The Do’s and Dont’s
1. Get your tickets in advance
You name the theater and there will be a crowd of hundreds flocking to the “Harry Potter” premiere.
These tickets are clearly in high demand, so you’ll need to plan ahead and buy your tickets before arriving.
At press time, only the 3:15 a.m. showing is still available. But you might be able to find tickets for other times on sale at a higher prices on sites such as Craigslist.
University sophomore Hannah Hunt said she was able to get a ticket to the last “Harry Potter” midnight premiere three days in advance, but she advised students to get their tickets earlier this year because “this time it’s going really fast.”
If you completely blew it this time, be prepared to get your tickets weeks in advance for the midnight premiere of “Part 2” on July 15, 2011.
2. Arrive early
At a typical midnight premiere, expect to wait in line for at least a half hour. For this premiere, it might be longer.
The Valley River Center theater is offering 15 separate showings from 12:01 a.m. to 12:15 a.m. Friday morning.
To ensure you’ll get a good seat and be able to sit next to your friends or family, you can join the early birds and get to the theater several hours in advance.
Luckily, the waiting line can be half of the fun.
Lane Community College student Caitlin O’Rourke, who went to the last Harry Potter midnight premiere, said it’s a good idea to bring food and cards for the waiting line.
3. Don’t come exhausted
Unless you want to waste your money and the effort of waiting in line for the movie, make sure you don’t come tired. For a midnight movie, you’ll need to stay awake until around 3 a.m.
Smith Family Bookstore employee Cory Frazer, who has fallen asleep at past midnight premieres, advised movie-goers, “Be well rested. Go to bed early the day before.”
4. Don’t forget your costume
Everyone’s doing it.
So go find a Harry Potter-themed costume or make your own.
Of the many fantastic wizard, witch and other magical costumes, the wildest one Hunt saw at last year’s premiere was someone dressed up as the sorting hat.
Dressing up adds to the excitement and anticipation for the movie. Plus, it creates an atmosphere that really brings you into the mood of the film.
5. Do pre-funk before the movie
It’s always a good idea to meet up with your friends, get dressed up together and munch on some snacks before heading to a midnight showing.
Though you would have cosmopolitans for “Sex and the City,” the best drink for a Harry Potter pre-funk is a homemade take on butterbeer.
 
Easy Recipes
These drink and snack recipes are perfect for a pre-midnight-showing get together with friends or a night in with all of the “Harry Potter” DVDs.
What better way to celebrate the arrival of the highly anticipated part one of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”?
Butterbeer
8 ounces ginger ale or cream soda
2 tablespoons butterscotch schnapps or syrup
Directions:
Combine 8 ounces of ginger ale or cream soda with 2 tablespoons butterscotch syrup, or substitute an alcoholic version of this (butterscotch schnapps). Stir and serve over ice.
Jelly Slugs
4 packets Jell-O
A handful of gummy worms
Directions:
Make two of the Jell-O packets and let set. After it’s become solid, throw the gummy worms on top. Then make the rest of the Jell-O in a separate bowl and pour on top of the first. Let set. Finish with a gummy worm on top.
Cockroach Clusters
12 ounces chocolate chips
2 cups pretzels, broken up into small pieces
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon grated chocolate
Directions:
Microwave the chocolate chips for 2 minutes, then stir and continue to microwave in fifteen-second intervals until nearly melted. Stir grated chocolate, raisins and pretzels into melted chocolate chips. Use a spoon to dish up small balls of the mixture and set on wax paper until firm.
 
Costume guide
Harry Potter
Throw on a pair of dorky round-rimmed glasses, paint a lightning bolt on your forehead and put on a long black robe.
Wear a white collared shirt, a tie, and a gray or striped sweater under the robe.
Add a broomstick and a wand or a stick to your get-up to complete the look.
Hermione Granger
Curl or crimp your hair, and tease it for a frizzy, bushy look if you so desire.
Dress in a striped sweater and jeans or dress pants.
Carry a small stack of books and a wand.
Ron Weasley
Red hair is always a plus for this one.
Grab a red wig or some temporary hair dye.
Dress in the same standard Hogwarts uniform as described for Harry’s costume.
Carry a fake rat or owl and a broken wand.
 
If all else fails, just dress in prep-school attire and grab a broom.
That way you’ll pass as just about any one of the characters at Hogwarts.
[email protected]