The Harry Potter Alliance will attempt to bring the Yule Ball from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to life Saturday evening.
The Durmstrangs and Beauxbatons are making a highly anticipated visit to Hogwarts on the Hocking.
The OU Harry Potter Alliance will be hosting its first ever Yule Ball at 6 p.m. Saturday in Central Venue.
The money obtained through ticket sales and donations will benefit two charities: the Children’s Miracle Network and the Athens County Child Advocacy Center, according to Aliza Ali, the philanthropy chair and head of the Yule Ball Committee for the Harry Potter Alliance. The committee asked different organizations to fill out a short application stating why they deserved the money. They voted on one national and one local charity, she added.
“We (really wanted to donate to) charities that didn’t get a lot of donations because we feel like they deserve a bit of attention too,” Ali, who is a sophomore studying biochemistry and theology, said.
The organization is only selling approximately 100 tickets based on venue space and amount of food.
Tickets for the event are being sold on the first floor of Baker, as well as online.
The Weird Sisters, the band that played at the Yule Ball in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, will not be performing. In fact, there will not be a live band or DJ.
The media chair for the committee, Mary Puzder, created a five-hour playlist that will run all night.
“I think I picked pretty great songs for people to dance to,” Puzder, a freshman studying journalism, said.
The Senate Appropriations Commission is using this year’s Yule Ball as a test run for next year. The Harry Potter Alliance is hopeful to receive more money for next year’s event to book a live band, Ali said.
{{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="c97d4694-87e2-11e5-9432-cffc83eb4dc2"}}
People attending the Yule Ball should expect very “wintery” decorations, Nina Richner, an undecided freshman, said. There will also be a Harry Potter-themed photo booth where people can pose with the “Have you seen this wizard?” poster from the third movie, she said.
The Harry Potter Alliance was founded by Ali in the spring of last semester. The group has been planning the Yule Ball since the beginning of the school year.
Ali said those who love Harry Potter, dancing or supporting charities should attend the Yule Ball.
“If they just want to spend time with their friends in a really nice, cozy environment on a Saturday night where there won’t be any alcohol and everyone is friendly, then they should just come to have a good time,” Ali said.
@georgiadee35
gd497415@ohio.edu
