Couple Building Hogwarts Castle Outside Their Austin Home For Halloween

A South Austin family is transforming their home into the Hogwarts castle from the Harry Potter universe this Halloween for neighborhood wizards and muggles to enjoy.

Every year, Joel and Amanda Pace have decked their home out in Harry Potter-themed decorations. It started in 2017 when Joel wanted to do something special for Amanda, who was diagnosed with cancer at the time.

Joel built a small version of Diagon Alley, a wizarding world Main Street that's well known among Potter fans. What started as a small project to make Amanda smile transformed into an annual project for the community to enjoy.

“It just sort of took off as something that distracted us from all of that and made us laugh,” Joel told KXAN in 2018. “And it made her happy, made me happy.”

The couple and volunteers created a walk-through version of Diagon Alley complete with a double-decker bus, the pub the Leaky Caldron, Gringotts Wizarding Bank, and a variety of shops from the book series. It was an immersive experience that brought Potter heads from all over Austin to their neighborhood.

The Paces plan to continue their tradition with changes to make it COVID-19 safe.

“With the pandemic we had to change the display from the immersive walk through display that we have done the last few years to something that is much more pandemic socially distant,” Joel told KXAN recently.

They're replacing the alley with the Hogwarts castle. While people won't be able to walk through it, Potter fans are invited drive by to see their handiwork. The castle will also be up into November because the Paces are asking people not to come on Halloween to avoid crowding the street and out of respect for their neighbors.

The couple is frequently asked how people can help with their amazing project. The Paces charge nothing to see their Harry Potter house but only ask that people who enjoy their display donate to their GoFundMe that supports Austin children's charities. In 2019, the Paces raised over $10,000 for Foster Angles and Variety of Texas.

Photo: Getty Images