Toronto: Steve Beam workshop [Apr 18] and lecture [Apr 20]

From the Sid Lorraine Hat & Rabbit Club website entries for:

Steve Beam Workshop

Saturday, April 18th, 2026 

The Hat and Rabbit Club is thrilled to host the legendary Steve Beam for a special, hands-on workshop you won’t want to miss.

Drawing from over 1,300 effects across his 12 published volumes and 15 years of the Trapdoor. Steve will guide us through some of his favourites from his brilliantly deceptive semi-automatic and sleight of hand card magic. Effects that are as powerful as they are practical. Expect clever thinking, layered methods and routines that truly connect with spectators.

Read more and buy tickets. 

 

Steve Beam Lecture

Monday, April 20, 2026 

From the man who brought you the Trick that Could Not be Printed, the Flaming Heckler Illusion, and the Vanishing Earthworm, you are now about to be subjected to Magic with No Entertainment Value. Also known as Lecture #17 (and the only one he does) it features some of the finest in comedy magic direct from the instigator.

You will find more usable and practical material in this one lecture than you culled from your entire photocopy of Greater Magic. (Photocopies of Greater Magic will also be available at the lecture.) Best of all, remember Steve’s motto regarding his lecture: Less than 3% filler. 

Read more and buy tickets.

 

 

 

Request: Nominate Dale Harney for the Alberta Award of Excellence

The Magic Palace was a Canadian television series, produced and hosted by Dale Harney.  You can watch episodes of the show at Magicana.

 

From the March 31st Facebook post by Scott Imler at the Calgary Magic Circle Facebook group:

(republished with permission from Scott)

Hi everyone. My name is Scott Imler. Some of you are friends while others from the Magic community may know me from our shared love of Magic and working with Dale Harney on The Magic Palace TV series.

Dale's son, Shane, reached out to me seeking support to nominate Dale for the Alberta Award of Excellence for his contribution to Magic and his influence on the Arts in Alberta. This influence spans his live performances across Canada and the world, as well as his starring roles in several television series he created.  These series include The Dale Harney Show, Lynsky and Company and of course, The Magic Palace. In addition, he has made many other TV appearances, including a CBC special featuring him and his wife, Lynda.

Part of the Nomination includes a few  SHORT letters of recommendation from friends, fans, employees, and the public who were positively influenced by Dale and his work.

If you would like to send me a short blurb to be  included in the nomination, the Harney Family would appreciate your input. Please keep it brief: quality over quantity. 

Please send your thoughts to me Scott Imler at simler [at] telus [dot] net  [editer's note: reformat accordingly]

Thanks in Advance Scott!!

Please note that if nominated it will be a surprise for Dale. [emphasis added]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Toronto: Chaos with Giancarlo Scalia [May 19]

Hosted by the Sid Lorraine Hat & Rabbit Club, IBM Ring 17. 

 

From The Second City website: 

It is not possible to fight chaos, but there are ways to find harmony within it. A fixed point. A breath. Giancarlo Scalia invites you on a journey where changing perspective transforms reality itself. Through impossible moments, humor, and visual poetry, simple elements will open doors to alternative realities. An invitation to transformation. A moment to escape. A journey within and beyond chaos. 

Read more and buy tickets. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FISM NA: Renée-Claude Auclair has stepped down as President

Thank you Renée-Claude Auclair, for all you have done for the Canadian magic scene!

 

From the March 27th Facebook post by Renee-Claude Auclair: 

Congratulations to Dal Sanders the new president of FISM NA! 

Read more. 

 

From the March 27th Facebook post by FISM International: 

We would like to inform you that Renée-Claude Auclair has stepped down as FISM North American President, and we like to take the opportunity to thank Renée-Claude for years of dedication on behalf of FISM and everything she has done for the North American Magic community.

Read more.

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

David Peck interviews David Ben about the new home for David Ben's magic collection

From the David Peck interview David Ben in Episode 629 on the April 1st podcast "Curiosity, Magic & Meaning" at Face2Face with David Peck:

In this episode of Face2Face, David Peck sits down with magician, historian, and thinker David Ben for a wide-ranging conversation about curiosity, illusion, and the deeper intellectual life behind magic. At the heart of the discussion is Ben’s extraordinary collection, now housed at The Lilly Library at Indiana University, a vast archive spanning more than a century of magical history. Together, they explore magic as a “prism” for understanding the world, touching on ethics, problem-solving, and the power of wonder. This is more than a conversation about magic, it’s about how we see, ask questions and make meaning. 

Read more and listen to podcast. 

 

 

From James Alan's April 1st post "A Magical Acquisition" at Magicana: 

In a landmark moment for the scholarly study of magic, Indiana University’s Lilly Library has announced the acquisition of the David Ben Magic Collection. The Lilly Library is one of the nation’s preeminent rare books, manuscripts, and special collections libraries.

Read more.

 

 

From the April 1st article "Too Good to Be True? IU Acquires Legendary Magic Collection
David Ben's extraordinary collections chronicle the art and history of magic" at Indiana University:

This April Fools’ Day, turn disbelief into discovery as the Lilly Library announces the acquisition of David Ben's very real collection of extraordinary materials chronicling the art and history of magic, illusion, and performance history. 

Read more.  

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

You know the rules

and so do I.

QR Code created by the generous folks at Wikimedia Commons.
 

If you don't have a device that can read a QR code, try this website:  QRCodeRaptor.com 

 

 

 

 

 

Top 5 posts in March 2026

There were 22 posts at Canada's Magic this month.  Here are the top 5 posts in the previous 30 days:

        

5.  St John: Magic by Bernard [Mar 14] - This event was postponed due to weather.  We'll provide an update when it becomes available. 

4.  Toronto: Magic Guys at Work -- After Hours [Mar 11] - Catch The Magic Guys at Work (Ian Batterbury & Rob Fishbaum) in Guelph on May 1st.  Details at Ian's March 27th Instagram post.

3.  [Guest post] Remembering Ron Leonard (1923-1998) - We miss you Ron.

2.  Fredericton: Nigel Harrison -- Unreal [Apr 17] - Coming up fast!

 

and the most viewed post this month  ...

1.  Toronto: Details for Jared Kopf's lecture, show, and workshop announced [Mar 18 - 20] - Montreal and Toronto, you were treated to a fantastic lecture, show and workshop!  See photos from the Toronto workshop at our Facebook photo album.