Bookstores across the country held special celebrations for the publication of HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE on July 8. Here's how some bookstores celebrated the big event.

The Book Shop
Muncie, Indiana
This store threw a "Midnight Madness Party" at 12:01-1:00 a.m. on July 8th. Candles and tiny white lights lit the store and fans of Harry Potter were treated to spider cookies and bubbling, green punch served from a cauldron. Metallic and glow-in-the-dark stars and filmy gauze fabric served as background decor. Face painters were on hand to paint lightning bolts on foreheads. Haunting music filled the air. Harry Potter trivia and game booklets were given away, and one lucky Muggle won a free copy of THE GOBLET OF FIRE.

Katy Budget Books
Katy, Texas
After a Friday night party with refreshments and a midnight reading from THE GOBLET OF FIRE, the store re-opened on Saturday morning for "Harry Potter Summer School." The "class schedule" was chock full of crafts, games, and other activities.
8:00 a.m. Potter Breakfast: Doughnuts and juice were served while the first chapter of THE GOBLET OF FIRE was read aloud.
9:00 a.m. Spells Class, where students made their own magic wands
10:00 a.m. Broom Maneuvering Class, where students tested their skills and dexterity
11:00 a.m. Transformation Class, where students learned how to change a rock into an owl, rat, or other animal
12:00 p.m. Butter Beer Storytime, where students enjoyed root beer floats as they listened to a reading of the first chapter of the new book
1:00 p.m. History of Wizardry, where students tested their knowledge of Potter Trivia
2:00 p.m. Quidditch, where students made and took home their very own Quidditch balls
3:00 p.m. Potions Class, where students mixed some very strange brews!
4:00 p.m. Pocket Sneakoscope, which gave students the chance to see if they could tell who was lying and who was telling the truth
5:00 p.m. Spells Class: A second chance to make a special one-of-a-kind magic wand.

The Red Balloon
San Antonio, Texas
On Friday, the store was open from 11:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. and held a costume contest, with prizes for the best Harry Potter costume, best other character costume, best Muggle costume, most wizardly costume, and most original constume. The staff served special Wizard and Muggle foods including wands, chocolate frogs and pumpkin pasties. Food and activities continued on Saturday, when the store re-opened at 7:00 a.m.

Blue Willow Bookshop
Houston, Texas
The party here started at 10:30 p.m. on Friday night. Participants signed in at the Leaky Cauldron to begin a round of activities that included games of Exploding Snap, Who Wants To Be a Galleonaire?, a Sorting Hat Quiz, Wand Making, Madame Hooch's Obstacle Course, Professor Trelawney's Fortune Telling, and more.

The Bookstore Plus
Lake Placid, New York
Doors opened at midnight on July 8th. The first fifty people to come to the party and buy THE GOBLET OF FIRE won t-shirts. Everyone else had refreshments and had their photos taken with a Firebolt and a staff member dressed as Harry himself.

Main Street Books
Lander, Wyoming
Beginning at 11:00 p.m. on Friday, enchanted artists painted lightning bolts on faces, magicians performed tricks, a fortune-teller predicted the events of guests' summer vacations, and a witch with a trolley of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans had Muggles guess their flavors.

Red Balloon Bookshop
St. Paul, Minnesota
Several live owls, just like Hedwig and the other owls who deliver mail for wizards and witches, greeted customers at the store. Face-painters painted lightning bolts on kids' foreheads.

Borders
Livingston, New Jersey
Starting at 8 p.m. on July 7, live music, a costume contest, poster-coloring, and a special Harry Potter cake kept customers busy until books went on sale at midnight. The store closed at 1 a.m. and then re-opened the next morning with costumes, more live music, story-telling, and free drawings.

The Blue Marble
Ft. Thomas, Kentucky
On Saturday morning, customers were served cinnamon oatmeal from a black cauldron by staff members dressed in witch and wizard costumes.

Barnes & Noble
Bethesda, Maryland
Magic tricks, a trivia contest, and game of Quidditch (modified to be played by Earth-bound Muggles) marked the event.

Thanks to all those who wrote to tell us what they did to celebrate the publication of HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE.