Canada's Magic

04 December 2024

Marc Trudel: Inspirational Canadian Magician

Third up in this year's Inspirational Canadian Magician Showcase, is Marc Trudel!


Marc Trudel: Inspirational Canadian Magician.

He's a full-time pro and on top of doing every type of magic there is (and winning two Canadian Championships in his spare time), he also runs the Club de Magie de Montréal. He's also been one of my partners in the Montreal Magic Jam, running events from lectures and shows to full conventions for the past two decades. Oh and did I mention along with his wife Sophie-Anne Vachon, he publishes Conundrum Magazine. The man is insanely busy but somehow his love of magic never waivers, and he is a big reason why the magic community in Montreal continues to thrive.

Submitted by Derrick Chung

We were fortunate to see Marc both lecture and perform at this year's Browser's Bash and agree that the Canadian magic community is very lucky to benefit from Marc's talent and energies!

Congratulations Marc! Keep up the great work!

To learn more about Marc Trudel, visit MarcTrudelMagicien.com and follow him on Facebook and Instagram.

To learn more about the Montreal Magic Jam visit MontrealMagicJam.com and to learn more about Conundrum magazine visit ConundrumMagazine.com.

Thank you Derrick for your excellent submission!

To learn more about Derrick Chung, visit his website at DerrickChung.com and follow him on Facebook, and Instagram.


2024 Inspirational Canadian Magician Showcase featuring (in order of publication): Matt Johnson Ken McCreedy Marc Trudel Ryan Michael Tabraze Sheikh Scott McClelland Alex Boyer Chanelle Munroe Sean Watson Steve Valentine Lon Mandrake Julie Eng

Richmond Hill: The Magic of the Holidays [Dec 13]

Tickets at Jokers Comedy Club. Proceeds from the show will go to Crafting for a Cure, a registered charity benefiting children who have to go to the hospital.

Performers rumoured to include: Rob Driscoll, Ken Pham, Ian Crawford, Phil Pivnick, Aaron Matthews, and David Sutherland.

From the December 13th Facebook Event by Sin City Illusions:

03 December 2024

Ken McCreedy: Inspirational Canadian Magician

Second in this year's Inspirational Canadian Magician Showcase, is Ken McCreedy!


Ken McCreedy: Inspirational Canadian Magician.

Ken needs no introduction; his magical skills are well known throughout Canada and internationally. A professional magician since the 1970s, Ken has proven over the years to be Canada’s premier award-winning performer.

From stage to close-up performance to creating quality stage illusions and teaching his brand of creative magic, Ken does it all!

I find most inspirational about Ken is his ongoing effort and commitment to bring attention and recognition to many of our late great Canadian
Magicians.

I am honoured to know Ken. He is a good person and wonderful friend.

Ken McCreedy is certainly an Inspirational Magician!

Submitted by Doug Hunt

Congratulations Ken! Keep up the great work!

To learn more about Ken McCreedy, visit KenMcCreedy.com and follow him on Facebook and Instagram.

Thank you Doug, for your excellent submission!

To learn more about Doug, visit his website at DougTheGreat.com and follow him on Facebook, and Instagram. ICYMI, read Graeme Reed's guest post about Doug's 2023 Guinness World Record breaking stilt walk, for which Doug was honoured by the The City of Brantford which officially opened a new Guinness World Record Stilt Display at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre on Monday December 2nd, 2024.


2024 Inspirational Canadian Magician Showcase featuring (in order of publication): Matt Johnson Ken McCreedy Marc Trudel Ryan Michael Tabraze Sheikh Scott McClelland Alex Boyer Chanelle Munroe Sean Watson Steve Valentine Lon Mandrake Julie Eng

Doug Hunt honoured by the City of Brantford

From December 2nd media release by the City of Brantford:

New Stilt Walking Guinness World Record display is unveiled at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre

BRANTFORD, ON – Representatives from the City of Brantford and famous stilt walker Doug “The Great” Hunt and representatives from his 2023 Stilt Walking Support Team unveiled a new Stilt Walking Guinness World Record display this morning at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre at 254 North Park Street.

Visitors are invited to visit the new display that showcases the successful attempt in setting a new Guinness World Record for Tallest Stilts ever mastered. Doug took 14 unassisted steps on stilts measuring 55 feet in height at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre’s 10th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, October 21, 2023.

The stilts now on display, are made of carbon fibre and weigh 140 pounds combined. On the event day, two cranes were positioned side by side and extended approximately 60 feet into the air, connected by two safety cables. A third crane, equipped with an aerial lift was placed between them to serve as a safety platform and provide support for assisting personnel. Six people helped to move the stilts in place so that Doug could step into the boots from the platform before beginning his attempt.

