03 April 2026

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]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

02 April 2026

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.

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

01 April 2026

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.  

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

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and so do I.

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