Winnipeg: Keith Brown at the Fringe

From the Winnipeg Fringe:

Art of Astonishment

Keith Brown is a world-class magician, speaker and VIP entertainer who has inspired wonder in over 22 countries and counting! Most recently, Keith performed for the First Lady of Iceland! He was chosen Toronto’s BEST magician… and he’s not even from Toronto! Prepare to engage your imagination in mysteries that open the door to infinite possibilities.

Read more.

From Keith Brown's Twitter feed:

Tickets for @winnipegfringe are officially on sale! Click link in bio or go to https://t.co/jpsAHEQrlQ
Art of Astonishment - a choose your own adventure magic show - plays Venue 11: Centennial Concert Rehearsal Hall.#wpgfringe #artofastonishment #m… https://t.co/aM5MSEWHjU pic.twitter.com/QoVRDPgNTA

— Keith Brown (@KeithHBrown) June 25, 2019

An update from ReginaCadabra

From the ReginaCadabra Facebook page:

ReginaCadabra Magic Festival would like to announce with regret that we will not be holding the Festival in 2019 and beyond. This decision was not made without a great deal of thought and discussion with the stakeholders. We sincerely appreciate all of the magic fans that attended the wonderful event in 2017 and 2018. We thank all of our community partners and sponsors that participated in the past events. We thank all of our magician friends that performed at the event and those that helped to promote the event to fellow magicians and magic fans. Thank you to all of the volunteers that donated so much of their time to help make the event run smoothly and professionally. Thank you to the Regina Hotel Association that created the Event of Events contest that brought forth this event to Regina. Finally thank you to the Festival Committee and Board who gave countless hours of meetings and time to help produce and run the event.

For the magic fans, we hope you remain a follower of this page as we will from time to time communicate (post) magic events that are occurring in the area.

Again on behalf of the Board, Thank you!

Brent Kloeble
President
ReginaCadabra Magic Festival.

Register to compete at the FISM 2020 North American Championships of Magic!

The FISM 2020 website is up and running!  Register now to attend or compete at the FISM 2020 North American Championships of Magic!


From the FISM 2020 North American Championships of Magic website:

May 6 to 10, 2020.

Together with the 2020 Canadian Championships of Magie and the 8th Concours International de magie Michel Cailloux.

During the 2020 FISM-North American Convention (held in conjunction with the Club de Magie de Québec and the Canadian Association of Magicians) in Québec City, May 6-10, there will be a triple magic championship competition. The combination of the Canadian Championships of Magic and the 8th Concours International de magie Michel Cailloux  along with the 2020 FISM-North American Championships of Magic will offer the greatest magic competition ever held in Canada

A potential of fifteen competitors will have the opportunity to advance to the FISM 2021 World Championship of Magic also held in Québec City. Also, the North Americans with the highest marks will be crowned 2020 North American Champions in each of stage and close-up event.

In addition, contestants who are members of the host organizations will have the opportunity to compete for their respective awards and performing contracts.

Read more and register.

Congratulations to the 2018 Canadian Rising Star

The winners of Magicana's Allan Slaight awards will be announced every day this week, starting yesterday. Special congratulations to Carisa Hendrix for winning the Canadian Rising Star award!


From the Magicana Twitter feed:

Here's 1 of 5 #AllanSlaightAwards celebrating #excellenceinmagic The Canadian Rising Star award, acknowledges outstanding work by an emerging artist & comes with an iPad, & $5,000 from the Slaight Family Foundation. ... AND, it's @CarisaHendrix WATCH: https://t.co/EBWbKTAG8J pic.twitter.com/n2PWVxeapx

— Magicana (@sharingwonder) June 24, 2019

Guelph: Mastering the mystery of the mind with The Evasons

From the River Run Centre:

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Jeff and Tessa Evason make extrasensory connections using an incredible talent known as “second sight.” Audience members are amazed when Tessa perceives birth dates, personal details and even the names of distant loved ones — all while standing on stage wearing a blindfold. The Evasons intuitive gifts will captivate you!

“This act is so good – we’ve never seen better!” – Penn & Teller

Read more and buy tickets.

