Festival In A Box Launches For MagicCon Chicago

Josh Nelson • February 3, 2025

Hold onto your beans! MagicCon Chicago is barely a few weeks away. For those who can't make it (and even those who can), Wizards of the Coast has just about launched this year's Festival In A Box. It will go for sale around the time this article goes live! The product features a booster box of Mystery Booster 2, new exclusive promos, and even a new Secret Lair drop. Let's dive in!

Festival In A Box Has Some Cool Stuff

We have covered Mystery Booster 2 in much depth. The cards in the box are extremely varied and the contents are often quite sought-after. You may get some cards you never expected to see in paper Magic! This box may be the main draw for players to get their hands on Festival In A Box. And yet, there's more to be gained as well! For instance, look at this new Secret Lair to come with it: It's Animar & Friends!

Animar, Soul of Elements, a newly reprinted card from the Animar & Friends Secret Lair drop for Festival In A Box.
Animar, Soul of Elements, a newly reprinted card from the Animar & Friends Secret Lair drop for Festival In A Box.
All Will Be One, a newly reprinted card from the Animar & Friends Secret Lair drop for Festival In A Box.
All Will Be One, a newly reprinted card from the Animar & Friends Secret Lair drop for Festival In A Box.
Benevolent Hydra, a newly reprinted card from the Animar & Friends Secret Lair drop for Festival In A Box.
Benevolent Hydra, a newly reprinted card from the Animar & Friends Secret Lair drop for Festival In A Box.
Forgotten Ancient, a newly reprinted card from the Animar & Friends Secret Lair drop for Festival In A Box.
Forgotten Ancient, a newly reprinted card from the Animar & Friends Secret Lair drop for Festival In A Box.
Mulldrifter, a newly reprinted card from the Animar & Friends Secret Lair drop for Festival In A Box.
Mulldrifter, a newly reprinted card from the Animar & Friends Secret Lair drop for Festival In A Box.
If you think Animar & Friends is cool, there is one more really interesting group of cards left in the Festival In A Box promotion. Below are the four promotional cards from the box!

A promotional copy of Ponder, found in the Festival In A Box.
A promotional copy of Ponder, found in the Festival In A Box.
Second City, a promotional playtest card found only in this year's Festival In A Box.
Second City, a promotional playtest card found only in this year's Festival In A Box.

A promotional copy of Serra the Benevolent, also found in the box.
A promotional copy of Serra the Benevolent, also found in the box.
A promotional copy of The First Sliver, also found in the box.
A promotional copy of The First Sliver, also found in the box.
Notably, Ponder features Urza, in its art, Serra the Benevolent uses the Vanguard art and a retro frame, Second City is a playtest card, and The First Sliver, remarkably, has no reminder text for its cascade-granting ability.

Are You Ready For Deep Dish?!

Festival In A Box will sell on SecretLair.Wizards.com in a little under a half an hour. It costs $199.99 and contains all of these cool things shown above. Will you be grabbing one? Sound off below!



Josh Nelson wears many hats. They are a music journalist when not writing gaming news. Beyond this, they're a scholar of the Sweeney Todd urban legend, a fan of monster-taming RPGs, and a filthy Aristocrats player. Josh has been playing Magic since 2001 and attributes their tenure to nostalgia, effort, and "aesthetic".