Family Fun    

New York State Parks Welcomes Harry Potter



A Forbidden Forest Experience to Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park This Fall

Forbidden Forest Experience


New York State Parks today announced that “Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience,” a nighttime adventure for all ages, will be coming to Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park – filling the park with magical creatures and wonder celebrating the “Harry Potter” and “Fantastic Beasts” films. Beginning Saturday, October 22, this family-friendly attraction will leave visitors spellbound as they wind through the woods along an illuminated light trail while discovering more of Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park in Westchester County, approximately 40 miles north of New York City. 

“We are very excited to have a New York State Park be the first spot to open in the United States for this attraction after a massively successful run in the UK, bringing two magical names together, Harry Potter and FDR,” State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said. “We will be ready to welcome Hippogriffs, centaurs and unicorns to Westchester County. We are very excited to watch as lights and special effects transform our State Park into a spectacular forbidden forest and create magical memories for families in Westchester County and the surrounding area.”

“Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience offers fans yet another way to enjoy the Wizarding World while in New York,” said Peter van Roden, Senior Vice President of Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment. “Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park is a perfect location where the natural beauty of the park brings to life the forest trail, illuminated sets filled and the familiar creatures from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series, creating a truly magical experience for fans of all ages.”

Ignacio Bachiller, Fever’s CEO, said, “We are thrilled to continue growing the collaboration with Warner Bros that we have built alongside our partners Thinkwell and Unify on this unique themed outdoor experience coming to NY. We are committed to work with leading creators in the culture & entertainment space to deliver the best experiences to fans worldwide.”

Inspired by the iconic Forbidden Forest from the wizarding world and featuring creatures from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series, mesmerizing lights will transform the landscape into a magical outdoor trail. Visitors will discover some of their favorite moments from the books and films and can even practice casting their own spells.

READ MORE: Recreation destinations with access for people with disabilities

At the end of the trail, visitors will step into a quaint village where they can enjoy delicious food and drinks, as well as a gift shop with merchandise from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies.

Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience outdoor experience was created by Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment in partnership with leading entertainment discovery platform Fever, award-winning theatrical designers and experiential creators, Thinkwell, and global experience design and delivery agency Unify.

Ticket prices start from $25 for children and $36 for adults and will be available on Fever’s marketplace (prices will vary based on time and date of the session). You can read more about the experience and sign up for the ticket waitlist at www.hpforbiddenforestexperience.com/westchester.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 individual parks, historic sites, recreational trails, and boat launches, which were visited by a record 78 million people in 2020. A recent university study found that spending by State Parks and its visitors supports $5 billion in output and sales, 54,000 private-sector jobs and more than $2.8 billion in additional state GDP. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit www.parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer mobile app or call 518.474.0456. Also, connect with the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names, and indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s22)


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