Winner of Cheap Tricks 2

Earlier this month, The Sentimentalists hosted a contest for inexpensive impromptu magic: Cheap Tricks 2.


One of the participants, James Alan, had this to say on his June 12th post on his blog:

I appeared alongside John Roldan, Jim Byrnes, Beyond Mental Borders, Jonah Babins, Harry Zimmerman, Jacqueline Swann and Shamus MacGregor. The contest was judged by Steffi Kay of the Sentimentalists, Ben Train, Rayn, and the previous champion Chris Westfall. (I was a judge on the first contest in 2017, but agreed to give up my spot to Chris.)

My set of constrains was that I had 3 hours to build an act using a budget of $5 with only material procured at a the nearby A&W. I also had to present in the theme of a XXX-rated Adult Film…. magic for grownups indeed. I’m so glad I forgot to invite my mother to watch. I’m more glad that magic elder statesman Mark Lewis was in the audience to witness me debasing the art of magic.

You can watch the winning NSFW performance on James Alan's YouTube channel.

Congratulations James!

Memdeck - The Next Step Webinar with Michael Close

From Michael Close:

Sunday, June 23, 2019
10:00 am (EDT)  &  4:00 pm (EDT)

Memdeck - The Next Step Webinar
You’ve put in the hours, memorized a stack, and can now perform a few basic effects with it. What’s the next step? What skills do you need to acquire on the road to memdeck mastery? You’ll find out in our new webinar, “Memdeck, the Next Step.” You can ask questions during the live broadcast of the webinar; if you can’t join live, you’ll have unlimited access to the replay. The webinar will run about ninety minutes.

We’ll discuss:

• A review of basic memdeck skills
• A review of basic memdeck effects
• The challenges of “the next step”
• Estimation
• Culling
• False shuffles
• Thinking on your feet
• Other useful tools
• Explanations of many useful effects

The information in this webinar is “stack independent” – it will apply regardless of which stack you have learned.

This webinar is geared to those who have memorized a stack and have some confidence with it. It is not geared to memdeck neophytes. (If you have not yet memorized a stack, you should wait for another presentation of our “Demystifying the Memorized Deck” webinar.

Read more.

Toronto: Jeff Hinchliffe's Memorized Deck workshop

From the Browser's Den of Magic Newsletter:

Young Jeff here with a special announcement for the card guys...I am doing my second Memorized Deck workshop.

The date will be SATURDAY JULY 13th, and the workshop/lecture will run from 6:30pm-10:30pm. That's FOUR HOURS of memorized deck magic! The cost is $40 and will be limited to twenty participants. To sign-up you can either call the shop (416-783-7022) or e-mail me directly at jhinchliffe13 AT gmail DOT com

I will be covering a wide range of information about memorized decks, including breaking down the differences between different stacks, stack-dependent and stack-independent material, and how to maintain your memorized deck when performing non-memorized deck magic.


Read more.

St. Thomas: Magic and Brews

From Eventbrite:

This is the grand opening event will be sure to tickle your tastebuds and blow your mind! World-renowned master magician Bill Abbott, (and former St.Thomas resident) is taking a detour from his current U.S. tour to jump the border on July 5th to bring the MAGIC to Caps Off!

Your ticket includes exclusive access to this event that starts at 7pm where you can purchase freshly brewed beer and enjoy complimentary charcuterie boards of meats & cheese PLUS up close and personal magic that happens in your own hands and mind!

Then sit down at 7:45 pm and experience the show that's filled with laughter, surprise, charm and wonder! Witness the incredible and hilarious magic show that has entertained and amazed audiences around the world! Bill Abbott will demonstrate mind blowing sleight of hand, jaw dropping illusion and laugh out loud comedy that will leave you thoroughly entertained. Then hang after while we serve up one more brew for the road and maybe grab a growler to go!

Read more and buy tickets.

