Current:Home > StocksWilly Wonka experience in Glasgow that went viral, caused mayhem is set to debut in the US-InfoLens
Willy Wonka experience in Glasgow that went viral, caused mayhem is set to debut in the US
View Date:2024-12-23 15:41:04
Second time's the charm? Remember the Willy Wonka experience in Glasgow, Scotland that went viral earlier this year, with its sad Oompa Loompa becoming a meme? It's making a comeback.
Despite the backlash and mockery, the now-infamous event is returning, and this time in Los Angeles, California, according to an event page that popped up on Eventbrite.
"Yes, this is a real event," reads the first thing on the event page, set up by the House of Illuminati LA.
"Get ready to step into a realm of pure imagination as the highly acclaimed 'Willy’s Chocolate Experience LA' makes its debut in the United States, courtesy of House of Illuminati LA," the event description reads. "Following its groundbreaking success in Glasgow, this fantastical event promises an immersive journey into the whimsical world of 'Willy' Wonka."
'Fiasco':Willy Wonka experience in Scotland creates sour taste for ticket buyers
Features of previous event in Glasgow to be recreated
The "sad" Oompa Loompa, Kirsty Paterson, who instantly became a meme, will also be participating in the event on April 28 with an "exclusive absurdist Q&A and fan photo opportunity," according to the organizers.
Other features of the Glasgow event, such as the setting, will also be replicated with the event planned to be held in "a nondescript warehouse nestled in the heart of downtown Los Angeles." The exact location has not been specified.
Tickets are priced at $44 and are non-refundable. However, the proceeds of the event will be donated to an unnamed mental health charity, say the organizers.
In another nod to the previous event, attendees will get 2 complimentary jellybeans "to kickstart the sweetness".
Meanwhile, other "enchanting attractions" include local music and comedy performances, an "immersive" silent film screening complemented by live music and local vendors selling sweet treat. The organizers have also teased the possibility of "renowned comedians" to be attending the event, "promising an evening filled with laughter and unexpected twists."
The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. on April 28 for photobooth and mingling, followed by the Q&A session with Paterson at 6:30 p.m. Around 9 p.m., the event will transition into "Willy's Rave" with a D.J., who will be "keeping the energy going until 4 a.m.," the next morning.
"Prepare to be transported to a realm where imagination knows no bounds and every moment is infused with wonder," the event page adds.
Willy Wonka experience in Glasgow was dubbed a 'fiasco'
In February, earlier this year, a Willy Wonka-themed event in Scotland went viral after ticket-buyers went to an event marketed as a place "where dreams come to life," only to find a sparsely decorated warehouse with a pair of women with green wigs – apparently the Oompa Loompas – and an actor portraying Willy Wonka, who looked more like an Oompa Loompa than Wonka.
Attendees, many of whom were children, were enraged and upset with the organizers, a U.K. event company called House of Illuminati, demanding a refund. The police even showed up at the event to calm the irate crowd and shut down the event, that had promised chocolate fountains, performances by Oompa Loompas and "a celebration of chocolate in all its delightful forms."
One of the event attendees, Stuart Sinclair, who attended the event with his children said called the event "an absolute con," saying that his kids only received "two jelly babies and a quarter of a can of bars limeade," and that the whole experience took only 2 minutes. One of actor's, who participated in the event, called it a "fiasco" and said that he and the other actors "were furious."
"We’d been conned, as well, and it did turn quite scary at one point because people were angry," he said.
The company organizing the event later apologized for the event, releasing a statement that read: "Unfortunately, last minute we were let down in many areas of our event and tried our best to continue on and push through and now realize we probably should have cancelled first thing this morning instead."
Contributing: Mike Snider, USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.
veryGood! (618)
Related
- New Jersey will issue a drought warning after driest October ever and as wildfires rage
- USDA estimates 21 million kids will get summer food benefits through new program in 2024
- This Avengers Alum Is Joining The White Lotus Season 3
- Tupac Shakur murder suspect bail set, can serve house arrest ahead of trial
- Who will be in the top 12? Our College Football Playoff ranking projection
- Japan’s nuclear safety agency orders power plant operator to study the impact of Jan. 1 quake
- Michigan finishes at No. 1, Georgia jumps to No. 3 in college football's final US LBM Coaches Poll
- Vanilla Frosty returns to Wendy's. Here's how to get a free Jr. Frosty every day in 2024
- Texas mother sentenced to 50 years for leaving kids in dire conditions as son’s body decomposed
- Russia says it's detained U.S. citizen Robert Woodland on drug charges that carry possible 20-year sentence
Ranking
- Conviction and 7-year sentence for Alex Murdaugh’s banker overturned in appeal of juror’s dismissal
- Record-breaking cold threatens to complicate Iowa’s leadoff caucuses as snowy weather cancels events
- Cesarean deliveries surge in Puerto Rico, reaching a record rate in the US territory, report says
- Adan Canto, 'Designated Survivor' and 'X-Men' star, dies at 42 after cancer battle
- John Robinson, successful football coach at USC and with the LA Rams, has died at 89
- With threats, pressure and financial lures, China seen as aiming to influence Taiwan’s elections
- Blizzard knocks out power and closes highways and ski resorts in Oregon and Washington
- Boy George reveals he's on Mounjaro for weight loss in new memoir: 'Isn't everyone?'
Recommendation
-
What is best start in NBA history? Five teams ahead of Cavaliers' 13-0 record
-
Designated Survivor Actor Adan Canto Dead at 42
-
Kremlin foe Navalny, smiling and joking, appears in court via video link from an Arctic prison
-
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was hospitalized for infection related to surgery for prostate cancer, Pentagon says
-
NBC's hospital sitcom 'St. Denis Medical' might heal you with laughter: Review
-
Armed attack during live broadcast at Ecuadorian TV station. What’s behind the spiraling violence?
-
Following her release, Gypsy-Rose Blanchard is buying baby clothes 'just in case'
-
Matthew Perry’s Death Investigation Closed by Police