At Franklin Commons, we’ve held some of the most fun and uniquely themed bar mitzvahs in Philadelphia. We thought we’ve seen it all until Noah Stern-Delfiner’s family approached our team.

After viewing our spacious venue and hearing about previous bar mitzvahs we’ve thrown, Noah’s family chose us to host his big day – and wait until you hear about the theme!

Slytherin, Hufflepuff or Gryffindor? Noah is one of the biggest Harry Potter fans out there, so his family decided to throw him a Harry Potter-themed bar mitzvah!

When everyone arrived at Franklin Commons, we opened up our Bistro and Campus Walk for Cocktail Hour.

All the kids gathered at the Campus Walk full of energy, and we had a whole lineup of delicious food waiting for them. Some favorites included the Mozzarella Sticks with Zesty Marinara and Pizza Squares. The Sliders & Tater Tots station proved to be a huge hit too! The kids kept coming back for more of the Black Angus Sliders on Potato Buns with Pickles & Fried Onions. Everyone loved The Butter Beer mocktails, which looked like they came straight out of the Harry Potter movies.

Meanwhile in the Bistro, the adults were mingling as our wait staff passed around butlered Hors D’oeuvres. Light bites like Vegetable Sushi with Pickled Ginger, Wasabi and Soy and Battered Dipped Chicken-N-Waffles with Maple Dijon Drizzle were piling up on plates. We also had a Gluten-Free Pad Thai station and a Risotto station, making sure there was something for everyone!

When the adults and kids were nice and full, we opened our doors to Franklin Hall, which was decked out in all things Harry Potter! Each table had a centerpiece with pictures of iconic Harry Potter characters, while the napkins represented the different Harry Potter houses.

After introductions, the hora and blessings, guests sat down to a first course of Baby Field Greens with Cranberries, Walnuts and Citrus Vinaigrette.

The DJ played the latest hits, bringing everyone to the dance floor in between courses. We kept the kids’ buffet open, knowing how hungry they can get. In between dancing, they munched on Penne Pasta in a “Four Cheese” Sauce, Cheddar Cheese Mashed Potatoes and more belly-filling treats!

The adults had a choice of Atlantic Salmon Pan-Seared with Miso Ginger or Grilled Center Cut Filet Mignon with Brandi Demi Glaze for the entree.

Making sure Noah’s big day ended on a high note, we opened up the dessert stations for all. The kids had a blast at the Create Your Own Brownie Sundae Bar while the adults indulged in Bananas Foster Flambé.

The dancing and games continued until the end of the night, and the adults had just as much fun as the kids!

Click here to speak with a party planner about hosting your child’s bar or bat mitzvah at Franklin Commons.