December 2, 2019
Theresa Law, Highlands vice president of advancement, dresses up as the Harry Potter Hogwarts headmistress Minerva McGonagall at the HU Foundation’s 2018 Hogwarts Holiday Family Tea Party. This year, the tea party is Dec. 14. Courtesy photo: HU Foundation
Las Vegas, New Mexico – The New Mexico Highlands Foundation presents a Hogwarts Holiday Family Tea Party Dec. 14 from 3 to 5 p.m. in the university’s Sala de Madrid building at 801 University Ave.
“The popularity of the Harry Potter books transcends generation and age,” said Juli Salman, alumni affairs director. “These stories are captivating and magical, pun intended, and invoke a lot of imagination.
“We wanted to capitalize on the allure of the stories and tie it to a love of education through the vehicle of reading and books. To that end, we are charging an admission fee of $5 per person that will be waived with the donation of a children’s book. The books will then be donated to the Las Vegas Literacy Council for its book fair in early 2020,” Salman said.
Last year, the first Hogwarts Holiday Family Tea Party was so popular that it filled the Margaret Kennedy Alumni Hall to capacity.
“We needed to find a bigger venue this year and chose Sala de Madrid. The tea party was family-friendly and attended by children, middle and high school aged youth, college students, and adults,” Salman said.
Salman said the event features a traditional English tea, scaled for children and themed for Harry Potter.
“The Harry Potter stories reference certain treats popular with Harry and his friends that we’ll be serving including non-alcoholic butter beer, chocolate frogs, lemon drops, and golden snitches, the edible version. There will also be traditional tea sandwiches, scones and tea,” Salman said.
Renee Buchanan, Highlands University Foundation art curator and archivist, said the Hogwarts tea party is a way for fans to enter the world of Harry Potter together.
“Guests will choose their favorite Hogwarts house and take great photos in their costumes at selfie stations like the flying car,” Buchanan said. “Last year, people of all ages attended the tea party in Harry Potter costumes and had fun sharing in the activities and delicious food.”
Buchanan said some other highlights of the Hogwarts tea party include magical decorations, a Harry Potter ornament activity, and soundtracks from the Harry Potter movies.
“Be on the lookout for other Harry Potter surprises,” Buchanan said.
The Hogwarts Holiday Family Tea Party proceeds will benefit the Highlands Foundation scholarship fund and other student success programs.
English author J.K. Rowling wrote the Harry Potter series of novels that feature Harry Potter as a young wizard who attends Hogwarts School of Wizardry. Potter embarks on many adventures with his Hogwarts’ friends and fellow students Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
Rowling published “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” in 1997 and the fantasy novel for children became an international best-selling sensation, with adults also purchasing the book. Rowling went on to write a total of seven Harry Potter books which became blockbuster movies.