The new display also features the Brantford Bulldogs jersey that Doug wore during his attempt, the Guinness World Record certificate he received for Tallest Stilts ever mastered in 2023, and his successful attempt for Tallest and Heaviest Stilts ever mastered in 2002 at the Brantford Tourism Centre that was previously located next to Lynden Park Mall.

Watch the video of Doug Hunt’s incredible achievement and learn more by visiting www.waynegretzkysportscentre.ca/StiltWalking.

“Our team had two goals in mind when we planned to attempt to break the World Record. One was to break the Guinness World Record, which we did, but more importantly, to help those who are unable to walk for themselves. Our main goal was to raise money for Brantford’s Participation Support Services who help provide support to adults with physical disabilities. I’m pleased to share that we raised $28,000 for Participation Support Services.”
- Doug “The Great” Hunt

“The City of Brantford is proud to commemorate Doug’s accomplishment at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre. We are grateful for the dedication and passion displayed by Doug and the Stilt Walking Team, whose efforts have helped raise funds to support those in need. This achievement truly demonstrates the power of community when we come together with a shared purpose.”
- City of Brantford Mayor Kevin Davis

From the December 2nd Facebook post by Mayor Kevin Davis:

02 December 2024

Matt Johnson: Inspirational Canadian Magician

First up in this year's Inspirational Canadian Magician Showcase, is Matt Johnson!


Matt Johnson: Inspirational Canadian Magician.

Based in Vancouver, Matt Johnson performs around the world on cruise ships, captivating international audiences with his breathtaking magic and escape acts. What inspires me most about Matt is his relentless pursuit of pushing magic and escapes to their physical limits. His grand-scale illusions set him apart, leaving a lasting impression on audiences worldwide. The fact that he’s consistently rebooked years in advance speaks volumes about the impact and success of his shows.

Submitted by Leif David

Congratulations Matt! Keep up the great work!

To learn more about Matt, visit LikeMattJohnson.com and follow him on Facebook and Instagram.

Thank you Leif, for your excellent submission!

To learn more about Leif David visit BCMagician.com and follow him on Facebook and Instagram.


2024 Inspirational Canadian Magician Showcase featuring (in order of publication): Matt Johnson Ken McCreedy Marc Trudel Ryan Michael Tabraze Sheikh Scott McClelland Alex Boyer Chanelle Munroe Sean Watson Steve Valentine Lon Mandrake Julie Eng

2024 Inspirational Canadian Magician Showcase

It's time for our second annual Inspirational Canadian Magician Showcase (ICMS)!

Last month, we reached out to the magicians featured in last year's ICMS and asked them to write two to four sentences about someone in the Canadian magic community who inspired them in 2024. (They were given the caveat that the magicians in last year's showcase were ineligible to be named in this year's showcase.)

Over the next couple of weeks, we'll be hosting a showcase of the submissions, in no particular order.

We hope you enjoy!


2024 Inspirational Canadian Magician Showcase.

Note: This is not intended to be a comprehensive list of the inspirational things magicians are doing across Canada. Instead, think of it as highlighting a random sample of excellence at a single point in time.

01 December 2024

Montreal Magic Jam: Steph Lac and Derrick Chung lecture [Dec 2]

From the December 2nd Facebook event by the Montreal Magic Jam:

Hey gang,

Marc here, taking over the Montreal Magic Jam mailing list to tell you about an event you absolutely don’t want to miss.

After a bit of friendly arm-twisting, I’ve convinced my good friends Steph Lac (of Slim Card Co.) and Chung (from the legendary duo McSorley & Chung) to bring their one-of-a-kind lecture to the Montreal Magic Jam! These two are not only top-notch magicians, but they also have impeccable taste in both magic and whiskey—I can personally vouch for that! They’ve already showcased their lecture for some of the brightest minds in the U.S., and I wasn’t about to let them skip over their hometown without sharing this with us!

Here’s the scoop:
📅 When: Monday, December 2

Steph and Chung have each been doing amazing work for years, and now they’re teaming up officially for the first time. Steph will show off his skills in crafting gaffs and the underground world of card and dice manipulation—he’s even worked with legends like Sal Piacente and the late Fast Jack Farrell.
And Chung? He’s been a key player in Montreal’s magic scene for over two decades, creating some serious magic behind the scenes. His tricks have even made it into The Nacho Card Notes, which has been getting rave reviews. Between the two of them, expect some deep insights and practical tips you can put into action.

Bonjour! Hi! This lecture will be fully bilingual, with Steph presenting in French and Chung in English. Very Montreal, right?

Bonus! They’ll also have an exclusive set of lecture notes (more like a mini-book!) created by Sophie-Anne Vachon from Conundrum Magazine, available only at this event.

With two incredible lectures for the price of one, seats won’t last long! Reserve your spot now. You can easily pay via PayPal.

Can’t wait to see you there!

Marc Trudel and the Montreal Magic Jam team