Written by Staff Writer-Now Moments TIMES
By the time Saturday afternoon rolls around, Dupont Circle will have traded its usual weekend buzz for something far more spellbinding. Instead of brunch crowds and shoppers, the sidewalks will be dotted with robes sweeping over sneakers, wands tucked into belts, and house colors flashing in friendly rivalry.
DJs will spin mixes that spill out onto the streets, bartenders will be pouring $4 “Potter Shots” and rail drinks, and conversations will bounce between trivia debates and photo requests from strangers in elaborate cosplay.
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The DC Potter Crawl, a summer highlight for wizarding fans and nightlife regulars alike, runs from 2 to 10 p.m. and turns a stretch of Dupont’s bars into a themed playground. The premise is simple: buy a ticket, pick up your wristband at check-in between 2 and 4 p.m., and follow the map of participating bars. But the real magic is in the transformation — for one day, the neighborhood becomes a living, breathing set piece, equal parts costume party, social mixer, and neighborhood festival.
The drink specials are part of the draw. Alongside the usual Bud Lights and rail drinks — all priced at $4 for the day — bartenders will be serving Potter-inspired shots, often named for spells or characters. Some spots will lean into the theme with creative glassware, dry ice smoke, or colored sugar rims. The signature refillable Potter mug, included with every ticket, makes it easy to carry the theme from stop to stop, with many attendees treating it as both a drinking vessel and a prop for their photos.
Costumes aren’t just encouraged — they’re the heartbeat of the event. While some attendees will arrive in full robes with handcrafted wands, others get creative with mashups, mixing wizarding gear with streetwear or playful pop culture references. The best-dressed wizards, elves, and magical creatures will have a shot at prizes, but even without competing, dressing up becomes an unspoken invitation to connect with other fans. It’s not unusual to see strangers stopping each other mid-sidewalk for a quick selfie or to compare house scarves.
What sets the Potter Crawl apart from other bar crawls is the way it turns the neighborhood into a shared stage. Inside the bars, the atmosphere is a mix of thumping music and clinking glassware. Outside, there’s a steady current of people in themed attire moving from one venue to the next, swapping recommendations for the strongest cocktail or the best playlist so far. Even those who aren’t participating often pause to take in the sight, some snapping photos from patio tables or joining in impromptu trivia games.
Every ticket includes entry into raffles, with prizes announced throughout the day. Event photographers roam between stops, capturing both posed group shots and candid moments of the action. Those photos, later posted online, become part of the tradition — attendees often scroll back through previous years’ albums to relive the day or find themselves in a crowd shot they didn’t realize was being taken.
Registration runs from 2 to 4 p.m. at designated check-in locations. If you can’t make it in time, a friend can pick up your wristband with your printed or electronic ticket. You must be 21 or older to participate, and as with any event involving alcohol, pacing yourself is encouraged. The crawl is as much about the atmosphere and connection as it is about the drinks.
By the time the evening winds down, Dupont Circle will have played host to countless small moments — strangers trading wands for a photo, a group of friends singing along to a DJ’s throwback track, a bartender getting a cheer for nailing a themed cocktail. For a few hours, the ordinary cityscape becomes a stage for fantasy and friendship, where the magic isn’t just in the costumes or cocktails, but in the people who bring them to life.
