The long goodbye

Harry Potter celebration kicks off record-breaking weekend; vote for yourfavorite character now

Fans anxiously awaited the end of an era at CityCentre's Studio Movie Grill.
Young Potter fans wielded wands as they celebrated the release of the eighth andfinal film.
A host of characters showed up at the event, including Hagrid, Ron, and SeverusSnape!
A young Harry Potter waits to be counted in attempt to set the Guinness WorldRecord.
Even the Dark Lord could not stay away from the festivities.

For those who grew up with the Harry Potter franchise, the release of the final installment of the films is a truly sad event. To mark the end of an era, many celebrations have popped up worldwide for the opening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, including one in our own backyard of CityCentre.

Fans gathered for the midnight showing Thursday night to celebrate the undeniable fact that all good things must come to an end by shopping for their own wands at a makeshift Ollivanders and attempting to set the Guinness World Record for the most Harry Potters in one place.

The highlight of the gathering was the wildly creative costumes typical of such premieres. Many fans were dressed in typical Gryffindor robes, while others opted for less traditional characters. Dolores Umbridge was in attendance, as well as He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named and a lion, Gryffindor's mascot. There was even a group of House Elves, ears and all.

While the event did not quite live up to its billing of a transformation of CityCentre into Diagon Alley, it did seem to give revelers an opportunity to stretch out the party one last time. Instead of just lining up an hour before showtime, fans were able to make the whole evening a party and share the joy of Harry Potter with hundreds of their closest friends.

The movie set the record for midnight box office, bringing in a staggering $43.5 million in ticket sales. The old record was held by Twilight: Eclipse, which did $30 million from midnight showings last year. The Hollywood Reporter estimated the movie could have pulled in as much as $80 million or more at the Friday box office, the best single day gross of all time domestically.

For lots more photos of the CityCentre celebration from Channel 13, click here.

Who's your favorite Harry Potter character? Vote now in our latest CulturePoll. Right now, Hermione Granger leads with 16 percent, followed by Severus Snap at 13 percent, with Neville Longbottom and Dobby tied at 11 percent. Poor Harry and Ron Weasley trailed behind, at 6 percent each.

unspecified

how to fight loneliness

Alt-rockers Wilco will break your heart on 2025 tour coming to Houston

Photo by Peter Crosby

Wilco will play at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving on May 7.

Everyone's favorite alt-rock band, Wilco, will come back to the Houston area with their latest tour, Wilco: Sweet and Sour, which will stop at The Lawn at White Oak in Houston on May 4.

The tour kicks off in Fairhope, Alabama on April 25, traveling to 17 cities in a little under a month.

Despite the truncated nature of the tour, they'll still hit three Texas cities, including San Antonio on May 6 and Dallas on May 7.

All U.S. shows will feature an extended opening set by Grammy-nominated Waxahatchee, followed by a full-length set by Wilco.

The 2025 tour will be a special one for the band, as it marks the 30th anniversary of their debut album, 1995's A.M.

They've gone on to release 13 studio albums in their career, most recently Cousin in 2023.

Tickets will go on sale via presale beginning 10 am Thursday, January 16 ahead of the general on sale 10 am Friday, January 17 at LiveNation.com.

Wilco: Sweet and Sour 2025 Tour Dates

Fri. Apr. 25 – Fairhope, AL @ Halstead Amphitheater
Sat. Apr. 26 – Tallahassee, FL @ Adderley Amphitheater
Sun. Apr. 27 – St. Petersburg, FL @ Mahaffey Theater
Tue. Apr. 29 – Miami, FL @ Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theatre
Wed. Apr. 30 – St. Augustine, FL @ The St. Augustine Amphitheater
Fri. May 2 – Birmingham, AL @ Avondale Brewing Company
Sat. May 3 – New Orleans, LA @ Saenger Theatre
Sun. May 4 – Houston, TX @ The Lawn at White Oak
Tue. May 6 – San Antonio, TX @ The Espee
Wed. May 7 – Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Fri. May 9 – Nashville, TN @ The Pinnacle
Sat. May 10 – Atlanta, GA @ Chastain Park Amphitheatre
Sun. May 11 – Chattanooga, TN @ Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium
Tue. May 13 – Wilmington, NC @ Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park
Thu. May 15 – Charlotte, NC @ The Amp Ballantyne
Fri. May 16 – Asheville, NC @ Asheville Yards
Sat. May 17 – Louisville, KY @ Iroquois Amphitheater

concerts music