Harry Potter fans that we are here at Publin, we got thinking about what a Harry Potter themed bar in Dublin might look like. Or even, if we were given the use of a large pub function room for a night, what would we do to it. We put our thinking caps on, had a bit of fun with it and came up with a few ideas. You’ll really have to indulge us on this one.
Entry
As you walk in the person taking the entrance fee for the event is in a picture frame dressed as the fat lady (it can also be a slim man. The just have to be moving in a frame).
You are handed a wand upon entry under an Ollivanders sign.
As you enter you get sorted into a house.
You will receive a wristband in the house colours.
Your wrist stamp will be a Deathly Hallows symbol.
Upon entry you get a 5 second video taken where you hold up a number. Later in the party this will be played on small digital picture frames that show you as having escaped from Azkaban.
There will be a sign at the entrance that reads ‘Tonks for coming’.
Guests give their home or email address and receive a Hogwarts letter a few days after thanking them for coming and letting them know what school books they need for the coming year.
We could rent the Dublin road train to pick up premium ticket holders at a train station and drive you to the venue like you’re riding the Hogwarts Express.
The invitation will read ‘Don’t be a Dud-ley.’
You walk through a Diagon Alley curtain before making your way to the main venue.
Decoration and entertainment
Various TVs will be playing some of the movies. You can pick up a pair of headphones and change the channel on them to choose which film you want to hear. Similar to a silent disco.
The bar will, of course, be serving butter beer, fire whiskey, and other assorted Harry Potter drinks. There’ll also be pumpkin pasties, drooballs, chocolate frogs, and some more savoury options.
There will be Harry Potter games on TVs, including Quidditch for the PS2 and HPfor the kinect, so you can actually use a wand.
There will be quidditch beer pong. Get the ball through one of the 3 hoops before it lands in a cup.
Themed cocktails, including Espresso Patronum, Polyjuice potion, Gilderoy Locked-hard, Weesleys Whiskey Wheezes, and Snape n’ Grape. Maybe we could get the folks at Native Blenders to concoct something special with fancy labels.
Any hot cocktails will be served in mugs that change colour when exposed to a change in temperature.
There will be a ‘Potions Class’ where you’ll learn how to make some of the cocktails.
The ‘Transfiguration booth’. A photo booth with hats and costumes for you to get a snap as your favourite character.
There would also be a photo frame where you can get a ‘wanted’ photo after your escape from Azkaban.
The pint glasses will have house crests on them.
Any staff only section will be called ‘The restricted section’.
The pub, for the purpose of this party, is to be renamed with ‘Seamus Finnegans’ or ‘The Slyther-Inn’.
There will be an Ireland Quidditch World Cup Champions banner.
There will be moving paintings on digital frames.
There will be a sign on the actual bar that reads ‘Platform 9 3/4’.
Half a shopping trolley will be stuck into the ‘9 3/4’ bar so you can imitate stepping through the platform, or maybe just use it for leaning against when you’re waiting for a drink.
There will be a large clock on the wall with the Weasley children’s faces on arms that keep spinning around.
A random door will be designated as the ‘Gryffin Door’.
A golden snitch discoball.
A Harry Potter smartphone pub quiz. You have to answer through a speed quiz app to take part.
The menu title will be:’Fantastic drinks and where to find them.
A screen that constantly says “Yer a wizard ….” and inserts random names of people in attendance. “Yer a wizard Clare” etc.
Winged keys would be hung from the ceiling.
Bricked wallpaper
The cash register will be mocked up to look like Gringotts.
A long snake will be hung along the bar or on the walls.
A broom in the corner with a sing above it that reads “Just a regular broom. Please do not attempt to fly”.
You receive a whatsapp howler during the night if you’ve given your phone number when booking.
Toilet
The toilet will be called ‘The room of requirement’.
One toilet cubicle has ministry of magic logo on it, as that is the entrance to the Ministry.
There will be a sign on the toilet door warning of the troll. Some may believe that he’s in the dungeon, but he’s actually in the jacks.
Troll noises will be pumped into the toilets.
Some reference in the toilet to ‘You know poo’ or ‘Pee who will not be named’.
The mirrors in the toilet will be decorated like the mirror of Erised.
One of them will be a false mirror with a picture of Gilderoy Lockhart looking especially fabulous.
The toilet roll will be custom made and will read ‘I must not tell lies’.
“The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware” will be written in red marker/paint above the toilet.
Now we just have to figure out how to get around the copyright issue and convince people to pay a whole lot of money to pay for all of this.