From Bill Abbott's Twitter feed:

Come celebrate the brewery these two started! Sunday July 7 at 7pm in St. Thomas ON. I’ve got killer tricks, jokes and unexplainable mysteries to share! #billabbottlive #ginjaninja @capsoffbrewing

Get your tix here https://t.co/mYjWPt1zFF pic.twitter.com/SGNAqxWsrs

— Bill Abbott (@billabbottlive) June 14, 2019

Catching up with Luc Langevin

Catch Luc Langevin in Montreal and Quebec City in November and December respectively.  Or watch him record the show "The Children of the TV."  Or watch the show once it airs!  Or watch the Geminis and see if he takes his category "Best Variety Special."

Congratulations Luc!


From the June 12 article "Luc Langevin de retour au Québec" in La Press:

L'illusionniste présentera ainsi son spectacle Maintenant demain sur plusieurs scènes québécoises dans les prochains mois.

Il sera notamment à la salle Maisonneuve de la Place des Arts le 9 novembre et à la salle Albert-Rousseau de Québec les 22 et 23 décembre.

Read more.

From Luc Langevin's Twitter feed:

Amis québécois, je ferai partie des invités de l'émission "Les enfants de la télé" à @iciradiocanada lors du tournage du mardi 18 juin de 18h à 22h et il encore possible d'y assister gratuitement. Les personnes intéressées doivent réserver ici -> https://t.co/fc3UbplTtd pic.twitter.com/eHze1IhBwp

— Luc Langevin (@LucLangevin) June 13, 2019

Belle surprise pendant mes vacances : Je viens d’apprendre que je suis en nomination aux Gémeaux comme meilleur animateur de spécial de variété! Cheers 🥂! pic.twitter.com/hJlMaC63xG

— Luc Langevin (@LucLangevin) June 13, 2019

Laval: David Acer at Le Cabaret C

From Eventbrite:

June 18

Jaguar Land Rover Laval est fière d’annoncer la tenue de "Nous pour Vous III" une soirée-bénéfice humoristique en compagnie de Rachid Badouri et ses invités, au profit de l’Organisation familiale des besoins spéciaux de Montréal.

L’animateur du spectacle sera à nouveau cette année, Rachid Badouri, et il mettra en vedette une superbe brochette de grands noms de l’humour, le tout dans un format bilingue. Ainsi vous pourrez entendre les talents de David Acer, Mike Patterson, Christine Morency, Derek Séguin, Dave Gaudet, Maude Landry et Mat Cyr!

Les billets pour cet événement recherché et intime sont disponibles au prix spécial de seulement 40$ et toutes les recettes seront versées à l’Organisation familiale des besoins spéciaux de Montréal. 

Read more and buy tickets.

From David Acer's Twitter feed:

I'll be stand-up comedying on this bilingual show for a great cause with some other fine comedyists! June 18th at Le Cabaret C in Laval. Info/tix: https://t.co/TzKFOzA80Y pic.twitter.com/YpWP68lVVC

— David Acer (@David_Acer) June 12, 2019

Lee Asher's thoughts on the recent Cartamundi / USPCC deal

Skip to the bottom of this post to watch Lee's video.

ICYMI...

From the June 4th article "Cartamundi to acquire The United States Playing Card Company" from Cartamundi:

Turnhout, June 4, 2019 – The Belgian privately owned group Cartamundi has signed an agreement to buy The United States Playing Card Company (USPC) from its parent company Newell Brands. The acclaimed playing cards maker’s focus is on North America and Spain. Through this acquisition, Cartamundi continues to invest in the global entertainment market.

The United States Playing Card Company, owner of the iconic brands such as Bicycle®, Bee®, Hoyle® and Fournier®, is the global standard within the world of playing cards. The business employs over 350 people and has manufacturing facilities in the U.S. city of Erlanger (Kentucky) and the Spanish city of Vitoria (Álava). In 2018 USPC realized net sales of approximately 112 million US dollars.

Read more.

From Lee Asher's Twitter feed:

If you love #Playingcards, watch this video about my thoughts on the @CartamundiCards @bicyclecards merger. I promise it's worth your time, and I might change the way you feel about all of this. 😊https://t.co/QdEFmdEVNV pic.twitter.com/SnFK9OlUxp

— Lee Asher (@LeeAsherMagic) June 13, 2019

From Lee Asher's YouTube channel:

Niagara: Magic Beyond Tricks

From Events Niagara:

An evening of fine dining, good company and an interactive, mind-bending performance that will have you laughing one minute, and awestruck the next.

