What we're about

Welcome Harry Potter Fans!

We are HP-NYC, "The Group That Shall Not Be Named". We are the largest HP fan club in the world with over 4000 members. Our members span every type of person possible but we are united in the community that we have formed around these stories.

We understand that many people are wondering what it means to be a Harry Potter fan today, specifically because of the words and actions of the author of the Harry Potter series, J. K. Rowling. In the 15+ years that we have been active, our members have formed countless bonds, relationships, friendships, families and more, and we refuse to give that up. So please accept the following as our Meetup “About Us”:

We at The Group That Shall Not Be Named fully condemn the words and actions of J.K. Rowling that seek to harm our trans, gender nonconforming, intersex, Jewish, and BIPOC brethren. Yet, we acknowledge not only the cultural importance, but also the personal importance of the Wizarding World that she has created. For many of us, especially the members of color and LGBTQIA+ members of this group, the story of Harry and his fight against Voldemort resonated with us as a story of good triumphing against evil, of the oppressed fighting the oppressor, of social justice winning against encroaching fascism. We came together as a fandom to identify with and celebrate those values as well as the characters and stories that came to represent them. Little did we know that the author harbored ill intent against many of those who found refuge in her words. 

But we grew up. And we came to understand that the meaning we found in the Wizarding World came not from Rowling’s words but from our interpretations, our lived experiences, and the community we found together. As such, we continue to gather as The Group That Shall Not Be Named, not in spite of J.K. Rowling’s transphobia and hate, but to show the world that folks who are a part of and who support the trans and intersex communities and communities of color have always been here and refuse to be silenced. Every day that this story and this author continues to have cultural impact is a day that we seek to put ourselves in this narrative as those who have found each other through this community and celebrate each other’s unique contribution to this world. 

We meet up, we enjoy each other’s friendship and camaraderie, and we show other HP fans that there is still a home for them. We also hope to educate others about this and provide a viewpoint for those who might not know about JKR’s hurtful messages.

That being said, what DO we do at HP-NYC? Well, 

We meet regularly on the 1st Thursday of every month and have special events almost every month. If you are looking for a way to meet new friends and forge new relationships in this huge city of ours, then you've come to the right place.

Our Events:

We have a wide range of events and activities that are as diverse as the interests of our members. We strive to provide an experience that allows you to indulge in your talents and creativity while having a tremendously fun time.

Some of our events include:

- Trivia Nights
- Board Game Nights
- Movie Screenings
- HP Themed Crafting
- Fan Fiction Readings
- Cosplay Photoshoots
- Convention Presentations and Appearances
- In-Costume Ice Skating

We look forward to meeting you and hope you will join and help us make some magic!

Upcoming events (4)

Awesome Con 2023!!

Walter E. Washington Convention Center

We are thrilled to be returning to Awesome Con!

Awesome Con is an amazing multi-genre convention in Washington DC. It is personally one of my favorite conventions.

We will be there with our info table and Great Hall photo op helping to promote TGTSNBN and the Harry Potter fandom.

Will we see you there? RSVP and let us know!

Pride Month Stitch and Witch!

Bryant Park

Bring your latest fiber arts project to the park and spend some relaxing time with your fellow crafty witches, wizards, and wixen.

Working on any Pride related projects? Bring them along and we'll have a show and tell!

This is a social gathering so no need to worry about skill level or what kind of craft you are working on. (Knitting! Crochet! Sewing! Cross-stitch! Embroidery! Needlepoint!)

Feel free to bring a boxed dinner / snack or perhaps pick something up at one of the many venues in or around Bryant Park.

As we get closer to the event we will provide more details as to what section of the park we will be in and how to find us.

July Monthly Meetup - Coloring Night!

UNO Pizzeria & Grill

Lets have a chill, fun, and creative evening coloring various Harry Potter and Fantasy themed coloring pages.

We will supply coloring sheets, markers and crayons. But please feel free to bring your own! We also HAPPILY accept donations of art supplies to use at future events!

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Our monthly Meetups are almost always free to attend. We do collect donations during each monthly Meetup (or sometimes hold a raffle). This helps fund our operating costs as well as supplies like prizes, crafting materials and more. Raffle tickets are

1 Ticket for $2
3 Tickets for $5
20 Tickets for $20

We are able to accept cash, charge and Venmo.
We also have a donation link available via Pledge!
https://www.meetup.com/tgtsnbn/#pledge

Please do not let this discourage you from attending if you cannot contribute, it is only a request, not a requirement. Thank you for your support!

Afternoon Tea at The Cauldron NYC

The Cauldron

$65.00

The Cauldron NYC has a wonderful interactive Afternoon Tea experience that we thought would be a perfect way to celebrate a new semester starting at Hogwarts.

https://thecauldron.io/nyc/tea

The Wizard Afternoon Tea includes:
1. Magic Wand and Equipment Rental
2. Two interactive teas that you brew
3. A scone and a curated selection of sandwitches and desserts

The interactive experience runs for 1 hour and 45 minutes and The Cauldron has vegan and vegetarian options available for a small added fee.

We are collecting the ticket fee so that we can book the reservation as one group. This ensures that we are seated together. There is an attendee cap of 12. If we get more than that we can look into getting their group package. But for now we are going to be booking standard seating.

The tickets are $65 and this includes the full fee plus taxes and processing.

If you need a Vegan, Vegetarian, or Gluten-Free option, which has a $3 added fee, let us know in the RSVP and we’ll collect the difference later

COSPLAY IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED!! Let's all attend this tea wearing our Wizarding World best! And if everyone is up for it we can take some photos in the area which is one of the oldest parts of Downtown Manhattan. With cobblestone streets and historic brownstones.

The RSVP and payment deadline is August 1st (Meetup only lets me set August 12th, but we are closing it on August 1st). To ensure that we have time to lock in our reservation.

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Past events (775)

Scenes From a Sorting Hat - My Immortal Read Along!

McHale's Bar & Grill