What started as a small haunted house in a Kailua driveway has turned into a sprawling, wand-selling, Baby Mandrake-growing tribute to Hogwarts — and it's raised more than $100,000 for Maui's recovery over the past three years. Twin brothers Gavin and Logan Marotta-Cerwonka, both aspiring engineers, built the latest version of their Harry Potter-themed fundraiser with dozens of volunteers, painstakingly recreating shops straight out of Diagon Alley. But with the twins headed to college next fall, this year's run could be the last chapter of a tradition eight years in the making.
The project traces back to the Tunnel of Terror, a small haunted-house fundraiser the brothers created with friends to help families affected by the Puna lava flow, according to Hawaii News Now. Logan Marotta-Cerwonka said they also wanted to raise money for Hope Services Hawaii, and the brothers have since donated to other nonprofits, including Shriners. Their mother, Wendy Marotta, said the effort marked the start of the twins' broader journey of helping others.
From a Broken Ankle to a Full Wizarding World
Gavin Marotta-Cerwonka's interest in Harry Potter took root in an unlikely place — sitting out during a physical education class in fourth grade, the same year he broke his ankle. That spark eventually pushed the brothers to retool their haunted house into a Harry Potter theme, swapping scares for spellwork. What began as a handful of simple displays has ballooned into roughly eight shops out front and two in back, all built and torn down by the brothers every single year.
Assembling and dismantling the attraction now takes about two months from start to finish, the station reports. Elementary and high school volunteers have logged four to five hours of their Sundays throughout that two-month stretch, crafting items sold on-site, including book nooks, Baby Mandrakes, and wands. Volunteer Nyssa Correia said the team's modest sales goal sits around 400 items, with nightly sales typically landing near 150 across four nights of the event.
A Fundraiser That Keeps Tripling in Size
Molly Christensen, who has volunteered with the fundraiser since its earliest days, said it has probably at least tripled in size since those first years. Wendy Marotta said the event grew from just six children at the very first fundraiser to more than 50 participants today. That growth tracks with last year's numbers: in its seventh year, the event featured nine shops modeled on Diagon Alley and drew more than 1,800 visitors, some of whom drove an hour and waited in line, per the same Hawaii News Now account. That 2025 run raised $28,700, with a matching donor pledge expected to push the total close to $60,000.
This year's haul builds on that momentum, with organizers reporting more than $100,000 raised for Maui's recovery over the past three years combined. A Bay View, Milwaukee house display recently helped push its own decade-long fundraiser past the $100,000 mark for homeless youth, as Hoodline reported.
An Uncertain Future After the Twins Head to College
With Gavin and Logan Marotta-Cerwonka both leaving for college next fall, this year marks the final chapter for the fundraiser as the brothers have run it. Gavin Marotta-Cerwonka said the family hopes another group will carry the tradition forward, with potential successors including Habitat for Humanity or Le Jardin Academy, though nothing has been finalized.
For now, Hogwarts Hawaiʻi will be open for tours during Halloween weekend and the following weekend, running from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. each night. Tickets are $7 and available online, giving visitors one more chance to walk through the shops before the brothers close this chapter for good.