Your night starts with a delicious 3-course meal at the legendary Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.

Then you'll head downstairs, to the Grand Ballroom, to experience Alex Kazam's perfect combination of comedy, magic, and mentalism: Magic Beyond Tricks

Read more and buy tickets.

From Alex Kazam's Twitter feed:

I'm excited to announce that "𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀 " opens in 10 days.

Tickets are now available for June 16th, 23rd, and 30th.

The evening begins with a 3-course dinner at Ruth's Chris Steak House Niagara Falls.

Then... https://t.co/CESt4I95Xz

— Alex Kazam (@wittymagic) June 7, 2019

City Parent Magazine Best Children's Entertainer

Congratulations to Scott Dietrich for winning his 8th consecutive Best Children's Entertainer Award from City Parent Magazine!


From Scott Dietrich's Twitter feed:

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And the winner is? It is with extreme gratitude that I'd like to thank all who voted me the #GTA's "#BestChildrensEntertainer" for the 8th consecutive year 🐰👍 @CityParentMag Reader's Choice Award Winner 2019 pic.twitter.com/o7g8e7D9hL

— Scott Dietrich (@scottdietrich78) June 11, 2019

Update from Evelyn Matlin

If you have a moment, be sure to visit the Perfect Magic blog and leave Evelyn a comment, or send her an email with your good wishes.


From the June 10th post "Magic Sent Me Back To the Magic Shop" by Evelyn Matlin at the Perfect Magic blog:

Today I saw my doctor and he said everything was fine and I should be having my robotic operation next week or the following week at the latest. They do 2 robotic operations a day. If I’m the first, I go home the same day and if I’m the second, I sleep over at the hospital. Frankly I don’t care which it is, as long as I get it over with. I thank you all for your good wishes that you sent and appreciate them. If you get a chance, drop in and say hello.

Read more.

Ontario Week of Wonder (OWOW) Magic Festival

From Magic Festival:

Ontario Week of Wonder OWOW Magic Festival is a seven-day celebration of magic and illusion held downtown Fergus.  The festival runs the last week in October and coincides with National Magic Week OCT 24 - 31, 2019

The OWOW Magic Festival features magicians appearing in restaurants, theatres and around downtown Fergus, Ontario.  The Township of Centre Wellington has become a popular hotspot during October because of Monster Month.  An annual month-long festival that draws zombies from near and far.

These communities rest along a particularly spectacular stretch of 80ft limestone cliffs along the Grand River just one hour from Toronto Ontario Canada.  The area has gained tremendous popularity over the past twelve years and has recently been featured in National Geographic, BlogTO, and countless blockbuster movies.

A perfect place for magic and adventure. OWOW Magic Festival is a perfect way to enjoy a little extra magic. 

Read more and subscribe to get updates.

Toronto: Marcus Eddie lecture

From the Browser's Den of Magic:

Wednesday June 26th

We are very excited to offer you another opportunity to learn from a fantastic professional. Marcus Eddie will be here at Browser's Den to share his love of magic on Wednesday, June 26 at 7pm.

Here's a little bit about Marcus:

Growing up overseas as part of an Air Force family, Marcus did not have access to magic shops or clubs. Using a magic set he received as a gift from his parents and the few magic books he could find in the school library, Marcus began teaching himself the craft when he was just 12 years old. Building his illusions from toy boxes, tape and everyday items, Marcus took his childhood passion and turned it into his career.

Today, he is an 8-time award-winning magician, including his win on the Syfy Channel’s magic competition, “Wizard Wars.”marcuseddie

He has appeared on “Penn & Teller Fool Us,” and is the creator of a large catalog of acclaimed, commercially released creations. Marcus also works as a consultant for magicians worldwide, including David Blaine on his television special, “Beyond Magic.”

Marcus Eddie's original magic will leave you stunned, and his lecture will leave you inspired.

We had the pleasure of hosting Marcus a couple years ago and his lecture was fantastic, and we know he's going to bring the goods again! His effects are off-beat and his methods are devious!

