary/discount services to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are completely honest and my own, based on my personal experience. Your experience may differ. This post contains affiliate links. This West Coast Mommy is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

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