TODAY is holding a contest in honor of the upcoming release of the highly anticipated eighth "Harry Potter" story based on the sold-out London play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany.
All you have to do is come to the plaza on Thursday, July 28, dressed as your favorite Harry Potter character.
Planning on coming? RSVP your visit here.
You must be 13 and older to enter. If you're under 13, a parent must accompany you!
RELATED: J.K. Rowling reveals the Harry Potter secret she told Alan Rickman about Severus Snape
The prize is something all Harry Potter fans will love! You could win a copy of the eighth "Harry Potter" story and a VIP trip for you and a guest to Universal Studios Hollywood and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!
That's not the only prize though! The first 250 entrants will receive the first seven "Harry Potter" books!
So get your costumes ready, Harry Potter fans! Please read the rules below.
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HARRY POTTER COSTUME CONTEST
Official Rules
THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2016
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION: No purchase necessary. A purchase will not improve your chances of winning. Void where prohibited. The Harry Potter Costume Contest (“Contest”) will begin on July 28, 2016 at 6:30 A.M. ET and end on July 28, 2016 at 7:30 A.M. ET (“Contest Period”). All times in the Contest refer to Eastern Time (“ET”). Odds of winning depend upon the number of eligible entries received. Contest is subject all applicable federal, state and local laws.
ELIGIBILITY: Open only to permanent, legal U.S. residents who are physically residing in one (1) of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia (excluding Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands and other United States territories), and who are thirteen (13) years of age or older as of the start of the Contest Period. NOTE: IF YOU ARE BETWEEN THE AGES OF THIRTEEN (13) AND EIGHTEEN (18) YEARS OF AGE, YOUR PARENT MUST BE PRESENT AND YOU MUST HAVE PARENTAL PERMISSION TO ENTER THE CONTEST. Officers, directors, and employees of Contest Entities (as defined below), members of these persons’ immediate families (spouses and/or parents, children, and siblings, and each of their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside), and/or persons living in the same households as these persons (whether or not related thereto) are not eligible to enter or win the Contest. Contest Entities, as referenced herein, shall include the Today Show and NBCUniversal Media, LLC both located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112 (collectively, “Sponsors”), Scholastic Inc. and Universal Studios Hollywood (collectively, “Prize Supplier”), and each of their respective parent, subsidiary, and affiliate companies, and administrative, advertising, and promotion agencies, and any other entity involved in the development, administration, promotion, or implementation of the Contest. Entrants must be present at Rockefeller Plaza, enter on 49th between 5th and 6th Avenues, New York, NY on Thursday, July 28, 2016 between 6:30-7:30 A.M. to enter the Contest.
HOW TO ENTER: To enter the Contest, during the Contest Period, visit the plaza outside of The Today Show, located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112 (“Plaza”) dressed in a costume of your favorite Harry Potter character to receive a wristband to be eligible for the Contest.In addition to being in your Harry Potter character costume, entrants will be required to fill out an entry form, including their name, e-mail address, phone number, and date of birth (“Entry”). Only the first two hundred and fifty (250) entrants will be entered into the Contest.
Entries must be received before Thursday, July 28 at 7:30 A.M. ET to be eligible for the Contest. Sponsors reserve the right to accept more entries at their sole discretion. Sponsors’ clock shall be the official timekeeper for all matters related to this Contest. You may enter once during the Contest Period. Multiple entries received from any person beyond this limit will void all such additional entries. Entries that are incomplete, garbled, corrupted, or unintelligible for any reason, including but not limited to illegible handwriting, are void and will not be accepted. Entry constitutes permission (except where prohibited by law) to use entrant’s name, city, state, likeness, image, and/or voice for purposes of advertising, promotion, and publicity in any and all media now or hereafter known, throughout the world in perpetuity, without additional compensation, notification, permission, or approval.
JUDGING: A panel of qualified judges selected by Sponsors (“Judges”) will review the eligible entries received during the Contest Period and select two (2) potential winners (“Winners”, each a “Winner”) on July 28, 2016 based on the following judging criteria (“Judging Criteria”): Originality (50%) and Creativity (50%). In the event of a tie, the Judges will break the tie by selecting the tied entrant who received the highest points from the Judges for Originality as the potential Winner. In the event a tie remains, the tied entries will be judged by an additional tie-breaking judge, using the Judging Criteria, to determine which of the tied entrants will be the potential Winner. Decisions of Sponsors and Judges are final and binding with respect to all matters related to the Contest. Winning is subject to verification of eligibility. Potential Winner will be notified in-person at Rockefeller Plaza. Potential Winner or, if potential winner is a minor in his or her state of residence, his/her parent or legal guardian may be required to execute and return an affidavit of eligibility, release of liability, and, except where prohibited, publicity release (collectively, “Contest Documents”) within two (2) days of such notification and must accompany the minor on the Trip (as defined below). Noncompliance within this time period, with these Official Rules or the return of or inability to deliver any prize/prize notification may result in disqualification and, at Sponsors' discretion, and time permitting, an alternate potential Winner may be selected from among all eligible remaining entries based on the Judging Criteria.
RECORDING: Sponsors, in their sole discretion, may choose to record and/or broadcast the appearance of entrants and/or Winners on The Today Show (“TODAY”). If Sponsors, in their sole discretion, elect to incorporate any audio and/or video recording of entrants and/or Winners (the “Recording”) into TODAY or other television shows, the taping and/or the Recording will not be considered an employment opportunity, and Winners and/or entrants will not be entitled to compensation or credit thereof. Sponsors will determine the nature of the Recording in their sole discretion. If the Recording is broadcast, such broadcast will be at a time, for a length of time, and on a date determined by Sponsors in their sole discretion. Winners and/or entrants may be required to return completed and signed appearance releases, confidentiality agreements and such other documents as may be required by Sponsors prior to their appearance on TODAY and participation in the Contest, if any. Failure of entrants to complete and execute these documents in a timely manner, as determined by Sponsors in their sole discretion, may cause the entrant to be disqualified and any potential Prize to be forfeited. The content of the Recording as, and if, finally exhibited and the number of exhibits and re-airs thereof, if any, will be determined by Sponsors in their sole discretion. Winners will not have a right of review, notice, or approval of the content of the Recording or any exhibition or exploitation thereof. Sponsors have the right, in their sole discretion, to disqualify entrants, cause the Prizes to be forfeited, and remove entrants from TODAY at any time, if any entrant’s behavior is deemed by Sponsors to be disruptive or if it may or does cause damage to person, property, or reputation of Sponsors or if it otherwise violates the policies of Sponsors, or if entrants do not follow the directions of Sponsors at all times. These Official Rules and the Contest itself are neither a contract nor an application for employment.
PRIZE: There will be two (2) prizes awarded (“Prizes”, each a “Prize”), one (1) Prize to each Winner. Prize will consist of a trip to Los Angeles, CA (“Trip”) for Winner and one (1) guest (“Guest”). Trip will consist of the following: roundtrip airfare for Winner and Guest from a major commercial airport nearest Winner’s residence to a major commercial airport near Los Angeles (as determined by Sponsors in their sole discretion), two (2) night hotel accommodations in a single room/double occupancy (as determined by Sponsors in their sole discretion), one (1) five hundred dollar ($500) gift card, one (1) Front of Line pass to Universal Studios Hollywood to experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter for Winner and Guest.
Estimated Retail Value (“ERV”) of each Prize is three thousand dollars ($3,000). ERV of all Prizes is six thousand dollars ($6,000). Actual Retail Value (“ARV”) of Prize may vary. Any difference between ERV and ARV will not be awarded. If Prize includes a Trip, ARV may vary based on, among other things, availability, and existing rates at time of booking, dates of travel, and point of departure.
Sponsors will determine all details of Prize in their sole discretion. Sponsors reserve the right to substitute Prize (or portion thereof) with a similar prize (or prize element) of comparable or greater value. All taxes and other expenses, costs, or fees associated with the acceptance and/or use of Prize are the sole responsibility of Winner. Prize cannot be transferred by Winner or redeemed for cash and is valid only for the items detailed above, with no substitution of Prize by Winner. If Prize is unclaimed within a reasonable time after notification from Sponsors, as determined by Sponsors in their sole discretion, it will be forfeited, and time permitting, an alternate Winner may be selected from the remaining eligible entries at Sponsors’ sole discretion.
Winner must be able to travel on such dates designated by Sponsors or Prize Supplier, or the Prize will be forfeited. Travel arrangements must be made through Sponsors’ agent, on a carrier of Sponsors’ choice. Certain travel restrictions and black-out dates may apply. Sponsors have the right in their sole discretion to substitute ground transportation for air transportation depending on Winner’s place of residence. Winner and Guest must travel together on the same itinerary, including the same departure date, destination, and return date, and must have valid travel documents (e.g., valid government-issued photo ID and/or passport) prior to departure, and failure to do so will result in forfeiture of Prize. Sponsors will not replace any lost or stolen tickets, travel vouchers, or certificates. Hotel arrangements will be determined by Sponsors in their sole discretion. Sponsors shall have no responsibility or liability for cancellations and/or delays or any change by the air carrier(s), lodging facilities, or other company or any other persons providing any of the Prize elements for the Winner and Guest due to reasons beyond Sponsors’ control.
Once travel commences, no unscheduled stopovers are permitted; if an unscheduled stopover occurs, full fare will be charged from stopover point for the remaining segments, including return, of the trip. If Winner is between the ages of thirteen (13) and twenty-one (21), he/she must be accompanied by a parent or guardian of at least twenty-one (21) years of age in order to check into the hotel. Sponsors are not liable for any expenses incurred as a consequence of flight cancellation/delay. Trip may not be combined with any other offer, and travel may not qualify for frequent flyer miles. All travel and lodging will be at the risk of Winner and Guest. Winner is solely responsible for all expenses and costs associated with acceptance and/or use of Prize not specifically stated herein as being awarded, including, without limitation any and all taxes or fees associated with the acceptance and/or use of Prize, travel insurance, ground transportation (other than as described above), security and airport fees, meals, gratuities, and souvenirs. Sponsors shall have the right, but not the obligation to make any deductions and withholdings that Sponsors deem necessary or desirable under applicable federal, state, and local tax laws, rules, regulations, codes, or ordinances.
Sponsors shall have no responsibility or liability for cancellations, delays, or any other change by any company or person providing any element of Prize, and are not responsible or liable for any expenses incurred as a consequence thereof. Date and/or time of Universal Studios Hollywood admission is subject to change. Universal Studios Hollywood admission is subject to cancellation. If Winner chooses to attend Universal Studios Hollywood with no Guest, the remaining elements of Prize shall constitute full satisfaction of Sponsors’ Prize obligation to Winner and no additional compensation will be awarded. Guests, if any, may be required to execute and return releases of liability and, except where prohibited, publicity releases (collectively, “Guest Documents”), which must be returned with the Sweepstakes Documents, or Guest portion of the Prize will be forfeited. If any Guest is a minor, Winner must be such minor’s parent or legal guardian and must execute and return the Guest Documents on such minor’s behalf.