We look forward to you joining us on the 26th for what will be another fantastic lecture!

Read more and buy tickets.

Derek Selinger on "Penn and Teller Fool Us" season 6

Looking forward to see Derek on the Fool Us stage on July 1st!


From Derek Selinger's Instagram:

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View this post on Instagram

We are so pleased to announce that we will be appearing on Penn and Tellers Fool Us season 6!!!! Our episode will be airing on the CW network on July 1st! Please set your dvrs, tune in and share this with everyone you know! Ratings still matter and every view helps the show. This picture was taken on stage 30 seconds before we took our mark. I was a little jacked. Haha. Over the next month stay tuned for behind the scenes pictures and stories. It was such an awesome experience. And see you July 1!!! . . . #magic #magician #illusionists #pennandtellerfoolus #foolus #magicinspired #speaker #motivation #motivationalspeaker #inspiration

A post shared by Derek Selinger (@derek_selinger) on Jun 4, 2019 at 10:29am PDT

Billy Kidd in the Vegas News

From the June 4 article 'Women Are (Secretly) The Driving Force Behind Facebook’s “Making Magic”' in the Vegas News:

The last two episodes of Facebook’s Making Magic featured people you don’t often see in the magic industry: Women. Not only are women featured; their back-to-back episodes have been streamed more than those of their male counterparts.

This comes as no surprise to Making Magic guest Mistie Knight.

“People are excited to see women in major magic roles, not just the shadows,” Knight says. “For so long, it was assumed that women in magic were merely ‘lovely assistants’ providing eye candy. The truth is, in illusion shows women are often the ones doing the heavy lifting.”

Read more.

Making Magic Episode 4: Billy Kidd Defeats Duct Tape

Nicholas Wallace in ET Canada

From the June 5 article "Gabrielle Union Is Possessed By A Creepy Doll In Magician’s Mystifying ‘AGT’ Audition" by Brent Furdyk in ET Canada:

“America’s Got Talent” has seen its fair share of nightmarish magic acts over the years, but magician Nicholas Wallace has raised the bar when it comes to sheer creepiness.For his trick, Wallace explained that he saved an old rocking chair and a disturbing-looking doll from a fire in a hotel, revealing that the chair and the doll share some kind of a supernatural connection.Enlisting judge Gabrielle Union as his volunteer, he asked her to sit in the rocking chair and then covered her eyes with a blindfold.

Read more.

From the America's Got Talent YouTube channel:

Gander and Cornerbrook: Piff The Magic Dragon

From Arts and Culture Centre:

Piff The Magic Dragon
Presented by Newfound Promotions
July 4 Gander
July 5 Corner Brook

50% Comedy 50% Magic 100% Dragon. Piff the Magic Dragon, Top 10 finalist on America’s Got Talent and with a residency at the Flamingo Casino in Las Vegas, Piff brings his mixture of charm, wit, and wizardry to Gander, NL. Accompany by Mr. Piffles, the world’s only magical Chihuahua, Piff is sure to wow the audience.

Read more and buy tickets.

From Phoebe Hancock's Facebook page:

Welcoming a new patron: Tricky Fingers

Welcome to our newest sponsor, Tricky Fingers!

Based out of Kelowna, the online magic store Tricky Fingers is run by Kray Mitchell.

Regular readers of the blog will know that earlier this year Kray also started Illusionary Canada, "a community resource meant to get more recognition, and to build an archive, of Canadian talent and other resources." Under that umbrella he's started the Illusionary Podcast  where he talks "to Canadian magical practitioners about careers, influence and magic."  To date he's interviewed Billy Kidd, Josh Janousky, Carisa Hendrix, Todd Shapiro, Julie Eng , Danny Kazam, Gwyn Auger, and Sawyer Bullock.

Visit Tricky Fingers at TrickyFingers.ca or Illusionary at Illusionary.ca. 


Thank you Tricky Fingers, for your sponsorship of Canada's Magic!

Ottawa: Ryan Pilling's Suitcase of Wonders

The Ottawa Fringe runs June 13-23, 2019.  Check the website for the schedule.

