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A local Harry Potter festival has been transfigured into Downtown Aurora Magic


March 13, 2018

What’s in a name? As the organizers of this summer’s Downtown Aurora Magic festival have learned, the answer is: a big legal mess. This isn’t the first time fans of magic have gathered in Aurora, Illinois, to share their passion. But last year the event had a much more specific focus as the city’s Harry Potter Festival.

“Last year, [film studio Warner Bros.] allowed the use of the name (Harry Potter) and activities for small local festivals, but this year they have revised their policies and have said there can be no more festivals,” Kate Purl, the event’s director, told the Chicago Tribune. “We’ve decided to do a magic festival instead.”

The sudden intervention from Warner Bros. means that what was a sold-out, two-day festival is now a scaled-back, one-day affair. Attendees will still be treated to costume contests, classes, crafts, games, and more. According to the Facebook group, a new website will be available soon with additional information.

Tickets will cost $10 and go on sale Saturday, March 24, at 9 a.m. central. The Downtown Aurora Magic festival will be on Saturday, June 9, from 11 a.m. through 5 p.m. Until the website goes live, Facebook is the best place for Potterheads and magic fans to get the latest updates. There are still some options out there if you want the Harry Potter experience, such as Leakycon, but the new limitations from Warner Bros. could mean that tickets for these events disappear faster than mugs of butterbeer on a cold night.