Gastrochurch is pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Join us on the evening of December 21st as we drink Butterbeer, play Harry Potter trivia, and raise money for a good cause. Once you enter via Platform 9 3/4, you’ll be sorted into your House (or you can make like a Malfoy and buy your way in), and then you’ll compete for the coveted House Cup through a series of tests and trials meant to separate the magical from the muggles. Don't like trivia? Get your sugar fix at Honeyduke's, finish your Christmas shopping at Flourish and Blott's, or try your hand at quidditch cornhole at the Three Broomsticks. Best costumes win extra points for their house, so dust off your dress robes, grab your wand (and a vial of Felix Felicis!) and join us as we celebrate all things Potter.
FAQs:
1) Is this a normal gastrochurch gathering?
Nope! This is a party/fundraiser that is purely about having fun. Yes, people will dress up. Yes it will be super fun. No, you will not be the nerdiest person there. I promise.
2) What if the ticket type I want is sold out?
You may exchange ticket-type as long as you email us within 24 hours after purchasing. There is a hard limit on the number of seats available per event. However, we don't really have a good idea how many are going to be children, adults, dumbledore's army, etc. If the ticket-type you want is sold out, you may purchase another ticket and exchange it. For example, say you want three Adult Slug Clubs, but you can only get two Child Dumbledore's Army and an Adult First-Year. Go ahead and buy the number of tickets you need, and then email haley@gastrochurch.org within 24 hours to tell us what you'd like to exchange them for. The important thing is to get one ticket per person attending to ensure that everyone has a seat.
3) What if I have dietary restraints?
Please let us know on your registration form. There will be gluten-free, vegetarian, and pork-free options, but we'd like to know ahead of time how many people have which constraints.
4) What are we going to do at the Hogwarts Feast?
Upon arrival, you'll be given your Hogwarts Letter, with instructions about how to win points for your house. These include winning trivia, solving riddles, winning the costume contest, posting pics to social media, and more. At the end of the evening, we'll announce which house wins the House Cup for the year. (Fun fact: reigning house is currently Slytherin. We'll have to see who takes the cup this year!)
5) Is this kid-friendly?
Yes! We even have a child's VIP ticket, complete with a trip to Honeyduke's and kid-friendly beverages.
Babies and toddlers get in free. (Basically, if they're going to sit on your lap and not eat dinner, you don't need a ticket for them. Tickets are based on the number of seats available.) Please let us know if you plan on bringing a baby, though, just so we can best manage the space.
6) Can I bring muggles? (i.e, my boyfriend/girlfriend/roomate/etc. who couldn't care less about Harry Potter?)
Ah yes, we have found that wizards often fall in love with muggles. Rest assured your muggle won't be alone. Muggles are perfectly welcome to stay at the house table with their wizard and learn the ways of magic, but they might also want to visit the Three Broomsticks to drink beer and participate in our quidditch cornhole championship. Who knows? Maybe the muggle points will push your house over the top to win the house cup.
7) What on earth is gastrochurch?
Gastrochurch is a gathering of intentional conversation about spiritual things over really good food. We're founded on the notion that most of our words throughout the day are meaningless (how busy we are, how bored we are, etc.), and that many of us have lost the art of actually connecting with another human being. Gastrochurch is an opportunity to connect with people and talk about the things that matter most in life. You can find more about us here.
Everyone--no matter age, stage of life, worldview, faith (or lack thereof)--is welcome at our tables. The only requirement is a desire to talk about something more meaningful than the weather. If you'd like to check us out, you can find a list of our upcoming gatherings here.
