The Pokémon-Themed Pop-Up Bar Planned for Sunday in Denver Has Been Cancelled

A planned Pokémon-themed pop-up bar event will no longer take place in Denver this Sunday after Nintendo told the pop-up’s organizers it could not hold their event as planned due to what appear to be licensing issues, the Denver Post reports.

Earlier this year, tickets, which were priced at $45, went on-sale on the ticketing website Eventbrite for an event called Pokébar that was billed as offering burgers with buns decorated to look like Pokémon and cocktails inspired by the popular franchise.

The event was originally slated to take place on Sunday, September 29, at the ExDo Events Center (though the website initially listed the address for the neighboring Tracks Nightclub).

However, the Post reports a publicist for a PR firm representing the event’s sponsor said the event had been cancelled because of what the Post describes as “an unspecified directive from Nintendo.” Nintendo owns the Pokémon brand.

The publicist told the Post the pop-up’s sponsor, Viral Ventures, is now in the process of rebranding and relaunching the event, which will be rescheduled to November 3 in Denver.

The Pokébar pop-up website, which listed events planned for several cities, now redirects to a page for an event called Monster Burger Bar.

Though that website contains almost no other details, it does describe the event as “a themed-burger and trivia brunch” while the bottom of the page contains reference to the event as an “immersive burger bar.” The bottom of the page also contains language noting that the event “is not associated with Nintendo or any other brand.”

A representative for the ExDo Event Center also told The Post everyone who had purchased tickets to the event will be contacted by Eventbrite and given the option of either transferring their ticket to the November 3 event, which will be held at a different venue, or getting a refund.

Those who choose the latter option, however, presumably will no longer be enjoying those adorable Pikachu burgers initially presented on the Pokébar website.