Last year, Chicagoans took the Hogwarts Express—sorry, the Metra—to Aurora for a day dedicated to Harry Potter. Since the Midwest doesn’t have its own Wizarding World of Harry Potter just yet, the unofficial pop-up nailed Chicagoans’ cravings for an immersive Hogwarts experience. But as the adage goes: No, the City of Aurora does not own the rights to Harry Potter.
According to festival organizers, a Warner Bros. Entertainment attorney instructed them not to reference Harry Potter in any capacity at the 2018 event. Instead of canceling it altogether, organizers are renaming it Downtown Aurora Magic, a “general celebration of wizards, witches and all things magical in June.” Activities will include a costume contest, classes, games and crafts, though specific information has not yet been released.
While pop-culture–inspired pop-ups have been increasingly favorable over the past few years, there’s a fine line when it comes to copyright. Last fall, Emporium Pop-Ups received a kindly worded cease and desist from Netflix over its Stranger Things bar. A month later, TGI Friday’s put the kibosh on Moneygun’s plan to “dress up” as the chain restaurant for Halloween. Brands want to retain commercial and creative control of their product without appearing to ruin the party.
Downtown Aurora Magic will be held on June 9 from 11am to 5pm in (you guessed it) downtown Aurora. Tickets go on sale on March 24 at 9am and will cost $10 each. For more information, check out the festival's Facebook page.