Current:Home > MarketsWilly Wonka experience in Glasgow that went viral, caused mayhem is set to debut in the US -Blueprint Wealth Network
Willy Wonka experience in Glasgow that went viral, caused mayhem is set to debut in the US
View
Date:2025-04-17 07:32:50
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 sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.
veryGood! (89)
Related
- Pregnant Kylie Kelce Shares Hilarious Question Her Daughter Asked Jason Kelce Amid Rising Fame
- With a vest and a voice, helpers escort kids through San Francisco’s broken Tenderloin streets
- These Unbeatable Way Day 2024 Deals Up to 66% Off Are Perfect For Small Apartments & College Dorms
- It’s Cinco de Mayo time, and festivities are planned across the US. But in Mexico, not so much
- Tarte Shape Tape Concealer Sells Once Every 4 Seconds: Get 50% Off Before It's Gone
- National Nurses Week 2024: Chipotle's free burrito giveaway, more deals and discounts
- I-95 in Connecticut reopens after flaming crash left it closed for days
- Handicapping the 2024 Kentucky Derby: How to turn $100 bet into a profitable venture
- Paige Bueckers vs. Hannah Hidalgo highlights women's basketball games to watch
- CIA Director William Burns in Egypt for high-stakes Israeli hostage, cease-fire talks
Ranking
- Pregnant Kylie Kelce Shares Hilarious Question Her Daughter Asked Jason Kelce Amid Rising Fame
- Handicapping the 2024 Kentucky Derby: How to turn $100 bet into a profitable venture
- Cinco de Mayo 2024 food and drink specials: Deals at Taco Bell, Chipotle, TGI Fridays, more
- 29 iconic Met Gala looks from the best-dressed guests since 1973
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Anna Nicole Smith's 17-Year-Old Daughter Dannielynn Looks All Grown Up at the Kentucky Derby
- All the past Met Gala themes over the years up to 2024
- Mexican authorities recover 3 bodies near where US, Australian tourists went missing
Recommendation
Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
Police searching for clandestine crematorium in Mexico say bones found around charred pit are of animal origin
Real Madrid wins its record-extending 36th Spanish league title after Barcelona loses at Girona
Hundreds rescued from Texas floods as forecast calls for more rain and rising water
Hackers hit Rhode Island benefits system in major cyberattack. Personal data could be released soon
Methodists end anti-gay bans, closing 50 years of battles over sexuality for mainline Protestants
Former President Donald Trump shows up for Formula One Miami Grand Prix
Israel orders Al Jazeera to close its local operation and seizes some of its equipment