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Harry Potter Book Day – October 12, 2024

Harry Potter Book Day, formerly Harry Potter Book Night, will be held on October 12 this year to celebrate and allow fans to immerse themselves in the wizarding world of Harry Potter for one day. It was originally held during the first week of February but the creatoros wanted to find a date that worked for as many countries as possible, and October was chosen. Every year at this time, we reflect on how this magical world has brought joy to the lives of its admirers. From old seasoned fans who can recite the spells word for word to new young wizards and witches who are experiencing the world for the first time, this magical day is an amazing time to cater to the imaginations of readers and fans of all ages. To indulge in some of Hogwart’s staples such as dressing up in your favorite of the four houses, enjoying a game of quidditch, and showing off your magical creature or pet. This exciting day brings some of the most memorable moments from that reality to life.

History of Harry Potter Book Day

The “Harry Potter” series is said to have been one of the books to have rejuvenated the ‘90s babies’ zest for reading. Harry was first introduced over 20 years ago when British author J.K Rowling released the first book of the series “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone” in 1997. The book begins with Harry realizing that he was a wizard, that his parents were witches and wizards, and that he was slain by a terrible wizard named Voldermort, not in a car accident as he had been told. He eventually goes to school at Hogwarts where he becomes fast friends with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger and finds a special bond with Headmaster Dumbledore. As the book series progressed J.K Rowling enthralled us with the remarkable fictional stories of the three young friends Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and took us on a journey like no other.

The fantasy books have sold over half a billion copies since their publication, making them the best-selling book series in history, with over 80 different language versions. What’s almost better than a book series? A movie series! In 2001 the first Harry Potter book hit the screen, with young charming Daniel Radcliffe cast as Harry Potter.

The eight-part film series, like the books, was a huge success, and it is now the third highest-grossing film of all time. The book and film’s popularity has resulted in millions of devoted admirers and has become an all-encompassing phenomenon, which is why Bloomsbury Publishing launched the day to commemorate this amazing movement.

Harry Potter Book Day timeline

1965
The Birth of the Author

Joanne Rowling is born on July 31 in Yate, England, and is now a Philanthropist, film producer, and screenwriter.

1997
The First Book

The first book titled “Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone” is written with only 500 hardback prints.

2001
The First Film

The first Harry Potter film is released on July 4 in the United States, it is directed by Chris Columbus and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

2015
The First Harry Potter Book Night

The night is first observed on February 4 with fans, libraries, and bookstores celebrating over 12,000 events all over the world.

2023
The Name and Date Changes

Harry Potter Book Night is changed to Harry Potter Book Day and the date moves to October.

Harry Potter Book Day FAQs

When was Harry Potter born?

Fans are always curious to know when Harry was born as it gives them another opportunity to celebrate their love for his character. Harry Potter was born on July 31, 1980, which is the same day but not the year as the author J.K Rowling.

Who did Harry marry?

The young wizard had a few love interests throughout the books. In his sixth year, Hogwarts started dating Ginny Weasley, whom he later married. Together they had children named James Sirius, Albus Severus, and Lily Luna.

How did Harry get his scar?

When Voldemort tried to kill Harry as a baby, his mom Lily’s love protected him from the attack. But the strike however left Harry with a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt which symbolizes a psychic link between the two.

Harry Potter Book Day Activities

  1. Organize a play

    You and your peers can set up a play in a befitting location to reenact one of the timeless series. This will not only be a lot of fun but it will also allow you to dress up as your favorite character

  2. Have a spelling quiz

    Would you consider yourself to be as honorable as Hermione or as cunning as Malfoy? You can use the sorting hat to determine what Hogwart House you belong to and have a quiz that only true fans can conquer.

  3. Have a themed party

    If you're in the cafe business or say you run a library today might be a good excuse to switch things up a little. Bring out your most enchanting themed crafts, and decor and invite your customers over for an enchanting themed day.

5 IMPORTANT EVENTS IN HARRY POTTER

  1. The death of Ariana Dumbledore

    Albus and Gellert Grindlewald planned on looking for the deathly hallows together, but after his sister was killed, he changed his path and became a professor and later Headmaster of Hogwarts.

  2. Voldemort’s resurrection with Harry’s blood

    Due to a major blood protection enchantment, Harry appeared impervious to Voldermort's physical attacks for years, however, the dark lord had Harry's blood in his system during his resurrection, rendering Harry vulnerable to his wrath.

  3. The death of Sirius

    Harry believed that Sirius was trapped with Voldermort at the Ministry of Magic and his friends and he embarked on a quest to save him, but alas, it was a trap that lead to the death of Sirius in a battle with Death Eaters.

  4. Snape's memories uncovered

    Snape had a melancholy demeanor that made him appear cynical, but when the war was put on hold, Harry was able to look into Snape's memories and understand why he killed Dumbledore.

  5. Ron, Hermione, and Harry became best friends

    Although Harry was indeed quite a powerful young wizard, he wouldn't have survived Hogwarts without his two best friends.

Why We Love Harry Potter Book Day

  1. It promotes creativity

    We love to see how creative everyone gets on this day, from their very own Hogwarts-themed costumes to their D.I.Y. flying brooms and magic wands. It's a day where fans of magic can show how ingenious they can get.

  2. It celebrates the book

    Today, we reflect on Harry Potter's magical world, the struggles, and the successes he and his friends endured. While the story is enjoyable, we must recognize that there are important life lessons about friendship to be learned from the events of this book.

  3. It brings like minds together

    From a group of school friends to comrades at work, this is a fun-loving event. For people of all ages and different walks of life to come together and take part in something that brings them so much joy and wonder.

Harry Potter Book Day dates

YearDateDay
2024October 12Saturday
2025October 12Sunday
2026October 12Monday
2027October 12Tuesday
2028October 12Thursday

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