CONDITIONS: By entering the Contest, each entrant agrees for entrant and for entrant’s heirs, executors, and administrators (a) to release and hold harmless Contest Entities and each of their respective officers, directors, and employees (collectively, “Released Parties”) from any liability, illness, injury, death, loss, litigation, or damage that may occur, directly or indirectly, whether caused by negligence or not, from such entrant’s participation in the Contest and/or his/her acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of Prize or any portion thereof (including any travel related thereto); (b) to indemnify Released Parties from any and all liability resulting or arising from the Contest and to hereby acknowledge that Released Parties have neither made nor are in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty, representation, or guarantee, express or implied, in fact or in law, relative to Prize, including express warranties provided exclusively by Prize supplier that are sent along with Prize; (c) if selected as a Winner, to the posting of such entrant’s name on-air or on TODAY.com and the use by Released Parties of such name, voice, image, and/or likeness for publicity, promotional, and advertising purposes in any and all media now or hereafter known, throughout the world in perpetuity, without additional compensation, notification, permission, or approval, and, upon request, to the giving of consent, in writing, to such use; and (d) to be bound by these Official Rules and to waive any right to claim any ambiguity or error therein or in the Contest itself, and to be bound by all decisions of the Sponsors, which are binding and final.Failure to comply with these conditions may result in disqualification from the Contest at Sponsors’ sole discretion.
ADDITIONAL TERMS: Sponsors reserve the right to permanently disqualify from any promotion any person they believe has intentionally violated these Official Rules. Any attempt to deliberately damage the Contest or the operation thereof is unlawful and subject to legal action by Sponsors, who may seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law. The failure of Sponsors to comply with any provision of these Official Rules due to an act of God, hurricane, war, fire, riot, earthquake, terrorism, act of public enemies, actions of governmental authorities outside of the control of Sponsors (excepting compliance with applicable codes and regulations), or other “force majeure” event will not be considered a breach of these Official Rules. Released Parties assume no responsibility for any injury or damage to entrants’ or to any other person’s computer relating to or resulting from entering or downloading materials or software in connection with the Contest. Released Parties are not responsible for telecommunications, network, electronic, technical, or computer failures of any kind; for inaccurate transcription of entry information; for errors in any promotional or marketing materials or in these Official Rules; for any human or electronic error; or for entries that are stolen, misdirected, garbled, delayed, lost, late, damaged, or returned. Sponsors reserve the right to cancel, modify, or suspend the Contest or any element thereof (including, without limitation, these Official Rules) without notice in any manner and for any reason (including, without limitation, in the event of any unanticipated occurrence that is not fully addressed in these Official Rules). In the event of cancellation, modification, or suspension, Sponsors reserve the right to select Winners in a random drawing from among all eligible, non-suspect entries received prior to the time of the event warranting such cancellation, modification, or suspension. Notice of such cancellation, modification, or suspension will be posted on TODAY.com. Sponsors may prohibit any entrant or potential entrant from participating in the Contest, if such entrant or potential entrant shows a disregard for these Official Rules; acts with an intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any other entrant, Sponsors, or Sponsors’ agents or representatives; or behaves in any other disruptive manner (as determined by Sponsors in their sole discretion). Sponsors reserve the right to modify these rules for clarification purposes without materially affecting the terms and conditions of the Contest.
DISPUTES: The Contest is governed by, and will be construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, and the forum and venue for any dispute shall be in New York, New York. If THE controversy or claim is not otherwise resolved through direct discussions or mediation, it shall THEN be resolved by FINAL AND binding arbitration administered by JUDICIAL ARBITRATION AND MEDIATION SERVICES, INC., in accordance with its Streamlined Arbitration Rules and Procedures or subsequent versions thereof (“JAMS Rules”). The JAMS Rules for selection of an arbitrator shall be followed, except that the arbitrator shall be experienced and licensed to practice law in new york. All proceedings brought pursuant to this paragraph will be conducted in the County of new york. THE REMEDY FOR ANY CLAIM SHALL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL DAMAGES, AND IN NO EVENT SHALL ANY PARTY BE ENTITLED TO RECOVER PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING ATTORNEY’S FEES OR OTHER SUCH RELATED COSTS OF BRINGING A CLAIM, OR TO RESCIND THIS AGREEMENT OR SEEK INJUNCTIVE OR ANY OTHER EQUITABLE RELIEF.
WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT: For the names of the winners, available after July 29, 2016, visit Today.com, or send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to be received by Harry Potter Costume Contest to: Attn: A. Prince, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112.
SPONSOR: Today Show and NBCUniversal Media, LLC both located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112