The Browser's Bash 2015 in Vanish Magazine

Updated August 23rd to add:

• With thanks to Lee Asher for his collaboration and editing.
• And also thanks to Paul Romhany for publishing!

The August/September 2015 edition of  Vanish Magazine has a write-up, by yours truly, about this year's Browser's Bash.

From page 74 of Vanish Magizine's August/September 2015 edition:

“I’ve never attempted to do anything like this before! Save this date – April 12, 2015.”

That’s the message that Jeff Pinsky, owner of The Browser’s Den of Magic in Toronto, sent out last December. Whatever could it be, I wondered? I read and reread the small amount of text, searching for clues or hidden meanings. Would it be preparation for a Flash Mob? A marriage proposal? The filming of a movie or television show?

Read more.

Random thoughts from Sorcerers Safari 2015

• Mike and Jen Segal are totally awesome and inspiring people!
• It is tremendous that organizations such as Ellusionist support Sorcerers Safari. (Kids, did you remember to send a quick "thank you" e-mail to them for the generous gift you received?  Do it now!  -- Mom)
• The safety and welfare of the children is an absolute priority.
• Spotted: Mike and Jen Segal, Dan Wiebe, Eric Leclerc, Aaron Fisher, Dave Mitchell, Carey Lauder, Lee Asher, Dick Joiner, Steven Kline, Lisa & Michael Close, Shawn Farquhar, Ben Train, Chris Mayhew, Rosemary Reid, Marc Chalmers, Jonah Babins, Joan Caesar, Philip DaCosta, Mark Correia, Chris Westfall, Sheldon Casavant, Scott Hammell, Greg Frewin, Neil Croswell & Ashley Da Silva, Loran, Marion & Ted Outerbridge and special guest Daryl ... I'm sure there were more and I'm sorry if I missed you!
• If you haven't met Daryl yet, get thee to the Browser's Den for the Daryl Workshop or get to the Daryl Lecture.  He is fabulous.  You're welcome.
• Epic staff lip sync battle: Eric's "Blank Space" (Taylor Swift), Mark's "Independent Women" (Destiny's Child), Chris Mayhew's "Single Ladies" (Beyoncé), Rosemary & Chris Westfall's "Cheerleader" (Omi), Jonah & Jonah's "Love Is An Open Door" (Frozen), Michael's "Whip My Hair" (Willow Smith), Scott's "Ice Ice Baby" (Vanilla Ice), The Farquhar's "You're The One That I Want" (Greece), and Mike, Chris G, Steph, Jen & Lisa's "Mahna Mahnam" (Muppet Show).  Need I say more?
• Grand stage shows nightly including doves, big box illusions and multiple champions of magic!
• Beach party, cook outs, relay races, Food Chain, Capture The Flag, Dealer's Day, wrap party  fireworks, and swimming, swimming, swimming!  (Jumping in the lake is an experience like no other.)
• Carey Lauder is an incredible photographer. 
• Chris Mayhew shot some fabulous footage – I can't wait to see this year's camp video!
• Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp really does get better every year!
• Jen, Christina, Stephanie, Lori, and Lisa work super hard behind the scenes making sure that everything runs smoothly.
• Mike Segal and Mike Toal should be very proud of what they started together over 19 years ago.
• Sorcerers Safari is full of super nice, caring, talented individuals!

Don't just take my word for it, here's what other people had to say about this summer's magic camp experience:

Goooooooood morning campers! First full day, let's rock it! #magiccamp #camplife #ss2015 pic.twitter.com/1aP7IsPvHu

— Sorcerers Safari (@SorcerersSafari) August 15, 2015

Camp life is calm. Oh, there's a lot of card tricks too. #bestyearever #Farquharfun #sorc… http://t.co/Xw5qMt09eU pic.twitter.com/vDBl17TTbv

— Shawn Farquhar (@magiChampion) August 15, 2015

Show ended a bit early tonight so managed to get my first real sunset of Sorcerers Safari 2015 Day 3 #bestyearever
Posted by James Carey Lauder on Sunday, 16 August 2015

Yesterday was Dealer Day at Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp. A great way to see a lot of magic and we had so much fun to...
Posted by Marion Outerbridge on Tuesday, 18 August 2015

We are officially over 1000 likes on this page! We had a $10 000 prize for our thousandth liker but unfortunately you're...
Posted by Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp on Monday, 17 August 2015

Camper: "I wish I could sleep for 360 days. So I could miss the school year and when I wake up it would be time for camp again."

— Sorcerers Safari (@SorcerersSafari) August 19, 2015

Today marks the last day of the 19th year of @SorcerersSafari. I'm sad to be leaving but I'm excited to get home and share what I learned!

— Ben Train (@ErdnaseinTO) August 20, 2015

Toronto: Ron Guttman at "Magic Tonight"

Confirm details by visiting Abracadabaret.com

Toronto (Sun):  Ron Guttman









James Alan, over at Abracadaberet, has kindly offered the readers of Canada's Magic a coupon code for 50% off tickets to "Magic Tonight!"  Use the coupon code cmagic when you buy your tickets for Magic Tonight to receive your discount*.



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* Offer is subject to change without notice.  Canada's Magic earns a commission when you use the coupon code cmagic.

Review: Why Card Tricks are Important

From Reality Based Magic:

I went to go see magician Chris Bruce at the Hamilton Fringe Festival last night. His show, Why Card Tricks Are Important, is part of the Fringe’s “Gallery Series”. It’s an unusual collection of short shows — this one runs about twenty minutes — performed for much smaller audiences.

The show contains — spoiler alert — card tricks. In fact it contains nothing which could not be called a card trick. They are spiffy and well-executed card tricks and fiercely interactive.

The burning question is whether or not the show could succeed in convincing someone that card tricks are, in fact, important. A more interesting question might be could anything convince you that card tricks were important. The answer is, unless you are slightly deranged, no… Unless you accept a perverse artistic meta-definition of important which allows that frivolous pursuits are important as a celebration of their own right to exist. After all, if we have a species have evolved to the point where we have so thoroughly beaten back the threats of disease, malnutrition, predators and war that we have the free time to wonder what exactly Justin Bieber is up to, isn’t that a triumph worth celebrating?

Read more.

Summer magic

Julie Eng does tremendous things with Magicana's My Magic Hands programme.

From Sharing Wonder:

Today's Big Show at Holland Bloorview wraps up the last of three simultaneous sessions we had been running at the hospital. We worked in partnership with Hands2Hands and Helping Hands; and hosted a full session of My Magic Hands. We had 27 clients participate with nearly 1:1 magic coach support! Needless to say these kids blossomed beautifully with such encouragement. We are so fortunate to work with such dedicated staff and volunteers at Holland Bloorview.

Even though each program and client had a wide range of goals, we were pleased to see so many kids not only achieve their goals but to also discover new skills they didn’t realize they even possessed! There is power inside that kind of self-confidence and self-esteem - and we find it simply inspiring.

Read more.