Schuler Books hosting release party for JK Rowling's latest

On Saturday, July 30, fans of JK Rowling and her popular Harry Potter series are in for a treat at the Schuler bookstore located in Okemos. Rowling’s book, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will be available for the first time at a release party filled with magic, fun, and games.

The event, which begins at 9pm, will include a wide array of activities before the book’s official release at midnight. There will be trivia games, costume contests, scavenger hunts, and prizes to celebrate the newest Rowling book, which is actually a script based on the London play currently in production.

According to Schuler’s website, some of these activities include an Olivanders activity to match people with their perfect wand, a sorting station to find your official Hogwarts housing assignment, birthday cupcakes for Harry (the next day, July 31, is his birthday), and even a Weasley Wizard Wheezes shop filled with trinkets and goods.

“We are hoping for a good turnout, at least in the 300 plus range,” Amanda Strong, the General Manager of Schuler Okemos said. “Because it has been so many years [since the last book] I think people are excited.”

It has been a long while since Schuler has hosted a release party of this scale. Strong recalls a much smaller event in May for Rick Riordan’s Trials of Apollo and then casts her memory back to 2008, the year of the last big midnight party for Breaking Dawn in the Twilight series.

Of course, there were also release parties for the Harry Potter books, and Strong attributes the success of book release parties in general to Rowling and her Potter franchise.

For this event, Schuler will be partnering with Simbolei Community Assistance, a non-profit organization that raises funds for a Kenyan school for girls. 30% of Saturday’s profits will be going to the charity, with the book itself being sold at $31.80 (after tax). “After that the book will definitely hit the bestseller list, which means we will discount is as we do with all top ten bestsellers,” Strong said.

As an independent bookstore, Schuler has the challenge of competing with online prices and large chains. “The choice to keep it at full price and make a charitable donation is one that is consciously made, knowing that independent bookstores play a valuable role in the community, and we want to do as much as we can to be a positive presence in that way,” Strong said.

A ticket to Saturday’s release party can be purchased for $30 which includes entry to the party and a copy of the book, but “people do NOT have to buy a ticket to attend as we will be making all of the activities available individually, which we think will bring in a lot of people who may by curious or excited about the release party,” Strong told us.

Tickets can be pre-purchased online at http://www.schulerbooks.com/event/harry-potter-release-party-0

Schuler Books is located in the Meridian Mall, in Okemos.

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