Celebrate the Halloween season at the Harry Potter Universe in Denver

The Harry Potter: The Exhibition in Denver has special events planned for October.

It is Dark Arts season, and the exhibit is featuring the darker characters and creatures, as well as behind-the-scenes details that contributed to some of the most memorable Dark Arts moments from the Harry Potter films.

Creative Director Mark Lach joined CBS Colorado Mornings to talk about the season's highlights, including:

• Props and costumes connected to the Dark Arts
• Wands: Take a closer look at some of the most recognizable wands from the films and the design details that helped distinguish their owners and roles in the story.
• Voldemort's Wand: Examine the clawlike handle of the Dark Lord's wand, seemingly made of bone, has a hook on the end, as if it was a bony, evil finger.
• The Elder Wand: The most powerful wand in the wizarding world. Fashioned from English oak, it has outcrops that form nodules every few inches, making it recognizable even from a distance.
• Bellatrix Lestrange's Wand: Note its distinctive clawlike curve, resembling a bird of prey, along with rough runic symbols inscribed into the handle.
• Costumes: Examine the distinctive costume design used to define some of the films' most recognizable Dark Arts characters and followers.
• Lord Voldemort: Take a closer look at Voldemort's flowing robes and the intentionally stark, almost otherworldly silhouette created for the character. As they evolved to green (a subtle nod to his Slytherin roots),  they also became progressively lighter as his Horcruxes were destroyed.
• Bellatrix Lestrange: One of Voldemort's most loyal servants. Her dress is a dress made from thick, black wool, decorated with swirling spirals on her skirt, and pleated sleeves. Her waist is bound with a sturdy, leather corset. The costume is also complemented by harsher details, including silver claw and silver skull rings, plus a matching set that consists of a silver crow skull ring, earrings, and a pendant, on a black leather cord.
• Death Eaters: See costume elements associated for Voldemort's most loyal followers, including some of their distinctive masks. The North American exhibition set currently in Denver is the only one to feature some of the Death Eater masks as part of the exhibition.



• Iconic elements and settings: See how moments from the films are translated into an immersive exhibition experience
• Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom: Every year, Hogwarts students study Defense Against the Dark Arts, where they learn how to protect themselves against Darker forces of the wizarding world – including hexes, jinxes, curses, and Dark creatures. At the exhibition guests can encounter a Boggart-inspired interactive and use the Riddikulus charm, reflecting the Hogwarts lesson where students learn to confront fear by transforming it into something humorous.
• The Forbidden Forest: From mysterious creatures to some of the films' dangerous encounters, see what guests can discover within this gallery, including conjuring a Patronus through a digital interactive.
• The Chamber of Secrets: Explore one of Hogwarts's most ominous settings with this recreation along with other associated story elements. Stand in front of it - and listen closely to the sound it makes!
• Wand Duel: Guests can face off in this interactive wand duel set against one of the most iconic locations and moments from the films.
• Behind-the-scenes filmmaking details related to Dark Arts elements include:
• Defense Against the Dark Arts Professors:
  The exhibition highlights several memorable Defense Against the Dark Arts professors through costumes, props and production details that reveal how each character was brought to life on screen. 
• Gilderoy Lockhart's colorful, meticulously coordinated wardrobe reflects the celebrity persona he created for himself, while his books and portraits reinforce the theatrical image surrounding the character. 
• Remus Lupin's costumes take the opposite approach, with drab, threadbare suits and robes that subtly reflect the toll of his life as a werewolf. 
• Dolores Umbridge's distinctive pink wardrobe uses soft fabrics, kitten-inspired jewelry and increasingly darker shades of pink to contrast her polished appearance with her increasingly severe character, while details from her office extend that same visual language through pink décor, gold accents and cat-themed objects.
• Death Eater: Costume fabricator Steve Kill created more than 600 Death Eater outfits for the film: 200 for actors and another 400 for their doubles and stunt doubles.