A Harry Potter-themed bar crawl marketed as "The Great Harry Potter Festival" has received harsh backlash online, being dubbed a "scam." (Reuters / iStock)
Harry Potter fans are complaining that a recent themed bar crawl in Raleigh was less than a magical experience.
The Wizard and Wand "Great Harry Potter Festival" put on by Great Crawl events promised attendees free Butterbeer, drink specials and Harry Potter-themed swag, but according to dozens of one-star reviews on Facebook, the whole thing was a “scam.”
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3,300 people showed up to the event Saturday, with some paying as much as $40 for their ticket. Attendees have complained about everything from hour-long lines and “non-existent" drink specials to disappointing perks.
“It was a total rip-off. Nothing as promised! The ‘swag’ was a cheap cup and a chopstick dipped in wax (wand), when we were promised a scarf,” one reviewer wrote.
Event organizers reportedly couldn’t get the scarves shipped in time, so they updated the event page to reflect the change.
Other people reported receiving bad feedback from event organizers after they left poor reviews. “I'm shocked by this organization's response to its patrons!! Their comments are removed and your staff shun them on social media,” another person commented.
Zach Medford, co-owner of Great Crawl Events, praised the bar crawl, saying the complaints were isolated and they’re “working to address those.”
"We put together an awesome event. It was massive," he told WRAL.
He acknowledged the long lines, but said they worked to entertain the crowds with magicians. The company plans on hosting the event again, but Medford says they’re working to improve it.
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"Of course there are things we are going to do better next year. I want to guarantee that things are going to be better," Medford said.
Despite all the negative feedback on social media, Medford said no refunds would be given.
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