10 Tips On Throwing A Harry Potter Beach Party

One of the best parts about summer are the many days you'll spend relaxing, soaking up the sun, and going to a few fun beach parties. While a beach party can be a hit with some cool drinks and a few rounds of beach volleyball, it's a lot more fun with a theme attached. And with J.K. Rowling's new book, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child coming out at the end of July, Harry Potter is going to be on everyone's mind more than it normally is this summer. So what better way to celebrate than with a Harry Potter-themed beach party?!

As you read your favorite Harry Potter book for the millionth time on the beach, you might wonder how to throw a party about a book that never even addresses that "beach party" life once. Not even once. Not to worry, there are tons of ways to make this party a hit.

Bring along your friends, the book lovers that need a break to soak up some sun, and anyone else that loves beach parties. You'll play silly games, dress up in your house colors, and tell some spooky stories with these 10 fun tips on how to throw the best Harry Potter beach party anyone has ever seen:

1. Recommend That Everyone Wear A Swimsuit That Represents Their House Colors

In the invites, make sure to mention wearing your house colors. No one has to run out and get a new bathing suit, but if they happen to have one with their color, or maybe a skirt or shirt that matches, encourage them to wear it.

Harry Potter Swimsuit, $33.00, Amazon

2. Turn A Beach Ball Or Volleyball Into A Golden Snitch

Get a can of spray paint or acrylic paint and turn your beach ball or volleyball into a golden snitch you can toss back and forth. Maybe even toss in a gold frisbee if that's more of your thing!

3. Play "The Second Task" With Water Toys

In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The Second Task is pretty intense and requires contestants to be able to breathe underwater, navigate freak-mermaid waters, and rescue a friend all within an hour. Not only is that impossible, but it wouldn't be fun. What would be fun, though, is having a timed racing contest for teams to find water toys hidden underwater. Toss in a bunch or just a few things to find, and whichever person or team finds the most first, wins! (Make sure to have someone standing watch to make sure there are no accidents!)

4. Swap Marco-Polo With Moaning Myrtle

If you have a couple kids attending your beach party (or even if you don't), swap out the traditional Marco Polo game for a Moaning Myrtle. Have everyone make some sort of noise — humming, beat boxing, complete nonsense — and a single person moaning while you tread through the water. Once the person who has their eyes closed finds the Moaning Myrtle, you start the game over and introduce even more crazy or weird sounds!

5. Build A Hogwarts Sand Castle

Bring along buckets and pails, or just go at it with leftover pop cans and solo cups. Make your best Hogwarts replica, or maybe a version of Hogsmeade, Hagrid's hut, or Gringotts Wizarding Bank. There's quite a few options, you could even have a contest if you and your friends like!

6. Make Some Harry Potter Inspired Drinks

You can't have a beach party without some tasty drinks. Bring along an ice cold batch of Butterbeer, or make some love potion punch in bulk. The options of Harry Potter inspired drinks is endless, so have fun with it and get creative!

7. Use Dry Ice To Make Your Drinks Look Like Potions

If you want to keep it simple with cans of pop, that's also an option! Pick up some dry ice from your grocery store the day of the party and bring it along. Make sure you're extra careful with handling it, and drop a piece into a cup of soda. It'll keep your drinks extra cold and make it look as if you're drinking a potion.

8. Make Some Fun Harry Potter-Inspired Treats

Now that you have drinks covered, you can't forget about the food! Steer clear of anything that could melt, like chocolate frogs or gummy candies. What you should bring are fruit kababs that look like wands, a bag of jellybeans, and some Butterbeer cookies.

9. Put Some Remixed Or Traditional Harry Potter-Themed Music Into Your Playlist

You probably won't want to jam out to some of Harry Potter's slower or darker soundtrack music, but throwing in the theme song in between your other songs might help set the mood and make everyone break out in their best wizard dance.

10. Tell Ghost Stories Around A Beach Bonfire

If you happen to stay at the beach all night, and can have a bonfire where you're at, make sure to roast marshmallows and tell ghost stories (Harry Potter-inspired or not) to keep the mood going.

Images: Warner Bros. Pictures; Giphy (10)