From the Ottawa Fringe:

With odds of a billion to one against, magician Ryan Pilling rolls the dice in a magic show and social experiment that dances along the line between highly improbable and absolutely impossible. As a quick-witted ringmaster, Ryan pits your free will against a locked suitcase in a theatrical gamble that could go either way. Amazing magic and weird stunts with a dash of choose-your-own adventure.

Read more and buy tickets.

From the Suitcase of Wonders Facebook event:

Thank you to our June 2019 Friends!

Thank you to John Harrison, Richard Lyn, Joan Caesar, The Outerbridges, Ian Crawford, Owen Anderson, Ryan Pilling, Matt DiSero, James Renoire, Gwyn Auger, Jason Maiuri, and Doug Hunt for being Friends of Canada's Magic!

It's good to have friends like you.

You too can Be Our Friend for only $20 per year! 

Donations of any size are always welcome.

Thank you to our June 2019 sponsors!

Thank you to our sponsors for their generous support.

This site would not be possible without their backing.

We're grateful to have the support of:

• Clive Court - Get PR help from a Life Membership Award winner of the Canadian Public Relations Society,
• Evelyn & Phil Matlin, owners of Perfect Magic,
• Jeff Pinsky, owner of The Browser's Den of Magic,
• Michael Close, author of the new Paradigm Shift ebooks, the Workers series and others, and
• Kray Mitchell, owner of Tricky Fingers.

The next time you see them, let them know you saw their sponsorship here!

For more information about purchasing Sponsored Posts or about our Platinum, Gold, or Silver level sponsorships, please visit our Sponsorship page.

Or you can Be Our Friend for only $20 per year! 

Donations of any size are always welcome.

Toronto: The Art of Magic with Scott Hammell

From the Toronto Magic Company's Facebook page:

The Art of Magic is back with 2 back-to-back shows!

Featuring Scott Hammell, Harry Zimmerman, Benzi Train, and Jonah Babins!

So far we've produced 11 Art of Magic events, and all 11 have SOLD OUT.

This will be much the same!

Head to https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-art-of-magic-with-headliner-scott-hammell-tickets-61384706309

The event is a month away and tickets are already moving quickly!

"Without him I wouldn't have married your mother"

Many magicians inspire others to start on their own magical journey.  Often, they are told about the spark they've lit in others.

Kurt Fuerniss has allowed me to share with you a story about his profound impact on the lives of three others!


From Kurt's May 27th post in the Facebook group of the Magic Circle of Saint John:

I was doing some balloon art yesterday at Rockwood Park for a cystic fibrosis walk. There was a little girl who was about three or four with her father. I was in the middle of making a mermaid balloon for her when her father told her and the crowd around us a story.

He pointed at me and told his daughter "You see that man right there? Without him I wouldn't have married your mother."

The little girl's eyes went huge and replied "whaaat???"

He then proceeded to tell everyone that about 7 years ago I was performing a magic show at the very park we were in. He was friends with the father and his future wife was friends with the mother of the birthday kid. I was doing my escape routine and I invited the two of them up to assist me. They didn't know each other at the time.

I made a passing joke when I gave them the ropes and asked the two of them to "Please tie the knot" for me. He said "I noticed your mother was blushing when the magician made that joke so when we sat down I asked her out on a date. Two years later we were married and the next year you were born." Then he turned around and shook my hand and said "Thank you."

It's amazing to think how what we do can impact someone's life so profoundly.

Greg Frewin in the Metrolinx News

From the May 16th article "No illusion – Magician Greg Frewin reveals Niagara Falls spectacles GO customers need to unlock" by Sara Wilbur in the Metrolinx News:

Greg Frewin has pulled off one of the most elaborate feats in the history of prestidigitation. He’s managed to quietly hide a very Canadian existence within a bigger-than-life Niagara Falls spectacle.

 The 52-year-old magician seems as much a modern staple of Niagara Falls as, say, running water. His production, inside a local 700-seat theatre named after him, is based on decades of performances around the world that have won him a magic box full of trophies, including the prestigious Magician of the Year Award at the World Magic Awards, as well as a first place for the International Federation of Magic Societies.

Read more.