wintry wizard wonderland

Houston lands only Harry Potter holiday Yule Ball celebration in U.S.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Yule Ball

Cheer up: The hottest Potter event in the U.S. is coming to Houston.

Harry Potter Complete Collection/Facebook

Attention, all wizards — and their accompanying muggles: A captivating event has just leviosa-d (we’re making that a verb now) to the top of Housston Harry Potter fans’ holiday calendars.

Harry Potter: A Yule Ball Celebration — Houston heads to town this fall, set to enchant attendees much like the grand — and somewhat drama-filled — gala in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The lavish affair kicks off on November 18 at Galleria-area venue Paraiso Maravilla (5714 Fairdale Ln.), with an elegant experience offering — to quote the esteemed Professor McGonagall — “well-mannered frivolity” for all.

Some major bragging rights: Houston is the sole U.S. city to host the new ball. Only three other cities around the globe have secured the chance to host the coveted event: Mexico City, Montreal, and Milan, according to co-producers Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment and entertainment firm, Fever.

Tickets are limited and go on sale at 11 am Thursday, September 8, but fans are encouraged to join the waitlist (find it here), as these passes will no doubt fly away faster than Harry on a Firebolt broomstick.

At the soiree, fans enter a Potter-themed ballroom can take part in iconic and magical moments inspired by J.K. Rowling’s page-turning chapter and scenes from the film franchise. The festive experience boasts music, dancing, several Wizarding World elements (naturally), treats and sips, all in a veritable wintry wizard wonderland.

Much like the Yule Ball in the book and movie, the event encourages guests to don their best ball or Wizarding World attire (no ugly Ron Weasley sweaters here, please). True to any ball, the gala will offer endless chances for those IG stories and posts, so pose away, spell casters.

A few details: Though Harry Potter fans’ ages span young to, er, advanced, the minimum age requirement for the ball is 12 and older. And while guests will be tempted to stay all night, the ball operates in two-hour time slots.

Unlike some themed events that are sometimes publicized as “official” and turn out to be decidedly not so, discriminating fans and parents should note that this Potter Yule Ball is co-produced by Warner Bros., which produced the cherished films.

Those interested can track updates on @harrypotteryuleballcelebration on Facebook and Instagram and the official site for more information. Meantime, swoop in on tickets, start shopping for the perfect fit, and choose the ideal waltz partner. After all, as dear Professor McGonagall reminds, “... the Yule Ball is, first and foremost, a dance.”

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Harry Potter: A Yule Ball Celebration — Houston kicks off on November 18 at Paraiso Maravilla (5714 Fairdale Ln.). For tickets (on sale September 8) and waitlist, visit the official website.

Fans should come ready to dance — much like the movie and book.

Photo courtesy of Harry Potter a Yule Ball Celebration

Fans should come ready to dance — much like the movie and book.

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Concert News

Palestinian rapper Saint Levant brings Beirut style on tour to Houston

Saint Levant/Facebook

Saint Levant is playing three Texas shows in October.

Palestinian singer-songwriter and rapper Saint Levant is representing his namesake region on tour in North America, Europe, and the Middle East this fall, including at the Bayou Music Center in Houston on Thursday, October 8.

The Afandi World Tour will begin September 12 in Boston, Massachusetts, and end December 12 in Muscat, Oman. In addition to Houston, the tour will stop in Dallas on October 6 and Austin on October 7.

Marwan Abdelhamid, a.k.a. Saint Levant, is known for a smooth musical style that combines lyrics in Arabic, English, and French, plus several genres and world music influences. His breakout started in 2022 with the single "Very Few Friends," and he is now based in Los Angeles. Abdelhamid is also known for frequent collaborations with top fashion houses, including the Lebanese brand Elie Saab.

Layali Al Afandi joins the tour with a production inspired by '90s Levantine cabarets, a press release says. The performance has a narrative arc with music, storytelling, and stage design, all of which draw from Beirut nightlife, fashion, and other artistic elements of Arab cultural identities.

Tickets presales begin Wednesday, July 15, at 10 am. The general on-sale follows on Friday, July 17, at 10 AM via LiveNation.com or SaintLevant.com. VIP tickets are also available for early floor access, a meet-and-greet with Saint Levant, a gift item, and more.

Afandi World Tour Dates:

Sat, Sep 12 – Boston, MA – Citizens House of Blues
Sun, Sep 13 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount
Mon, Sep 14 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount
Wed, Sep 16 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
Thu, Sep 17 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
Sun, Sep 20 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore
Tue, Sep 22 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore
Thu, Sep 24 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues
Fri, Sep 25 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues
Sun, Sep 27 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts
Wed, Sep 30 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theatre
Thu, Oct 1 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground
Sat, Oct 3 – Miami Beach, FL – The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theatre
Tue, Oct 6 – Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom
Wed, Oct 7 – Austin, TX – Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater
Thu, Oct 8 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center
Sun, Oct 11 – Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall
Tue, Oct 13 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
Wed, Oct 14 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
Thu, Oct 15 – San Diego, CA – SOMA
Sat, Oct 17 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
Sun, Oct 18 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic
Tue, Oct 20 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
Thu, Oct 29 – Dublin, Ireland – National Stadium
Mon, Nov 2 – Paris, France – Zenith
Thu, Nov 5 – Antwerp, Belgium – De Roma
Mon, Nov 9 – Cologne, Germany – Carlswerk Victoria
Wed, Nov 11 – Luxembourg City, Luxembourg – Rockhal
Fri, Nov 13 – Utrecht, Netherlands – TivoliVredenburg
Sat, Nov 14 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Melkweg
Mon, Nov 16 – Berlin, Germany – Columbiahalle
Wed, Nov 18 – Copenhagen, Denmark – VEGA
Thu, Nov 19 – Oslo, Norway – Rockefeller Music Hall
Sat, Nov 21 – Stockholm, Sweden – Fållan
Tue, Nov 24 – Zurich, Switzerland – Komplex 457
Thu, Nov 26 – Milan, Italy – Alcatraz
Sat, Nov 28 – Barcelona, Spain – Razzmatazz
Mon, Nov 30 – Madrid, Spain – La Riviera
Tue, Dec 1 – Lisbon, Portugal – LAV
Tue, Dec 8 – Athens, Greece – Floyd
Thu, Dec 10 – Istanbul, Turkey – VW Arena
Sat, Dec 12 – Muscat, Oman – Muscat Eat 9

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