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'Potterfest: A Toast to Harry,’ Royal Records block party, etc.
Sean Powers dressed as Dobby — a house elf in the "Harry Potter" series — for "Potterfest: A Toast to Harry," which was held July 31 at the Rec Room. He wore a sheet with a sock pinned to it.
"I had a sheet at home," Sean said. "I didn't feel like wearing too many clothes. It's too hot. I had pantyhose on my head because the character is bald."
He attached "just a regular tube sock" to the sheet. Elves "serve the wizards," he said. "And the elves don't become free until their master presents them with clothing. (Dobby's) master gets tricked into giving him a sock. When he receives the sock, he's a free elf, and from there he helps Harry Potter on his journey."
Sean, who obviously knows a thing or two about Harry Potter, put his whole costume together for $3.
"Potterfest," held from noon to 6 p.m., was an all-ages event, and "An Evening of Wizardry," held from 6 to 9 p.m., was for people 18 years and older. The purpose of both events was to celebrate the publication of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child," a play written by J.K. Rowling, who created the popular Potter series.
People dressed more or less elaborately at the events, which featured Harry Potter-related activities.
"Quidditch beer pong" was one of the evening games. "I'm assuming it's beer pong played with a Snitch," said Christian Leininger. "I'm not 100 percent sure."
Christian is familiar with the Potter lingo. "I've seen the movies multiple times, but I've never read the books. I didn't get into them when they came out when I was younger."
"I think J.K. Rowling is a genius," said Camille Short, who attended with Tiffani Troup. "I grew up reading Harry Potter. I fell in love with it from the first page."
Royal Records
Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell and his sister, Oona Mitchell Bean, celebrated the launch of their new record label, Royal Records, with a block party on Willie Mitchell Boulevard in front of Royal Studios.
More than 300 attended the event, which was scheduled for 4 to 7 p.m., but "probably went to about 8," Boo said. "We've had this idea of doing a block party for a while now. Something for the neighborhood. We had to launch the label to get the music out, so we thought (instead of doing) a private listening party, we should have something and make it inclusive for the neighborhood. It's the first one. We're going to do something like this every year. We'll do it bigger and better. If that's possible."
"Oh, man, it was great," said Frayser Boy, one of the performers. "You know I had to be there. That's family."
Frayser Boy sang "Dock of the Bay" with the Royal Four and Ashton Riker.
After he left the Royal Studios event, Frayser Boy went to his own party, "901 Love Amplified," at the Hard Rock Cafe. He hosted and performed at the event, which featured 13 performing acts, two stages and a silent auction with trips and jewelry. Frayser Boy and Hard Rock Cafe general manager Julien Salley put the event together.
One purpose of the event, which Frayser Boy is thinking about doing "monthly or every couple of months," is to "promote peace in the streets of Memphis. We had about 15 police officers. I had free admission for all police, EMTs and firefighters."
Just City Awards
The National Juvenile Justice Network, in partnership with Just City Memphis, held its first Awards for Leadership in Juvenile Justice Reform on July 26 at Cafe Keough.
Just City Memphis, a criminal justice reform and advocacy organization, sponsored the reception. The group chose three of the recipients: Mahal Burr and Evan John Ross Morrison with BRIDGES; Lauren Wilson Young, owner of Sweet Lala's Bakery; and Tennessee state Rep. Raumesh Akbari. Raumesh was attending the Democratic National Convention, so her twin sister, Raumina Akbari, accepted the award.
"Serve. Reform. Advocate. We made awards out of that," said Just City Memphis executive director Josh Spickler.
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